I’m excited to share with you my latest project - my very first zine.

I’ve wanted to make one for a while but was looking for a community or a place to do it in. So when I saw that offered her class, I jumped at the opportunity.

But first, what is a zine?

A zine is self-published, usually very low cost, little tiny baby magazine. It’s an easy way to distribute an idea (any idea, any topic) to a group of people. People sell zines, trade zines, leave zines in free libraries. It’s basically a way to share your idea with the world in a very cost-friendly format, making it easily accessible compared to other books/art formats. Typically a zine can be just 1 paper page that is folded in different ways to create a mini booklet, or a zine!

Topics are limitless, endless, whatever the hell you feel like writing or expressing about can be a zine. Isn’t that so wonderful?

In my class we had people who made zines about finance terms, family recipes, seasonal happenings, sewing guidelines and tips, and more! That was one of my favorite parts about making a zine with a group of people; I got so inspired by everyone!

Why A Zine?

I think the abundance of ai trash online makes me crave more tactile experiences, especially ones rooted in community. Zines just feel so human made, rough around the edges, beautifully imperfect.

So question should be really - why NOT a zine? Anyone can make one and that’s the beauty of it.

Sushi Zine

All of a sudden I had a multitude of zine ideas but because we had the constraint of a class format I decided to go with my all time favorite type of food, which is sushi.

So I made a little zine about different sushi types.

Because I’ve recently gotten into stamp carving (omg it’s so fun and meditative) I decided to combine this with my sushi zine instead of doing hand drawn illustrations. I also thought that if I print the sushi stamp illustrations myself onto a black and white paper that I print out, it will also decrease the cost of production (plus it’s so fun to stamp things!!).

Here’s a flip through of my zine. Can you believe it’s all just 1 piece of copy paper folded up? Magic, right!?

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BUT WAIT, there’s more!

Traditionally to make zines accessible and low cost to produce, they are printed in black and white. But you guys know i love colors so I wanted to also include a mini coloring page along with the zine.

If you’d like a copy of my zine, let me know! I’m collecting mailing addresses via the button below. I am also so trading zines!!!

Want a copy of my sushi zine?

Do you think my next zine will be food related?

Here’s my online store for some colorful things:

• online store if you’d like to support me

• online store for tea towels!

• grab my book Watercolor Snacks

My substack articles will remain free AND you’re welcome to subscribe if you’d like to show your support for my art. I’m going to be sending some of my lampwork beads to people who subscribe. :)

I don’t remember the last time a piece of art wrecked me like this. How both things can coexist: beauty (the art, omg the art in this book) and the devastation (it is so very sad).

Anyway, I highly recommend this graphic novel. And also a box of tissues.

The Nightingales by Emil Wilson.

If you have any powerful and beautiful graphic novels to recommend, please share!

I have always loved ice cream and truly think it’s a food group that can be enjoyed regardless of the weather. But it especially comes in handy when it’s impossibly warm outside.

Here are some ice cream inspired artworks that I’ve done.

Starting out with this new comic, some watercolor art, beads, etc and also tutorials at the end if you are inspired to eat and paint ice cream.

Traditionally you hear about the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) during cold winder months. However, I tend to experience it in the deep hell that I find Texas summers to be.

Oh yeah, speaking of my first book!

You can find it wherever books are sold, and also here.

Ice Cream Recipes

For a while there I was really into making food and recipe animations. Here is one that depicts how to make Match ice cream at home.

I still find it incredible that I had clients who’d pay me to draw and animate food. It truly was a special time, though I also struggled a lot.

Elevate your ice cream sandwich: add marshmallow fluff, drizzle with chocolate syrup, then break up the graham crackers on top. Optional - can roast it quick with a flame torch to toast up the mallow.

Ice Cream Gifs

You can search for ‘colorsnack’ inside any gif box and you can find some of the gifs I’ve done.

Ice Cream Wallpapers

Watercolor Tutorial: Ice Cream Cone

Watercolor Tutorial: Popsicle

Here’s my online store for some colorful things:

• online store if you’d like to support me

• online store for tea towels!

• grab my book Watercolor Snacks

My substack articles will remain free AND you’re welcome to subscribe if you’d like to show your support for my art. I’m going to be sending some of my lampwork beads to people who subscribe. :)

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Here is a post with nothing but watermelon art created by me, because I love watermelons.

Starting with an infographic on how to pick the best watermelon:

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How to Paint a Watercolor Watermelon

Thanks for being here, sweet friend!

