Getting Creative this Spring

One of my goals this year is to start using my time to do more creatively stimulating activities.

I’ve noticed the last few months (maybe even in some ways, the last few years) that I haven’t been doing much for myself. I’ve been traveling (which is AMAZING and I wouldn’t trade it for anything) and I’ve been spending time with my friends and loved ones, but in the little down time I have, I feel like I’ve been completely wasting my time.

Lately, I’ve been spending my free time watching tv or scrolling online and I feel like I need to start doing things I enjoy and things that make me feel GOOD when I’m done with them.

That’s part of why I’ve been opening myself back up to drawing and painting. I’ve been trying to find my own niche with drawing and I’ve been focusing on fandoms and music that I like and creating pieces around those.

I did my first painting last fall – I painted a How I Met Your Mother themed piece to have Josh Radnor sign at Rhode Island Comic Con – and then I painted a picture of myself and Nathaniel Buzolic and had him sign it in December at a Vampire Diaries convention.

Then, in March, I took on my biggest project yet and painted the Dawson’s Creek cast to have Kerr Smith and James Van Der Beek sign at 90s Con.

I was so nervous going into it, but I’m so proud of how the final product came out and both Kerr and James were so excited and impressed when they saw it.

Last month, I decided to take on a few more projects. One for my friend’s birthday and two for Chord Overstreet to sign.

The first one was for my friend Kayla’s birthday. She and her mom are both so creative and own Superstar Designs where they create a TON of fandom merch including clothing, lanterns, keychains, hats, and blankets. They’ve shared so many products with me in the past and I wanted to give Kayla something special for her birthday.

So, I found a photo of Kayla, her mom, our friend Danielle, and I and I drew it and then painted it.

Then, I surprised my friend Nicole with a little 5×7 painting of Chord Overstreet from when he was on Glee. She’s a huge fan of Glee and loves Trouty Mouth, so I decided to take some creative liberty and paint a Trouty Mouth painting for her.

Lastly, the one I’m the most proud of!

When I found out Chord Overstreet was going to be a guest at The Vampire Diaries convention I was going to in Covington, GA, I immediately bought an autograph and a photo with him. I’ve also been a fan of his since he was on Glee, so I was psyched to meet him, but I had nothing in mind for him to sign.

His brother is in the band Hot Chelle Rae – my favorite band – so part of me wanted whatever it was he was signing to be Hot Chelle Rae themed, but I also wanted it to be centralized around him as well and not just his brother.

And then… it HIT ME. One of my favorite Hot Chelle Rae songs – and favorite songs in general – is called Do the Damn Thing and Chord is featured on it, and so began a search for a cd or vinyl of Do the Damn Thing. But after searching and searching, I couldn’t find one that I thought was suitable for him to sign.

Instead, I found a 12×12 canvas, I drew the album cover, and then I painted it!

This was by far and away the most difficult painting I’ve ever painted, but I’m also beyond proud of how it came out and I was SO excited to have Chord sign it. Check it out below!

If you have any suggestions on what I should paint next, send them my way!