Looking back, looking ahead.

Incredible Patrons,

We're rounding out a wonderful year and there is much to be celebrated. I think sometimes I forget to turn back and look at how far we've come and this year has been a complete game changer. We've chatted occasionally about the fact that I've been on Patreon since summer of 2018 and there are a LOT of things that have changed since then. I used to make primarily daily comics and I was feeding an instagram machine that never stopped demanding new content. I was on a treadmill of teaching workshops and while it DID feel like success in some sense, but it felt precarious and hard to keep up with. As much as I loved making and sharing art work, there were already warning signs that it wasn't sustainable.

I went through countless iterations of what to make and share here on Patreon, and I spent a ton of time thinking about how I could ever repay the incredible support I received on here. That often translated into thinking I had to work myself to the breaking point, or that I needed to constantly be simmering in stress in order to be deserving of the support you incredible Patreons give.

I still have those moments, and the overwhelm of gratitude is still so very very real. But I've also learned so much from building this incredible community with all of you. I've gotten to spend more time doing the work I love, and sharing creations and projects that I'm so proud of. I've started making things WITH you as much as I make them FOR you. Our hangouts have sprawled off this page and into discord, onto livestreams, and I've learned that YOU sweet Patrons, are some of the most mindful folks when it comes to planning for our community.

Thanks to that insight, I am delighted to say that I no longer feel like I'm running on a treadmill, or like I have to feed meaningless content into some social media platform for it's own sake. Instead, I feel like I have a brilliant board of directors who help steer the ship and guide our course so we can all make more things together.

One of the things we added this year was the Quasar tier, a new tier that started in September and represents folks who seem to truly want to knock me flat with their support. It took a LOT of thinking and planning to make sure I could do this in a way that felt right and I appreciate all of you who offered such thoughtful input. This tier will likely always be by FAR the smallest one on here because it includes a gallery of originals that opens a couple times a year exclusively for Quasars to choose pieces from, the first of which I'm looking to host in January (SQUEE!)

I am overwhelmed at how quickly this tiny tier sold out, and I took your requests to heart. It took some planning behind the scenes but as of today, there are three additional spots in the Quasar tier for a total of 8. This is still bar far the tiniest tier but I hope this strikes a balance and lets me offer a little more space while making all the perks as special and joyful for you as they are for me.

Speaking of joy, whatever tier you chose, whatever brought you here, whatever it is that made you decide to support me and the work I do in whatever form your support takes, thank you.

Really. Thank you. Over and over again and again. This first five years feels like magic and I can't wait to make more.

B