Here’s my online store for some watermelon things:

• online store if you’d like to support me

• online store for tea towels!

• Watermelon + mint is a great combo

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On the road I kept seeing cars swerving to avoid something on the road so I was prepared to do the same. And then I realized it was a turtle, crossing the road.

It literally took me 30 seconds to park the car, get out, move it and then be off on my way.

After my descriptions and then looking up what a snapping turtle looked like (the one time i didn’t photograph nature) it was confirmed.

I did indeed pick one up.

And, by some miracle, avoided getting my fingers bitten off.

In case you didn’t know, there is a certain way you should handle a snapping turtle if you want to preserve YOUR FINGERS.

Thanks for reading, sweet friend!

I wanted to also share about a special project.

For the last few years I’ve had the pleasure to create a watercolor design for World Watercolor Month. And I wanted to share with you my latest:

Of course, it had to be Texas native wildflowers!

You can find it here. 100 % of all proceeds support the International Child Art Foundation.

World Watercolor Month is in July and anyone is welcome to join however they want!

It was founded by Charlie O’Shields, the creator of Doodlewash®, author of Sketching Stuff™ books, in 2016. His own love of the medium led to the creation of a blog and social artist movement dedicated to promoting and connecting the vast community of watercolor artists all over the world.

Thanks to my one paid subscriber - Kat!

Thanks for reading & sharing my work.

All my art is made with human intelligence and your support is greatly appreciated!

• You can find my Watercolor Snacks book here.

• My YouTube channel, while not active at the moment, has many great tutorials :)

• Shop for cute tea towels (makes great gift!)

• Find some of my available Tiny Birds on Snacks here (google photos album link)

I got micro-adventures to write and draw about and I also got health consequences from said adventures.

One of which was a really hard learned lesson about local bugs (and I did use lots of bug spray, mind you!).

I follow a Wild Dallas Forth Worth page that posts about events and that’s how I learned about the Artists in the Meadow plein-air outing at Connemara Meadow. I have not been there before and noticed that it was already saved as a “want to visit” location on my google maps, so I decided this would be the perfect time to do it.

It stormed the night before, I barely slept (I also came back from an in-person retreat at work which was great but also tiring) I almost didn’t go.

But I am so freaking glad I did.

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Every time I push myself to go when I’d rather stay at home, it has always rewarded me with a special and memorable experience. (I push myself gently because I am older and wiser now; had I been completely wiped out, I would not have gone).

Anyway, thanks to this micro-adventure I discovered THE MOST BEAUTIFUL nature place in all of Dallas. I am convinced. Connemara Meadow is now my favorite!!

The next day I also discovered something else:

Yep, chigger bites.

Disgusting little creatures that crept up my long pants and got all over my lower body. They are so tiny you can’t feel them, you just see the aftermath. I must have a hundred or more of these bites. Don’t tell my mom.

I consider myself very lucky because I am not allergic to these bites and it just looks really scary.

Now that I think about it, I remember meeting another artist, they are also a Master Naturalist, and they were dressed in boots, pants tucked into socks, long sleeve sweatshirt. I remember thinking - that must be so hot to walk around in. But I think I’d rather be hot than with bug bites.

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More photography below from my micro-adventure.

I hope you give your local meadow a try and go frolic, but only if you do it responsibly and with proper attire/supplies.

Thanks to my one paid subscriber - Kat!

Thanks for reading & sharing my work.

All my art is made with human intelligence and your support is greatly appreciated!

• You can find my Watercolor Snacks book here.

• Shop for cute tea towels (makes great gift!)

• Find some of my available Tiny Birds on Snacks here (google photos album link)

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It’s my very own take on Eat, Pray, Love but for cat people. 😜

Comic Description: Panel 1 - a fluffy cat outline making a poopy. Panel 2 - a short hair cat outline laying on my lap, with some hairs shedding. Panel 3: two cats, a short hair (Freddie) and a long hair (Ichigo) embracing each other on the couch.

Thanks to my one paid subscriber - Kat!

Thanks for reading & sharing my work.

All my art is made with human intelligence and your support is greatly appreciated!

• You can find my Watercolor Snacks book here.

• Shop for cute tea towels (makes great gift!)

• Find some of my available Tiny Birds on Snacks here (google photos album link)

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This newsletter was totally inspired by a few artists on this platform that have created handmade/hand-drawn newsletters ( and ) I wanted to try it myself and ended up really loving the process, because it allowed me to sorta make a substack post first in my own journal or sketchbook and then share it with you!

