Tiki, Beaker, Thomas, Monkey and Tuxie welcome you with open paws! Treats and compliments accepted and expected.
Look into our eyes!
Charming, heartfelt and motivational art paired with a little bit of wisdom and a whole bunch of sass.
Drawing and illustration has been a huge part of my life since I was a tiny thing sitting at the family coffee table doodling little treasures for myself, family and friends. Before I could write, I could draw. I drew what I loved. The bulk of my sketches were Annie, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Dolly Parton, unicorns and animals. I gravitated towards rags to riches heroines with both spark and snark, lovable fuzzy critters with human characteristics, and whimsical fairytale creatures who convinced me they were real. I immediately knew that ARTIST was the answer to the age-old question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”
My first interest was working for Disney as an animator, but the thought of computers scared the **** out of me. My second plan was to be a children’s book illustrator since I loved books and created my own. Plus, it felt like a safer choice. Another career choice was an artist for Hallmark cards, so I sarcastically added my own logo on the back of handmade cards to people. You guessed it: Hillmark. GENIUS. People recognized I had some talent and that felt good. Any time I had a school assignment that involved artwork, I was all over it. I even had a few requests by peers and teachers to take on a special project here and there between my junior high and college years.
Well, life went on. Years bled into decades. After discovering other artistic talents, dabbling in a different career path that truthfully wasn’t what I wanted to do up until I retired with bad knees (I already ended up with bad knees anyway), dipping my toes into something else, getting bitten, bruised and clobbered, dabbling through more rough waters, dangling an arm in a whirlpool of uncertain opportunities, escaping the bloody pool of piranhas that attempted to devour my peace, I have saved myself from drowning more than thrice (to quote Dorothy from The Golden Girls, “WHO THE HELL SAYS THRICE?”) I’m back home to who I need to be, as well as who I have always been. My art had been ignored, swept under the rug and shoved in the back of closets. I didn’t give myself permission to actively pursue it until now…now that I have entered older adulthood and have lived society’s dreams for long enough. Forty + years suffering from several insecurities, anxieties, and traumas (as well as that horrible pandemic that can go kiss a duck!) has taught me a lot of invaluable lessons. Sit down and get ready, here they are. Do things scared (like, putting myself out HERE!) yet be unafraid to fail. Don’t worry about not knowing something at first. If it takes time, it takes time. Refrain from comparing yourself to others. Ignore old school ways. Don’t always say no, but don’t always say yes. Just knock off the people pleasing! Stand up for your damn self. Do it crying and sweating with an ugly face, heart pounding, and voice cracking while searching for the escape route. Snub anyone whose mission it is to be unkind and self-absorbed. Don’t pay any attention to anybody who doubts you. Their opinions of yourself is none of your business. Speak up, speak out and take action for others who can’t, especially animals. Cut out the quiet and make some noise. Find the quiet you need, then prepare to rinse and repeat. Unapologetically take risks. Know when to quit and when not to. Be bad ass. Don’t give in to negativity. Spread positivity. Stay passionate. Try, then actually do it. Most importantly, friends, it’s never too late to chase your dreams, even when they change course more than thrice.
Okay, that was a lot! If you’re still here, I invite you to share this creative journey with me as I aboard my art adventure plane. Should you decide to get a souvenir for yourself or as a gift to your friends and family, I would be oh so humbled and honored. Just browsing? I’m glad you’re stopping by. Hopefully you get a laugh from something dumb I say or find something meaningful when I stumble upon a great epiphany. Oh, and there will be cats. LOTS OF CATS. Yeah, not sorry! Head on over to the feline hub, Chiemi’s Cat Cafe for behind-the-scenes studio photo and video shenanigans.