Self-Portrait/Self Reflection

Those of you who have read the HotHouse blog may know that ever since COVID hit in 2020, I have been pursuing my M.F.A. in Graphic Design at SCAD via their online learning platform. The program has been a fantastic way for me to connect with other creative professionals, grow as a designer, and reflect on my calling to be an artist and designer. Though I have been practicing Graphic Design professionally since 2006, there was so much for me to learn. Aside from professional skills, the program allowed me to dive deep into my creative passions and to discover how I would like to apply myself as an agent of culture. This reflection is what led me to change my major this spring, from Graphic Design to Illustration. I am now officially an M.F.A. candidate in Illustration and am steering my work in that direction. I am following my heart on this one. In the spirit of finding strength in vulnerability, I am sharing my first Self-Portrait in 30 years. It is done in dip pen and watercolor. It marks one step on the path of this creative journey.