I am still trying to land on a style with these and I think the tweaking of this is part of the journey and something which I enjoy but also wish I had already figured out.

Anyway…

If you’ve been seeing my notes lately, then you know I have a tiny pocket art kit that I basically take with me everywhere I go. I am really into the idea of scrolling less on my phone and drawing more, and such I am constantly re-thinking my accessories because they have to be functional but also whimsical.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I am currently carrying with me.

Listed above items are:

• A silly little pouch I bought from Daiso (which is like a Japanese dollar-tree with lots of fun items and lots of different sized pouches).

• The pearl string is actually intended for a phone case but I put it on the pouch because it had to give some whimsy

• Fancy clip to bring a smile to my face

• Tiny sketchbook from Go Draw

• Tiny watercolor palette from Go Draw

• (not pictured here) but I also enjoy my tiny palette from Art Tool Kit

• A 4ml mini water brush pen

• A microfiber cloth - it’s tiny and perfect for tiny sketching because I don’t want to carry something bulky but it works better than just a paper towel

This is what it looks like in real life:

Why A Tiny Pocket Art Kit Works (For Me):

I hope this gives you some ideas and a tiny kit works for you too!

• It’s small and lightweight - I hate carrying heavy shit

• Truly pocket friendly

• I can also carry it around my neck and it looks like an accessory (nobody will ever question if I’m a real artist 😂

• I can sketch on the go and therefore I am dangerous to keep company with (because you may end up in my comic or sketchbook)

• Reduces phone scrolling. I am truly never bored. I will even sketch a gas station pump.

  

• I can make sneaky art in public, inspired by this author.

A Few Tips For Tiny Art:

• Sketch what grabs your attention

• Focus on large shapes

• Focus on capturing only the essentials (squint your eyes, what do you see? draw that)

• Experiment with tools you love - I once went totally rabid and bought like 20 rainbow pencils because I cannot imagine my life without them

• If using watercolors, work in layers, allow it to dry and then add another (this is great if you paint tiny because it will dry faster)

• Just a compositional tip: use contrast in your shapes and values and you’re golden

  • Oh yeah, golden ratio!

But all of the above is potatoes, because what matters most is that you have FUN and you ENJOY yourself and that you treat this as PLAY.

And if you’re into whimsy then I do recommend making your art supplies cute and whimsical because it means you will reach for them more. I call this whimsy-maxxing.

My journaling has increased by at least 200% after I added my own lampwork beads to them.

Where Can You Use The Tiny Art Kit:

How about anywhere?

• Gas station

• Concert when you’re waiting on your favorite band to start performing

• Dentist office

• At the rose garden

• At the grocery story

• Etc?

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I don’t have a fancy signature to share here. I just wanted you to know that I will be sharing more comics, more sketchbook inspo, nature photography and more lampwork beads in my future posts. If that’s your jam, great!! If not, I totally get it! go follow what brings you joy.

Hi Sweet Friend,

I never thought I’d be into drawing spacecrafts, but here we are.

I was so moved by the Artemis II mission and so inspired at this amazing human feat, that I ended up doing several comics and diary sketches.

These comics are also so vastly different from what I am known for on other social media platforms. But it feels kinda safe to just share them here. So thanks for reading and viewing, I so appreciate you!

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This comic above is exactly how I felt - glued to the internet. I enjoyed following along their mission and how freaking cool that there was a live stream going on the WHOLE TIME and we could hear the crew and the Capcom person at the Mission Control Center in NASA.

And then on April 10th, watching the Splashdown and feeling ALL OF the feels once they landed safely:

I don’t intend to share many of these daily spreads, but since we’re talking about NASA and Space, I thought these could work here too.

I recently invested in a Hobonichi A6 daily planner to mostly use for art and maybe some journaling. I was super inspired by my Substack friend .

Her video on her process was so sweet and inspiring:

This spread above is from my weekly planner - Hobonichi Weeks. At first I thought I could challenge myself to capture something fun from the previous week and sketch it out as a memory keep sake. But then watching Teresa’s video inspired me that I could totally do it daily.

I’ve actually fallen super deep into the rabbit hole of journaling (you can say it’s an extension of being saved by a sketchbook) and I can’t wait to show more of my process in another future post. It’s been a really wonderful practice that is bringing my joy and keeping me sane (with everything going on in the world).

Thanks for hanging in there friend, thanks for being here.

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I don’t have a fancy signature to share here. I just wanted you to know that I will be sharing more comics, more sketchbook inspo, nature photography and more lampwork beads in my future posts. If that’s your jam, great!! If not, I totally get it! go follow what brings you joy.

