As the tune of Auld Lang Syne rings out a new year, I get about as reflective as a disco ball. I'm happy to report that my family and I have lived another year off of my work. Many of the folks here in small town Iowa are not very good at hiding their surprise that a person can earn a living as an illustrator. I look forward to such conversations! The myth of the starving artist is one I'm eager to dispel because I think fear keeps a lot of folks from taking creative risks. Now I'm not suggesting that this calling is the most efficient way of making a buck but the Lord has provided plenty of work to fill my days, put beauty out into the world, and put bread on the table. Plus I love what I do and feel a very real calling to it. The following is a list of projects and events I was a part of in 2024. It's satisfying to look back and see what can be accomplished in a year's time!
Projects:
Wrapped up illustrations for the book, Special Seeds by Abby Elsbury
Finished illustrations for the 20th Anniversary Edition for the Wilderking Trilogy by Jonathan Rogers
Finished illustrations for the book, Let It Roll! by Ora Pollack along with art for the book's website.
Cover and illustrations for Dead-Eye Dan and the Secret of the Swamp by Glenn McCarty
Designed a new brand identity for Oskaloosa Christian School
Illustrated the cover for a not-yet-released novel about a Jewish slave girl.
Designed a book plate for author, Helen Dent
Cover and illustrations for Island of Stars by Carrie Brownell
Darcy's Always First was released into the world.
Designed a new brand identity for Cultivation Counseling
Two cover designs for Jon Tilton: Doomed Dune and Welcome to the Lands of Luxury.
Designed an album cover and logo for a band called the Homesick Prodigals
Painted a large double-portrait commission
Painted a landscape for a commission
Worked on the Landscape Class for our Homeschool Art Curriculum, The Illustrator's Studio
Illustrated and designed handouts for teacher trainings put on by Teaching for Transformation
Illustrated the cover for Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality and Gender Identity by Hillary Ferrer
Illustrated book 6 in the Mistmantle Series, by M.I. McAllister, now available on Kickstarter
Sketched out illustrations for my wife, Katie's next family devotional. By the way, she's now turned in that manuscript for editing.
Began illustrating the next Good News for Little Hearts book
Some speculative artworks pitched to a licensing company
Art Events:
Albia Restoration Days Art Show in Albia, Iowa
The Waukee Art Festival in Waukee, Iowa
Paint Madison County in Winterset, Iowa
The Nunnikhoven Farm Harvest Fest near Harvey, Iowa
Kerstmarkt, in Pella, Iowa
Speaking Events/Podcasts:
Illustrator talk at local middle school
Spoke with Iowa Corn at a school
Spoke at my daughter's 8th grade graduation
New Art Pieces (I did more but these are the ones I'm happy with.):
Shaggy Monster
Steinhoek Barn
Top Hat Caterpillar
Back Lit Pig
Shaggy Highland
Fields' Changing
Frog on a Penny Farthing
Frog Tubing
Great Galumph
Introvert
Nerdy Cat, Green Blazer
Panda Dance
Piglet in High Grass
Rocking Pig
The Lookout
Awards:
I won top prize at Paint Madison County, a plein air painting event.
The Watership Down Graphic Novel won an Eisner Award. It's cool to have done work (colorist) on an Eisner award winning graphic novel, especially since it was my first time working on a graphic novel.
Other Major Developments:
My wife, Kate started writing for Dwell Kids, the kids' space on the Dwell Bible App.
Our firstborn started high school and uses my car more than I do.
My health improved with the help of a functional doctor. My lyme disease symptoms have lessened and I have more energy. Praise the Lord!
I began mentoring an art student through my alma mater, Dordt University.
I finished a three-year long term as an elder in our church. I served along side some very dear folks!
What Worked?
Getting a canopy and doing more live events really helped the bottom line and led to some great face-to-face interactions.
My sketchy style has become my favorite style to work in. It feels the most direct and honest and I'm hoping for jobs that include more of that type of work.
My Etsy Shop continued to provide added income and so did Redbubble.
Threads and TUVU saw great growth and engagement.
It's proven beneficial to reach out to folks who are doing work I admire. This has led a few times now to great relationships and to paid gigs.
What Didn't Quite Work?
Instagram and Facebook must have gotten stale for most folks. Certainly engagement has declined there. X is flat for me. I was always bad at so few characters. Social media, in general, is not always the best use of my time. At the same time, most of my work has come from folks finding me there. Need to ponder this further.
Some events are better than others. It depends a lot on the size and type of audience that the event attracts.
GOALS FOR 2025:
Do more live events, maybe compete in more plein air contests.
Set up realistic social media plan so that it doesn't eat up so much time.
Complete the first course in The Illustrator's Studio series and release it to the world.
Continue to eat healthy and exercise.
Seriously, I'm so grateful that there are folks out there who love my work and are willing to part with hard-earned dollars for it. Cheers to your new year and may God bless us as we follow him!