This feels good. (Patreon)

It feels so good to get my hands dirty again. The air smells of nostalgia and summer and I'm happy to have found a reason to bust out my easel and paints, my long-forgotten friends.

I'm working on the lyrical art for the Blue Beastlings and I seriously can't thank you guys enough for giving me the opportunity to create like this for you.

In this particular case, the emotional involvement is even deeper since this particular Blue Beastling chose a song from my past life for her piece. That meant I had to literally move a giant mirror to get behind it where I hid everything from my past instead of burning it or throwing it out the way post-breakup healing rituals usually go. I was still proud of my old albums, I was just afraid of them. Nothing could make me go back behind that mirror. The mirror would stop me, every time. I would see my own reflection in the present and know not to venture into the past.

Now, having pulled out an old album to read my old lyrics, I'm happy. Healing. Remembering. I didn't even have to listen to the song to know exactly how it went, what I chose to do vocally, how difficult it was to plan and execute. I remember.

One of my main personal goals with my Patreon is to overcome FEAR. And now, I just faced a huge fear to do this and my anxiety has, at least momentarily, turned to a sense of pride.

It has been amazing to hear about how my lyrics have impacted others. It's inspiring, motivating, comforting. I think this is what art is all about - this sort of symbiotic ebb and flow of energy between artist, medium and observer. I'm glad I started this Fan Club while writing for my ALISSA album, I can tell it will be influential on my process.


Thank you again!
~AWG