In the prior years I still enjoyed and loved nature but didn’t quite have the inclination to observe. I was also desperately trying to ‘make it’ in the art world and prove to myself and everyone that I too can make a living with my art. I was too wrapped up in the stresses of making an income and was oblivious to the natural beauty around me.

It has now been a year since I returned to being a corporate girlie. You can read more about it here, but long story short, going back to a stable income has improved my mental health and given me the space to notice what’s around me. I also realized I didn’t need to prove to anyone anything and that alone was liberating.

So now that I had some mental bandwidth to look beyond the screens, I started noticing all the other beautiful wildflowers in Texas, along with my beloved Bluebonnets.

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I hope you now realize that I was smitten (and to this day continue to be) and in love with these wildflowers.

So when my friends at PWR WMN, the company that designs stunning blazers WITH POCKETS for women, reached out to ask to collaborate on the inner lining design of one of their upcoming blazers, I was beyond ecstatic.

For one thing, I love collaborating with this beloved local woman-owned brand in Dallas because they love and respect my art work. But also, the theme they selected for this design was all about local Texas wildflowers and birds.

It was a HELL YEAH kind of project and I’m so excited to share with you a little bit behind the scenes of where it started.

Saved By The Sketchbook - AGAIN!

At the time that PWR WMN reached out for a collaboration, I was already deep in my wildflower sketchbook phase.

I truly could not get enough of sketching and painting them. I was spending nearly all my lunch breaks (away from my full time job which I am grateful is remote) exploring different ways of capturing these flowers.

For this design, Kim from PWR WMN really wanted the watercolor illustrations to also resemble a bit of the Scandinavian type of style. She sent me some inspo for references and then I got to work by exploring different ways of capturing the flowers in a fun watercolory way that is still true to me, but with a slight twist by leaving off the super realistic look and feel that my art is also known for.

It started inside my sketchbook with brainstorming (brush storming??) different petal shapes and designs.

But eventually, I knew I had to move over to some more quality watercolor paper to make the most of these flower patterns.

Kim is a super inspiring woman and she is raising a sweet girl who will no doubt be a force of creative nature as she grows up, inspired by her mom.

I loved that when I sent her flowers for review, she had her daughter Sophie be a part of the process and pick the ones she liked.

Texas Wildflowers and Birds - Design Process

After scanning my watercolor illustrations, I brought them into Procreate. I used this app to remove the background and isolate the flowers. I then started to assemble them into a pattern which I knew would be repeated as the design on the inner lining.

The plan was to first do a design of just wildflowers. But when I sent some initial designs for a pattern to PWR WMN, they asked if I could include some local birds - and of course! I added a cardinal and a bluejay, which are birds that you can see year long around Dallas.

After some tweaking and re-arranging of the elements, we reached a final design which they loved at PWR WMN.

A few months later Kim and her team invited me to attend one of their photoshoots which featured this blazer. I was deep in tooth-ache-drama, super medicated, but was able to make it and I’m so glad I did!

The photoshoot was at a local farmers market, The Cedar Market Ranch, and well, if you didn’t know this already, I am also in love with fruits and veggies, so I had to come!

Here are some photos that the talented photographer Angelica took of me:

You can find this blazer and many others here.

I love how this blazer turned out and I’m excited to wear it wherever I can and fill the pockets with useful things, like my mini watercolor sketchbook and palette.

Thanks for reading, sweet friend!

Your friend,

-Volta

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This was the second time I participated in the Hourly Comics Day.

Hourly Comics Day is a yearly event on February 8th where people around the world draw a comic panel or page for every hour they are awake. Anyone can participate, but the event is very popular in the English-speaking indie comics world.

2026’s edition is the 20th anniversary of the event!

Here’s my post from last year.

And while the idea is to draw comics each hour, I decided to do mine in chunks of time and also I did most of my drawing over 2 evenings.

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If I had more time and energy, I would totally clean up each panel. But alas, thanks for reading till the end and accepting all my pencil marks and ink smudges.

Dan made a delicious monkey bread, here is the recipe. He also made the spinach artichoke dip and it was SPECTACULAR.

Here are some of the glass beads I picked up from the day before:

Life Hack: How To Seal an Opened Chip Bag

A few of my favorite Hourly Comics Days by other artists I follow on Substack:

• :

  Am I Doing This Right?

