Monthly Newsletter - We have so much to catch up on from January to April!
A new book, Lilla's Art Chats, Art Gym, wedding stationery, and more!
I recorded audio for this newsletter, so click the play button to listen while you’re drawing or painting.
Hi everyone!
It’s been a while since a monthly update, so there’s a lot to catch up on! I actually just got back from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, so before I write a recap about that, I figured I better first recap everything from before Bologna.
If you are new here, I like to use one newsletter a month to reflect on projects, updates, and how things are going. I also love hearing about how you are doing, so please feel free to share in the comments. Us artists are in this together, and hearing about what others are doing can create nice sense of community for all of us.
So, here are some updates about what I’ve been up to so far this year:
A new book!
I can finally tell you now that it’s official… I am working with The American Kennel Club on a picture book!! It is an absolute honor to be working with this non-profit, and I can’t believe I actually get to draw an entire book about dogs. Below is the first character sketch. The redesign ended up being more realistic, which makes sense since the AKC is an expert on breed standards.
I will be writing a ton about this book and the process, so stay tuned! The final character design is due next week, so I will be working on that right after sending this Substack post.
Sold work in a gallery 🐠
Ok this was pretty cool. I’ve never exhibited in a gallery, so the whole experience was new. I work at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and there is an annual staff art show. I have submitted my work twice previously, but was rejected both times.
This year I submitted on the last possible day, because why not at least try… and then my work was accepted! And to further the excitement… my artwork sold!
Moral of the story: Keep going. I was rejected for two years. The third year, my art was accepted, and someone even liked it enough to purchase it.
Here’s a picture of the opening night of the exhibition, and a screenshot of the website showing that my piece sold, which felt very official and fun for me to see.
Substack bestseller! And first 1,000 subscribers!
Thank you to all 1,000+ of you who are here and for all of you who are paid subscribers. You’re the backbone of this newsletter. And thanks to you, now I get a fancy little orange check mark next to my name!
Hosting Art Gym Workshops!
Last month
and I hosted our 16th Art Gym Workshop (how have we already done 16?!) I’m really proud of the work we’ve done with these workshops to create value for artists. My favorite part is how Adam and I both bring different perspectives and styles. It’s like two for one… you get Adam’s take and mine with just one workshop.If you haven’t tried Art Gym yet, I encourage you to check out our free Reflection Quilt Workshop! Here’s one of my recent pieces from Art Gym:
Lilla’s Art Chats
What! Getting to do live zooms with
?! I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn from Lilla and to spend time together. We just hop on zoom (or go to vintage typewriter stores…) and chat about all things art. I ask questions and Lilla shares all her wisdom and experience. It’s truly magical!Catch the first three replays here, and stay tuned for the date of the next Art Chat (probably April 16).
I licensed my first design!
A company recently licensed my work! The product(s) should be out for the 2025 Holiday Season, and I can’t wait to keep you update on what it is! I’ll get a few samples of the product, so I will definitely share pictures.
Launched Wedding Stationery Commissions
I so loved creating the stationery for my wedding this past fall that I decided to learn how to launch a stationery business. I signed up for a course, learned a ton, and now I currently have my first client! You can follow along on instagram at @katiestackstudio.
Traveled to India + discovered so much inspiration
In February, my husband and I traveled to India to visit family and explore the country since I had never been. Art was everywhere and there was endless inspiration, so I’m planning to write 6 posts about the art from the trip. I’ve written the first post already, and I’m excited to share it with you. It’s about woodblock printing. Here’s a sneak peak image:
Kids art classes
I’ve started offering local art classes for kids. I’ve really enjoyed connecting with my local community and getting to lead little artists through various activities from painting to printing to sculpting. If you know anyone in Boston with kids interested in art, send them my way!
Color Class
I took the Color Quest class with Make Art That Sells and learned a ton. I got to collect color palettes, experiment with color mixing, and learn my art materials. This course encouraged me to slow down and play with color, which was so enjoyable but also practical.
Here’s a page in my sketchbook with one of the color exercises:
Quick Sketchbook Tour
Using a sketchbook is a new practice for me this year. I’ve really been enjoying it, and I’ve actually been prioritizing this over portfolio work. There is so much value in playing, being loose, trying new materials, and just enjoying making art. Here are a few pages:
I think that’s is for updates… Are you still reading? Or listening? If you are… thank you! I really appreciate using this Monthly Newsletter as a place to reflect on how things are going. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day that I forget I’m actually doing things.
I also like to remind everyone that everything above is a highlight reel… I’m telling you lots of good things here, but lots of less good things have happened too. For example…
A scout for an agency reached out to me saying my portfolio was a perfect match for them, so, of course, I submitted my work… I was rejected within 24 hours 😂 I asked for feedback, asking what the scout saw but I never heard back!
I submitted work to Minted completions and did not win.
I submitted work to an art show (not the one I mentioned above) and did not hear back.
I reached out to dozens of companies for licensing work and did not hear back.
I missed a deadline for a competition I wanted to enter.
This is the reality of being an artist. There are highs and lows.
So I encourage you to celebrate the wins! That’s why I write this Monthly Newsletter with positive updates. And I’d love to hear about some of your wins from this past month, so if you’d like to share, please write them in the comments 🥰
- Katie
PS - I hope to see you at these upcoming live events: Art Gym on April 17 and Illoguild on April 21!
Love this update, Katie! You’ve been doing so much, and there are so many amazing highlights. I also love how you shared the things that didn’t work out for you in a list. It can be so easy to forget that successful artists also face rejection all of the time too.
Love every single up date! So much to be excited about!