To be honest, I haven't been very motivated to make art over the past year. It may be for a couple of reasons. I moved back to St. Louis with my parents after I graduated from Columbia, and I've been more concerned with helping out around the house. Namely, I've been helping my dad tend to his garden as well as cook for the family. Perhaps more importantly, being out of college means that I no longer have any immediate access to a print or bookmaking studio.

However, I've have taken some steps towards getting back on my feet. A friend of my dad, who works at the St. Louis College of Health Careers, told us about Occupational Therapy (OT), where patients with physical and mental disabilities and injuries receive treatment through stimulation provided by actions like arts and crafts. I was able to find a job as a teaching assistant, teaching medical students how to use art in OT, which begins this summer.

In terms of actually making art, I entered Neil Gaiman's "Calendar of Tales" contest [link] out of boredom, and actually managed to get 3 of the 12 entries I sent on the contest's shortlist (read: they caught the attention of Gaiman himself). I've also attended the Southern Graphics Conference in Milwaukee, where I learned a few new printmaking tricks, most importantly some tips on how to make your own etching studio.

When it comes to Thirdborn, I've realized that the sheer number of ideas I have for Kara and Gabriel's adventures has been overwhelming me. As I result, I decided I would change my original ideas for the narrative so I could approach one civilization at a time, starting with the robotic Susehpens.

Well, I finally got all of that off my back. Now it's time to start making.