  Hourly Comics Day 2026

  Read more

  7 months ago · 118 likes · 10 comments · Lian Cho

• :

  How it Feels

  Hourly Comics Day 2026

  Today was hourly comics day: when comics nerds who don’t watch the Super Bowl decide to draw every hour and share them. I remember seeing it last year and thinking it would be cool to try. It was cool to try, and it was hard to complete. And it was perhaps…

  Read more

  7 months ago · 16 likes · 2 comments · Emily Fishman

• :

Found Objects

Hourly Comics Day 2026

Last year, I had fun participating in Hourly Comics Day, so I decided to do it again this year. Typically, this challenge takes place on February 1st, where one draws a panel for every waking hour of their day. It’s on February 8th this year, but I chose to do it last Sunday anyway. (I work slowly…

Read more

7 months ago · 26 likes · 4 comments · Sarah Shaw

If you tried Hourly Comics Day HCD too, please post a link in the comments, I’d love to see what you were up to. I’m so nosy!! 🧐

I wanted all of that and always wanted to achieve more. And always looked for reasons how I can be better.

But something changed over the years. Maybe I’m getting older and my energy levels are not the same (my forties are coming up yayyikes), maybe I’ve just outgrown the desire to always achieve something. Or maybe I just started to accept myself and love myself and learn that even if I have things I can work on, I am still enough. And I am worthy.

I don’t know, but this kind of energy just feels better. It feels calmer. It feels like I can take things slow, at my own pace. It’s that energy of not reaching for a self-improvement book but rather a book on comics! or a novel!

This song by Florence and the Machine describes it very well:

And love was not what I thought it was
It crept up on me despite myself
And it was not a love song, it was something else
More like surrendering to something
And more like resting than running

Peace is coming

Wrapping up 2025 I wanted to share a series of my favorite art that I’ve made with my own human intelligence.

I’m proud to say I have made way more art than content and that’s how I want it to be in 2026.

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My Favorite Photos I Took in 2025

My Favorite Sketchbook Spreads From 2025

My Favorite Lampwork Beads I Made in 2025

How can I forget - my favorite visual graphic story I made this summer:

And maybe this very traumatic event in my cat’s and husband’s life:

Saved By A Sketchbook

Something new for the new year too - I changed the name of my pub on Substack to Saved By A Sketchbook. I dunno, that name feels better. It’s more aligned with who I am right now and what I want to share.

Mostly creative snippets from my life, but also share that by showing up in your sketchbook you can overcome many things. Maybe not right away, but keeping a sketchbook and expressing yourself can help you deal with the challenges of life, those unfair moments (like having to go to the dentist for the 7th time in the last 2 months, that’s like 6 times TOO MANY).

Anyway, happy new year, sweet friend.

Thanks for being here.

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Here is what changed and what stayed the same for me, in 2025.

Some things that stand out from 2025 for me:

• I have become a real bird watcher. It all changed for me one sunny afternoon when my spouse Dan found a set of really good quality binoculars at a thrift store.

• I have spent lots of time inside my sketchbooks as well as sketching on location as an urban sketcher. I also bought many more sketchbooks yet to be filled.

• I found my way into comics and graphic story-telling! It all started with being in this creative space (substack) and following many other cartoon people. Taking a class with this past summer was also super transformational and led me create this story.

• Oh yeah, I have a full time job now in a field that is very aligned with big part of who i am (outside of being an artist). It has been *so good* for my mental health and my creativity.

• I also became a lampworker! What is lampworking you ask? Omg let me tell you - it’s basically melting rods of glass and then shaping that glass into glass beads.

  

  

  

  If you’re into visual journaling and keeping a sketchbook, I highly recommend trying this exercise by Zsofi. It is a nice way to record where you are at a given point in life.

  ---

  Thanks for hanging in there, thanks for reading.

  Thanks for being a kind person.

The following is a comic based on a real life experience about my cat Freddie and my husband Dan.

Everyone is fine now, and I am grateful for that. It was a really stressful experience that lasted many days, included several doctor visits and many worriesome thoughts.

I think drawing this helped me process the experience, as a bystander who felt kinda helpless and wished to fix the situation quickly (but which could not be fixed right away and required time and lots of patience).

I also struggled a bit with how to present the drawings. I feel an inner conflict to use watercolors as a mere tool for adding some color to my quick drawings. Any more details and then it becomes too overwhelming to tackle (there’s so many panels!). It’s a struggle between choosing storytelling over beautiful and clean art (which I have been known to create).

Anyway, I decided to just show up with the story. A little messy, a little wonky.

But it’s all mine.

