A lot of people have this idea in their head of what a professional artist looks like, or what an art career should look like. But, there is no set definition for "art career", so don't be too hard on yourself if your career looks different than someone else's. You are no less of an artist if you do art on the side, on weekends, after your office job, etc, verses an artist who makes art full-time.

Do what works best for you and remember that circumstances change and fluctuate. The shifting and changing of interests, passions, and motivation is a universally shared experience with nearly all artists. Look to others for inspiration but don't be hard on yourself.

Art has helped me connect to people all over the world, especially other artists. Nothing else I have done has brought me such a deep connection with others. Growing up I felt like the weird oddball that had a strange perspective and strange ideas; but as soon as I was in college and more on the internet, I found others who could relate and were doing similar things.

Art has also given me the tools to share thoughts and ideas, especially when I fail to speak using my words. Being an illustrator means you need to communicate a variety of simple or complex ideas in a lot of different ways to reach a lot of different people.

Projects like these are a great reminder that there are people, places, and things in my local community that I cherish and appreciate. It's easy for me to get lost in the daily grind, especially the last few years.

I have been pretty isolated and have felt lost and disconnected from my local art community, and this is the perfect kind of project to foster good feelings again.

Ice cream. There's so many flavors and varieties! It never gets boring to me. And weirdly, it's one of my last ditch efforts when I can't get a migraine to go away. Works nearly every time.

Art can lend a voice, share ideas, promote a certain message, or give a sense of camaraderie and connectedness. This goes for those making the art and those viewing it. I think it's easy to feel disconnected or closed off from your community--but art can help foster connections and deeper meaning.