Midwest Brood Fest
ALL SUMMER LONG
This is the first announcement of Midwest Brood Fest!
Will it be a real event? Possibly 😏
Isn’t it funny to imagine?
a friend (Jessie Knoles - www.jessieknoles.com) came up with the idea! We collaborated and I brought it to life with this drawing.
I was inspired by a few things.. vintage circus posters…. A love and respect for bugs…. Jessie’s willingness to work with me! Working with another person helps my mind and energy, motivation levels….. working alone on art (an important part-time job that helps support my family) can be draining and difficult at times… especially when recovering from round 2 with an illness like COVID-19. And trying to keep up with my care job… find another main job… help Sammy celebrate their birthday…. celebrate my own birthday…. Keep up, keep up, keep up. 😨
I write this free newsletter to dive more into the design and get the shirt out there in all the avenues available.
The shirt is $25 and if you order it directly and locally from me, it is a flat $25. If you order it through my art site or need me to ship it to you, it will be a little more. After we do a call for pre-orders and receive the first batch of shirts…. The price might be raised if you didn’t get in on the first round, but we will see.
either way ~~~ support! Shall the festival come to life? Depends on the interest 😉
My art site - MegsArtForSale.bigcartel.com
I almost went with a lighter orange color called “toast”…. I wanted a dirtier-looking color, to mimic a cicada shell…. In the end, the maroon “rust” color worked the best.
To be honest, I pick darker colors because I am a messy person somedays and it’s easier to fix darker shirts. 😂 And sweat into, which will happen in the (hotter every year) Summers.
I try to make sure I have inclusive sizes and accesible pricing, things I have learned along the way.
If you cannot afford a shirt and REALLY want one, you can let me know and we can figure out a trade or a different option…
I have some new cards on the site as well and working on a Spring Collection of work…
This Midwest Brood Fest effort/design definitely being a part of that series now.
Imagine if I hang this flier up around town on community boards and in cafes….. just imagine…. Nothing on the flier about how to contact me or ask questions or know who made it (unless you’ve seen it on my or Jessie’s page). Makes me giggle. Brings me joy. Is it performance art? Is it parody? Is it real? I still don’t know myself and that’s the fun part. Of course the multiple types of cicadas are really going to unearth, but y’know…. Will there be a in-person gathering of people celebrating cicadas in Central Illinois this summer?
The thought keeps my head up.
Lucky to find and create any joy in these dark times….
I drew this all in bed. It took some hours to get it how I wanted. My hand started to hurt at times (usually wouldn’t hurt so quickly). Trying to listen to and honor my body. Thinking about illness and death more… wonder why.
This quote helps. Cicadas help. Friends help. Art helps. Even work helps, the work I am managing and finding.
I hope you can be as lucky as I am in these times to find anything close.
Hope to stay in touch via email… this newsletter… other ways besides Instagram and Facebook and even cell phone numbers….
buy a shirt to help Sammy and I with March rent and to help me celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday
🫂
DM me or comment or email to talk about getting a pre-order/local discount…. If you live out of town or just want to take a less tedious/communicative route (there is some additional website fees, but) my website is
MegsArtForSale.bigcartel.com
‘Til next time