Thanks for reading!

The end. :)

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This was my favorite project I did this summer.

I was part of a wonderful group of women, lead by Author and Artist , and we all made visual stories together.

I almost didn’t sign up for this class, but working alongside other visual storytellers and having Kelcey’s guidance really helped me get this story finished. I’ve had it on my heart for a few years and I finally found the mental space to get it finished.

It’s based on a true story my aunt once told me.

Thanks for reading, sweet friend.

Hi sweet friend,

Something you should know about me - I *really* love strawberries.

I grew up in the capital of Moldova, Kishinev. My summers as a kid were spent visiting my grandparents in the countryside. That feeling of endless, boring (to a kid) summer is forever imprinted in my memory.

I remember how long the days felt. How sunny. And warm.

I loved spending time with my grandma and helping her pick fresh and ripe and juicy strawberries from her garden.

Something that was often done in small towns across Eastern Europe is setting up a little fruit stand right outside your house. My grandma’s home was located on a prominent street, so cars would often stop and buy a bucket or two of freshly picked strawberries.

Strawberries make me think of that time spent with her. My ties to where I’m from and those summer days drenched in strawberry fragrance and longing.

Anyway, here’s some art I’ve made over the years, that celebrate strawberries.

This animation I made based on a tasty prompt from Still Here Still Life.

A gif from a painting I did for one of the tasty cakes made by .

Loose strawberries, just for fun.

Watercolor strawberries I later turned into a print design pattern.

This smaller watercolor strawberry panel I still have, and it’s available.

I really enjoyed making this pop-up card. It took WAY too long, but it was really fun to cut and glue and paint and repeat. Learned about this process from a workshop by Ohn Mar Win.

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You can find some strawberry and other colorful stuff in my shop: https://www.colorsnack.com/store/

Thanks for watching, reading, sharing, snacking.

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Do you have a favorite fruit? Food? Snack? Are you hungry?

I had a whole series planned. So many ideas to bring to life.

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And then I just didn’t go anywhere with it.

Some of you have followed me from the notes I’ve been sharing - mostly art I’m working on, snippets, sketchbook peeks.

So maybe this longer post will surprise you.

Honestly, it’s kind of surprising me.

I think i wanted to wait for that moment when the words would just burst out on their own.

I’ve had them on my mind for a while now but I was waiting for a special moment.

This moment came to me right after a long solitary walk around my neighborhood.

Do you also find that walks give you a certain sense of clarity?

Anyway.

What I’ve been up to these last few months was really a coming home to myself.

I took a serious step towards removing the parts of my life I was no longer enjoying and most importantly I took the pressure off of my creative spirit to make an income.

That’s right! Welcome to my glorious return to a 9 to 5 lifestyle. (But not without the really challenging and growth-inducing lessons I’ve learned on my journey as a creative entrepreneur).

I keep telling myself that I am finally FREE FROM THE SHACKLES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP (as an artist sometimes I can be a little dramatic).

But the truth is - it wasn’t that bad, but also, it wasn’t that great either.

10/10 recommend. Zero regrets.

But also, maybe this wasn’t exactly the right path for me to continue to stay on.

2024 was one of the toughest years for my mental health and my family. I felt such intense burnout and just pure sadness from losing my identity because almost overnight it felt like I hated everything to do with watercolors.

So anyway, that was an interesting process I won’t get into in this post.

But what I am trying to get at is that it is really worthwhile getting to dig deep into yourself and figure out what you want.

And also figuring out what is in alignment with your body and your nervous system.

For years I’ve been trying to force and overcome my fears and anxieties when in reality it wasn’t an actual fear that had to be conquered. It was a signal from my body telling me, that maybe, just maybe this isn’t how I should purse my art.

I kept pushing, I kept glorifying the idea that “wow look at me, I have SO MUCH ANXIETY and physical symptoms and I still show up and I share my love of watercolors with the world”. (I would get major upset stomach before *every* single public event I’ve done and been a part of).

This took a heavy toll on my physical and mental health. And no, it didn’t happen overnight, it happened over the last 6 years culminating in an absolute burnout and depression and absolute hatred of anything creative.

I’m in my late 30s, you guys.

I have lived with anxiety (and occasional depression) all of my life.

I’m not saying that going back to a 9to5 is my cure-all but I will say that having this stability has drastically improved my mental health.

AND it has reignited my creative spirit.

I think I have found the artist way - that elusive path that so many creatives are after.

The beauty and challenge of it is that you can make it be whatever you want it to be.

