Purple Butterfly Studios

I've been playing around with a painterly style in Procreate. It's giving a softer vibe and it's definitely aligning with how I want to as an illustrator. And frankly, all of us could use a little bit more softness lately💜🦋

I love your smile 😊
I've been working on adding more custom portraits to my portfolio. The model for this portrait is my amazing daughter, who saw me working on this, and told me to make her into a unicorn 🦄. So she is officially my most demanding client...pretty bold for someone who isn't paying 🤪 my calendar is open for commissions, so if you're interested in turning one or a few of your favorite photos into custom art, hit the and let's talk 💜🦋 Happy Friday!

The art of self care 🎨💜🦋
I take breaks from social media often. Between watching the world burn in real time, feeling unnecessary envy over other people's "highlight reels" and and the outrageous things people post for likes and follows, it's just...too much sometimes. It's gotten to the point where I actually downloaded a time management app that blocks access to socials until whatever time of day (or the entire day), so I can actually focus on the real world, instead of mindlessly doom scrolling. And frankly, it's great 😁 life is lifing, things are getting busier on a personal and professional level, and my loved ones deserve my full attention, without a phone in my hand. It's helping me reclaim my time overall, so I can do more things that I love 🎨 I'm loving the direction this painting is going, and I can't wait to show her off, along with other things I've been working on 💜🦋
Here's to putting myself out there even more in 2024, off the Internet 😉

The plus size revolution that was happening around 2015-2016 seems to have slowly tapered down in the recent years. Bigger bodies were showing up in ads, commercials, on the runway, TV shows, and the representation was amazing. But lately, I'm not seeing them as much anymore. I can't pinpoint what has changed, but what I can say is...we're still here 😉 I loved doing this illustration in particular, because I think it's important to showcase the whole spectrum of bigger bodies, and not just the "acceptable" version of plus-sized aka a size 12 with an hourglass shape. Give me all of the apples, pears, triangles, varied bust lines and visible bellies. 😁 More of these beauties can be found on my website here: www.purplebutterflystudios.com , and I will be offering some prints of them in my online shop as well 💜
"The Morning After" created with

One of my goals for this year was to paint more, and I'm proud to say that I've added a nice amount of new original art to my portfolio. Painting is my foundation and my favorite form of therapy. I've also been having fun adding embellishments to my paintings. Adding some flair, if you will...shout out to anyone who gets that "Office Space" reference 😉 Sparkles, rhinestones, decoupage, resin...it's like elevating something that's already exciting. This 10-inch round acrylic painting on canvas, called "Fire," is embellished with glitter and metallic paint, and is available for purchase on my website, along with a few others --->www.purplebutterflystudios.com

I've committed myself to completing one small painting (11" x 14" or below) a month, and one large painting (18" x 24" or above) every three months for the remainder of this year and into the new year, and continuing to add flair to my growing collection. And of course, I'm available for commissions, so if you want some personalized art, with or without flair, let's connect 💜

Committing to one illustration/design project a week, one small painting a month, and one large painting every 3 months between contracts and commissions, because I really want to put myself out there in 2024 🎨✍🏼💜🦋

"Silver Sistah" 🤍
I've been seeing more women starting to embrace their gray hair, myself included. I wish I could say it was because I was making a statement or going against societal pressure, but frankly... I just don't feel like it. Dying my hair is a process I don't feel like dealing with anymore, and honestly my hair has been the healthiest it's been in a long time, since I haven't been putting chemicals in it. I also wish I could say I was TOTALLY okay with it, but it's been a bit of a struggle, like the beginning of fully letting go of my youth. So one way I've been accepting it is by calling my little silvers "fairy hair" or "sparkly hair." It's been working 🤍 This illustration is a tribute to my other silver sisters, because truthfully, there is something truly magical about getting older, and all of the wisdom, confidence, and strength that comes with it. 🤍

