I debated whether I should talk about this publicly, but it's occupied so much of my everyday thoughts and conversations with fellow artists that it feels dishonest to release a newsletter this season and not say something.
This is a really weird time for artists.
I had to explain to my cousin that a vendor at a street festival in City Hall last month was selling art prints she "made" using ai prompts (they had all of the telltale signs of ai sludge, and the "art" was hideous). Cuts to federal funding are no longer a threat - they are here, and organizations across Philadelphia, and of course the entire country, are trying to figure out how to operate as normally as possible at a fraction of their budget. Prospective clients are using the word 'honorarium' instead of budget when they reach out - if it all, since this season has been incredibly slow for me and fellow public artists. Other public sector clients have transparently shared that any wiggle room that there used to be for our projects are now non-existent. Friends in retail are contemplating whether it's worthwhile to order more products like notepads and clothing, or if tariffs will render their overhead costs and resale value no longer tenable.
Many artists have told me this will be their year of pivoting, either to other facets of the creative industry that they hope can withstand this administration and the effects of ai, or out of the industry altogether.
As for me… frankly, I feel like I just got here. Yes, I've been making art professionally for ten years, but it's only been two years since I transitioned to artistry full-time, and I don't feel even close to throwing in the towel. I would, however, be lying if I said that the strain to keep up with prospective client outreach, rejected RFPs, grant applications, and work on projects with smaller budgets has not weighed on my energy and sense of optimism. I feel like I'm hanging onto this train, a bit weary but determined. It's been challenging. And I have a feeling it’s gonna be this way for a while.
But I'll be wading through it, somehow.
If you’re reading this and are also experiencing the strain of budget cuts, tariffs, and quiet but lethal slashes within your industry, please know that I hear you and see you. I keep hearing friends say that all we have is each other to bear through the storms, and it really is true.
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There are still things worth celebrating
My husband Nick and I were extremely fortunate to finally go on our honeymoon to Japan back in March. We spent two weeks sampling noodles, purchasing capsule toys, and navigating how to dress for winter and summer temperatures in Tokyo, Niigata, and Kyoto.
Vacation feels like a million years ago now, but I can still remember how golden hour felt on a crisp night in Tokyo. A paper thin turtleneck and a linen duster were enough to keep me warm in the evening breeze. Jazz piped out of street side speakers lining the path toward Ikenoue station. We waited at the barricade for a train to Shibuya to pass, beside a woman with a bouquet of flowers she'd purchased for herself, tucked neatly into her bike basket. The only plans for the night were cocktails at a record bar and wandering late night shops in search of vintage denim. Heaven!!!
Sketching remains my favorite vacation activity, where I lose track of time to interpret the flood of visual stimuli from each day's explorations. I doodled a spread on each day of my trip, and you can see a bunch of them here.
God Save Us Nelly Queens
I'm well on my way to completing illustrations for my first picture book, What Kind of Queen? A Biography of LGBTQ Activist José Sarria written by Drag Storytime co-founder Kyle Casey Chu (who just released their debut YA book!) and LGBTQ historian Andrew Shaffer. It's so satisfying to finally get to a point where I am now finishing pages, instead of making incremental progress over a series of weeks to months. I have loved drawing José's world, illustrating outfits from his childhood in the 1920s all the way until his passing in 2013.
Right now the book's illustrations are safely in the pages of my sketchbook, on my iPad, and many backup hard drives. So it's hard to believe that by this time next year, they’ll be in your hands and on bookshelves all over the country. The pressure of making sure I do justice to this iconic and beloved figure in history is on my shoulders, and I'm taking it very seriously! I can't wait for you to see it next year.
As for this section's title? Every time José sang at San Francisco's famous Black Cat Cafe, he ended with a performance of the song "God Save Us Nelly Queens," an anthem of queer inclusion and perseverance for all in the audience to join in and sing together.
Sunshine Baby
The search is over — I finally have a new studio space that I LOVE.
The truth is that I had been waiting patiently for the right space to open up at the Bok building, once a technical school and now a hub of Philadelphia's most innovative creators and small businesses. I painted my first mural in a Bok studio, led my first diary comics workshop in the building's lobby bakery, and slowly befriended artists on each floor over studio visits and coffee dates. Given my history with the building, I knew in my heart that it was the right place for me to grow my practice. I can now say definitively that even within a couple of months in the space, it has drastically helped my mental health to be around other creative folks each week and to separate my work and life, at least to some degree.
My non-negotiables while studio hunting included at least one window, so imagine my surprise when I found a corner space with FOUR enormous windows! Sometimes it's so bright in there that I need sunglasses to paint in the afternoon.
Flowers are Blooming at Sanctuary Farm
Last September I mentioned I'd be designing a mural for Sanctuary Farm, an incredible urban farm in North Philly that provides fresh, organic produce and year-round programming to enhance the health and wellbeing of residents. The mural has officially entered the installation phase, and I cannot believe how bright and beautiful it is already!
The illustrious New Jersey-based artist De'Von Downes has led a team of artists and crew who are painting and installing the mural throughout the month. I'm so grateful for their hard work so far in bringing this artwork to life (shout out to Sahiti, Isabella, Stephen, & Brittany!). Making public art like this shines a light on organizations already doing incredible work who can use an extra push to beautify their space and get the word out on how to get involved. On an installation day last week, I chatted with a neighbor passing by who said that "the mural sticks out, in a good way" and that she was excited to finally learn what this plot of land was all about, since the mural has helped her put together the pieces of the organization's story. I hope it continues to inspire more neighbors to swing by and garden together.
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If you've made it this far, thank you. This newsletter will always be free, but I’m extending a special thank you to folks who are paid subscribers just to support my work - I appreciate you so very much.
Until next time,
Cindy
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