There isn’t a right path for everyone to follow. Perhaps that journey of exploration is worth a try (like trying to run your own business and monetize your creativity). But it also isn’t the only way to BE an artist.

You can be an artist no matter how many years you’ve practiced. No matter what you do as a career.

The Artist Way is following the journey.

I hope to never arrive and to never “make it”.

Because for me the greatest gift is to keep making my silly little art.

For as long as I physically can.

And having stability (like a 9to5 provides) gives me the freedom to create on my own terms. And it gives me peace.

And for now, that is enough.

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What does this all mean for this space? I’m not sure. I do know that I will be running this substack purely on vibes and whimsy. And if you’re into that, welcome! And if not, that’s ok too (I also unsubscribed from a lot of things that no longer serve and I recommend you do that same).

Thanks for reading, sweet friend.

-Volta

Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, I want to send a little love your way. Personally, I see this day as an opportunity to remind ourselves of the power of self-love and its profound impact on our lives.

At the end of the day, the most important relationship we have is with ourselves. How we speak to ourselves, how we treat ourselves-it all matters.

Perhaps self-love isn’t a destination, but rather a lifelong practice, an ongoing journey of accepting all parts of ourselves: the joys, the struggles, ugh and the shadows. Learning to embrace those shadows is often the hardest part, but it is also the most rewarding.

In honor of this, I want to share how keeping a sketchbook can be a powerful tool for cultivating self-love.

Creativity is not just about making art; it’s about reconnecting with yourself, allowing room for imperfection, and nurturing joy in small moments.

Your Sketchbook Is a Safe Space for Exploration

A sketchbook offers a place to play, explore, and even fail without judgment. Too often, we are our own harshest critics, but what if we redefined success as simply showing up? By letting go of the pressure to create something “perfect,” we open ourselves up to self-discovery and self-compassion.

Try this: Experiment with new materials (like a rainbow pencil), sketch something unfamiliar, or simply fill a page with random marks. The act of creating-without the weight of expectation-can be deeply freeing and affirming.

Artsy Affirmations for Your Sketchbook

Self-love thrives when we speak kindly to ourselves. Your sketchbook can become a space to visually reinforce positive messages and self-affirmations.

Try this: Write a love letter to yourself in your sketchbook. Illustrate acts of self-care that nourish you: like a quiet morning with tea, an afternoon spent painting, or simply taking a nap with your plushie or pet (because those are restorative!). Fill your pages with reminders of your worth and beauty.

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy: Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Sketchbook

It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison, especially in the digital world. But remember: No one else has your unique perspective or experiences. Even if you have a similar experience as someone else, your self expression of it will always be different from theirs. Embrace that.

Try this: When you catch yourself comparing, pause and redirect your focus back to your sketchbook. Treat it as a space that is just for you-free from outside expectations, free from the need to impress. The only approval you need is your own.

Self-Love Is a Practice

Just like creativity, self-love is something we strengthen with practice. It’s not about getting it right; it’s about showing up for ourselves again and again, even on days when it feels difficult.

Try this: See your sketchbook time as an act of self-care. Every time you turn a blank page into something personal, you are affirming your worth. Let it be a space where you meet yourself with kindness and patience.

Find Joy in Your Sketchbook

Life can be chaotic, but your sketchbook can be a place of refuge-a space to process, dream, and simply be.

Try this: Fill your pages with things that bring you joy. Play with color, mark making and textures. Let it be your happy place, a space where you reconnect with what lights you up.

I also want to share this poem with you. A dear friend introduced me to it many years ago and it has had such a profound impact on me all these years. It took me a while to really understand the meaning of these words.

Love After Love by Derek Walcott

The time will come

when, with elation,

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

and say, sit here.

Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine.

Give bread,

Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit.

Feast on your life.

How Will You Feast On Your Life?

Beyond the sketchbook, self-love can take many forms. If you’re looking for simple ways to practice radical self-love, here are a few ideas:

• Guided meditations – Bring gentleness into your daily routine.

• Mirror talk – Look into the mirror and say, “I love you.”

• Therapy – Seek support in working through mental blocks or past wounds.

• Morning pages – A daily mind dump to release thoughts and clear your head.

• Write a love letter to yourself – Celebrate your strengths and unique qualities.

• Take yourself on a date – Visit a museum, enjoy a special meal, take a nature walk.

• Buy yourself flowers (and then paint them in your sketchbook) – Just because you’re worth it.

  

What’s one way you personally practice self-love and feast on your life? I’d love to hear-feel free to leave a reply and share your thoughts.

