Comics and community! (and a first look at something NEW)
On my trip to the Oregon coast for a comics retreat, and a look at what I'm currently working on.
Hi friends! Welcome to my second ever newsletter! I’m writing to you from bed while recovering (in more ways than one1) from a truly lovely trip to the Oregon Coast for a comics retreat hosted by Liz Yerby and M. Sabine Rear.
This was actually my second time attending this retreat— the first was in February of 2020, right before you know what happened and spending time with a big group of wonderful people and sharing meals turned into an impossible fantasy. The 2020 retreat was truly such a special experience— I took the trip out to Oregon with my friend (and super talented cartoonist) Shelby Criswell, spent my days in a cozy lodge drawing with other artists and one cute dog, went on hikes, saw the ocean— really got to fill up the ol’ memory palace to sustain me for the long lonely times to come. I also came up with the idea that would become my first graphic novel, The Hills of Estrella Roja, on the that trip2.
In the weeks leading up to the retreat, I was so nervous, despite having done it before and knowing several of the folks there. I’m afflicted with a touch of the ol’ social anxiety. But unsurprisingly, it ended up being such a lovely, welcoming atmosphere to spend the week in. Everyone was very kind and interesting, and ended up feeling like old friends by the end of it. I’m so grateful to Liz Yerby’s level of care when deciding who to invite to keep the space feeling safe and fun. I want more spaces like this in my life!
There’s something about the Pacific Northwest that calls to me more than any other part of the country I’ve ever visited. When not drawing or goofing off with my retreat buds, groups of us went on outings around the area— hikes and beach walks, and a little trip into nearby Astoria. I started the trip with a very specific (and tbh overly ambitious) work goal, and I didn’t meet it.
And you know what? I’m glad I didn’t. I really needed this time away, to play, and be silly and a little vulnerable, and be outside, and marvel at beautiful tiny things, and have new experiences (baby’s first sauna!).
I can get a little intense when it comes to productivity, which is something i’ve been really trying to work on these last few years. I can honestly say I’m proud of myself for letting go a little and leaning into the experience. (Don’t worry, I did still get some good drawing hours in to).
Let’s say the theme of today’s newsletter is community. There’s definitely been big stretches of my life that I’ve felt like I haven’t really had real access to a community— from being a bit of a loner only child, to awkward years in a new city where I didn’t really feel connected to anyone. Now, as a 34 year old living in Austin, Texas, I feel so lucky to have access to community in many ways, from my very caring friend group, and other artists, and booksellers, and interconnected queer folks around town. I can be pretty shy, and get really in my own head, and in my own way, but somehow I’ve bumbled my way into another vibrant and lovely community— the cartoonist friends I’ve made (mostly through Short Run3), and them, their connections. Which is how I found myself at the lodge at Gearhart again, with some good friends, and buds that I really like and wanted to get to know even better, and interesting strangers that became fast friends.
It’s so rare that I’m able to feel so comfortable in such a large group, the way I felt on this retreat. There was such a level of openness and care (and willingness to GOOF, which is my love language). I want more spaces like this to exist in the world! If you read the footnotes, you already saw that I am currently in bed with covid, which is probably why I’m being so extra ooey-gooey lovey lovey about the trip, but I think y’all can indulge me a little.
I just want to shout out my fellow 2024 Gearhart Comics Retreaters— Liz Yerby, M. Sabine Rear, Yoko Ok, Emily Moroz, Aim Ren Beland, Ross Jackson, Trillian, Jam Dyer, BB Anderson, Quinn Amacher, Eileen Chavez, Sam Szabo, Sarah Romano Diehl, and Wren McSherry. Oh, and Eggy and Elliot! Miss them already!
Alright! And how about a treat for reading (or skimming! I see you haha) to the end of this newsletter? How about a first look at what I’m working on.
Here’s the first page of the comic I brought with me to the Oregon coast— it’s called Night Blooming and it’s part of a as-of-yet unannounced horror comics collection.
For Night Blooming, I really wanted to take a break from my usual tools (a mix of brush pens and felt tip pens), so I decided to return to my roots and do a comic fully in pencil. Unless you’ve been following me for about 5 million years, you probably don’t know that a lot of my first comics were pencil autobio comics. It felt fun but also so weird to return to working in just pencil. I like the way it’s looking, but boy do I hate accidentally smearing a page. We’ll see if I ever work this way again haha. Once scanned, I’m just upping the darkness of the pencil and adding a quick bit of digital grayscale.
Hope y’all are doing well. Take care! Till next time!
Currently reading: Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash
Last watched: Thirteen Ghosts dir. Steve Beck (2001)— it’s a good movie! Fight me!!!!
I’m also in bed because I have Covid! It finally got me. Traveling always involves risks, but woof it still sucks!
If you’ve got a copy, take a peek at the acknowledgments :) All my lovely fellow 2020 retreaters are in there.
Short Run is a comics fest in Seattle, WA, and it just happens to be my favorite! It’s so well organized, and everyone is so sweet! Big rec if you haven’t attended.
Yoooooo this is rad!!!!!! You and Emily are inspiring me to do a different kind of newsletter off of Patreon. Not sure what yet but this seems cool!
💓ðŸ˜ðŸ¥¹ðŸ¥° Your newsletter!! Yayyyyy!! Love this so much. What a damn special time and group. The 2020 retreat was so special too—wild how it kinda opened this new chapter that nobody could have predicted. Your pencils page is *gorge*! And dude - thank YOU for being a fellow slowpoke / fungus admirer 🥹 ahhhh comics retreat forever!