The Sketch Book

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!

Above is a modern-day Dorothy, fresh out of a tornado, wearing the Cherbourg Skirt from Fabricly and her signature combo – red heels and ankle socks (don’t bother with the link actually, its sold out because The Man Repeller tweeted about it)

It is actually now just occurring to me that Dorothy may have been one of the original Man Repellers with those socks in her Ruby Red Slippers… how perfect

So anyway, interestingly enough, this illustration came out looking just like me. I am always surprised when I “meet” the girls as they come to life on paper. Its sort of like my pen and my hand have a mind of their own and sometimes the girls they create turn out to look like people I know unintentionally. And today, as fate would have it, it’s me.

And this is the blog post where I tell everyone – OFFICIALLY – that I am moving to New York.

Like Dorothy and the Emerald City, New York has been a magical, important destination in my life for quite some time now. I’ve actually been dreaming of the day I’d write this post for about a year. (I realize that is the dorkiest sentence I may have ever written)

While D.C. will always be home and comforting in its practicality, the style and energy of New York is calling and I can’t wait to see how this change impacts the way I work and grow as an artist.

Moving on, before I get too mixed up in conflicting allegories. Let me tell you all about it.

Moving to the city happens FAST. I picked out an apartment last weekend and I’ll living in the East Village in less than three week in a oh-so-petite apartment. I’m a little bit frazzled about how small it is, but I’m up to the challenge of making it cute. Its like decorating the NSS booth only better and for keeps!

There’s plenty of light and just enough room to keep on illustrating. So don’t worry, this blog and I aren’t going anywhere, nothings going to change except that its going to be AWESOME because of all the inspiration that will be all around me.

I am lucky to have some wonderful friends already in the city to help me make this transition, but if you’re up there or know someone who is and want to put me in touch, don’t hesitate! I’m looking for new illustration opportunities, new friends, new restaurants and shopping suggestions, new yoga studios — everything! I can’t wait to discover New York and share it with you all.

Ok, signing out before I get too sappy! Hang in there, I may be posting a little less over the next few weeks while I get moved, but I’ll do my best to keep you updated.