No matter how you choose to nurture yourself, remember that self-love is a lifelong journey. The more we show up for ourselves, the more love we have to give to the world.

Happy sketching and self-loving!

Your friend,

Volta

Thank you for reading, sweet friend. My newsletters are created with handmade art and heartfelt words. If you’d like to support my work, consider buying my books, or hiring me to lead a watercolor workshop for your corporate team or private group, or taking one of my online courses.

I wasn’t planning to do so much comic content right off the bat. But I just recently learned of this worldwide event - Hourly Comic Day - where you document each hour of your day with short comics.

And I wanted to participate.

At first, I thought that I was feeling too sick to do it (I have been dealing with allergies from hell and not feeling my best). And I also thought that my day would be too boring - I am still recovering.

But after reading several inspiring substacks on this super cool creative tradition, I decided to give it a try.

Read on for my main takeaways after the comics, below.

5:30 am: Feed the boys. Take the pills.

6:00-8:00am - Back to bed. It is Saturday after all.

9:00 am: Dan making a tasty breakfast. I have been requesting the Chocolate Souufle for the past few months and I never tire of it.

10:00 am: Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast.

Dan and I will enjoy one of our favorite anime shows while we eat breakfast at the kotatsu table (a heated table with a blanket, so cozy!).

11:00am: I took a nap on the couch after breakfast.

12:00pm: Shower. Then clean the cat poopies.

1:00pm: Back on the couch for more napping, hoping to recover sooner. Freddie joined me on my lap.

2:00pm: Watched my current KDrama - Romance in the House.

3:00pm: Dan made us some super tasty popcorn (just like in the movie theaters!) using: Jumbo popcorn, Buttery Goodness and Flavacol.

4:00pm: We rented the movie Flow and watched it while eating popcorn. The movie was spectacular.

5:00pm: I can’t believe I am sketching another napping situation, but this is how the day unfolded.

6:30pm: Dan got us some pizza slices, Slicezillas (they are giant slices of a 24 inch pizza)

8:00pm: After reading some substacks on the Hourly Comic Day, I was determined to persevere, despite by sniffles, and participate.

9:00pm: Dan and I played video games. I can’t remember the exact name, but it was like a retro game with Ninja Turtles. I really enjoyed it, for not being a serious gamer.

10:00pm: Our pre-sleep ritual (I know it’s not the best for sleep hygiene) is for me to watch an episode of original Sailor Moon (because pretty colors), and for Dan to play a game that puts him to sleep (it’s Balatro in case you’re curious).

11:00pm: I am finally asleep, amidst a runny nose and sniffles.

My overall takeaways from participating:

1. I had to get comfortable with being UNCOMFORTABLE to share some pretty shitty sketches with the public! I treated it as a practice of self love. I know I am on the journey to improving my craft of storytelling and drawings, so this is ok to share with you, dear reader.

2. Even on a seemingly “boring” day, there is something to notice and small things to celebrate.

3. It really helped me engage with mindfulness in a different way by documenting what I was doing each hour.

4. I know I was resting and recovering from being sick, but it was still pretty eye opening to notice how much time I spent watching TV. Something for me to ponder over.

Here are some Hourly Comic Day posts I enjoyed:

Hourly Comic Day - by

Hourly Comic Day - by

Hourly Comic Day - by

Overall, I am so glad I participated. This was a fun challenge and I am excited to see how I grow over the years.

What about you - have you ever done a creative challenge within a day or a specific amount of time? Maybe the 100 Day challenge? How did it turn out? let me know!

Thanks so much for reading and being here, sweet friend!

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Can I tell you a little secret?

I want to draw comics. I want to tell stories.

One day, I want to draw a graphic novel.

My art journey started with painting foods. I LOVE foods, especially snacks and desserts. I will never NOT love those things. But despite knowing how to paint the perfect strawberry, I want to go deeper and share that strawberry’s story.

Like how it’s been sitting there ready to be picked by a little girl who came to visit her grandma in the summer.

And then it does get picked and it fulfills its journey and it creates a special shared memory between two people.

Anyway.

I’ve been practicing 4 panel comic drawings for the last few weeks. I am challenging myself to do one a day, so long as they just tell a story, no matter how trivial. I’m building up my visual vocabulary and also practicing the skill of story-telling.

Here’s another secret-thing I came to realize: I really wish I could be a better story-teller than a drawer/painter. I guess I got some work to do.

Thanks for being here, thanks for sharing this (more quiet) space with me, sweet friend.