"Silver Sistah" Digital Illustration🤍
I've been seeing more women starting to embrace their gray hair, myself included. I wish I could say it was because I was making a statement or going against societal pressure, but frankly... I just don't feel like it. Dying my hair is a process I don't feel like dealing with anymore, and honestly my hair has been the healthiest it's been in a long time, since I haven't been putting chemicals in it. I also wish I could say I was TOTALLY okay with it, but it's been a bit of a struggle, like the beginning of fully letting go of my youth. So one way I've been accepting it is by calling my little silvers "fairy hair" or "sparkly hair." It's been working 🤍 This illustration is a tribute to my other silver sisters, because truthfully, there is something truly magical about getting older, and all of the wisdom, confidence, and strength that comes with it. 🤍

Begin where you're at 💜
This picture came through my memories today...I started Purple Butterfly Studios in this little corner of our bedroom 💜 back in 2021. I represented the in , did a livestream painting event with the The Newark Museum of Art and Project Ready , did live art events, interviews and Q&As, processed and shipped canvas orders around the country, and created an amazing collection of artwork. And even though I am super grateful for my larger studio space, this little will always have a special place in my heart. It just goes to show you, you don't have to have it "all together." Just start wherever you're at 💜

Don't be afraid to start over. You might like your new story better. Good morning 💜🦋

Let's talk logos 💜
A great logo is important to any type of business. It's a first impression, a door opener, and a conversation starter. It's especially fun to do logos for new entrepreneurs and new creative businesses. Being a part of the beginning of their story feels extra special. These are a few logos that I've done, and I'm excited to help more brands find their visual identity💜

Thank you all for the well wishes for my birthday and my launch 💜🦋 now that that's behind me, I can get back to what I do best, creating 😁! Have a good weekend 😘💜🦋

We're LIVE and birthday vibes💜🦋
My 40s have truly felt like a transitional time, and today, on my 42nd birthday, I have officially launched my creative agency 💜🦋 🎊 I started back in 2021, knowing that I wanted it to represent the different facets of my creativity. As my confidence as an artist and as an entrepreneur grows, this feels like a step in the right direction. I've refreshed my website www.purplebutterflystudios.com, and I'm excited to add "designer" to my skill set. 😊 Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement, and positive energy as I continue to evolve in this journey. We're just getting started 😁 PS it felt pretty good to put on make up and wear something cute for my new profile pic...might need to do it more often 💜🦋

In the home stretch 💜🦋

Don't let these internet gurus tell you that quitting your 9 to 5 is the only way to achieve your entrepreneurial goals. Bills need to be paid, and none of these podcast bros and babes are doing that. Do what's right for you. Good morning 💜🦋

A simple message 🌿
Today is and I wanted to share how I manage mine The answer is simple...art. Whether I'm creating it myself or viewing out in the world, art has healed me over and over again. I've been a creative since I was a child, so it's always been second nature to me, but it was only until a few years ago that I've realized what a positive impact it has on my , and how important it is to prioritize it. I feel this is especially important if you are a . It's wonderful to make money from your craft, but you have be sure to create for YOU, too. That way you never lose the love for it. It's been a minute since I've created since working on my website with every free moment that I have
😅 But trust and believe, after my launch this Friday October 13th, I'll be back at it 💜🦋

Watching one of my favorite comfort shows 💜 if you're an artist/maker and have a Britbox subscription on Prime (or if you live in the UK of course), I highly recommend it. The makers and mentors are so inspiring, the business tips are golden, and the English countryside is breathtaking. I can't wait for season 2 💜

I don't like doing art with my kids 🤷🏽‍♀️
Okay, let me clarify...I don't like doing MY art with my kids😅 As in any serious projects, commissions, portfolio work etc. But fun, messy art with dollar store supplies? I'll do that with my kids all day 💜 the first pic is butterflies that my daughter and I painted, the second is her coloring while I sketched in my iPad ☺️ One of the best parts of having a separate studio is that I can close the door and be in my own world for a while. But if you're a mother (or a caregiver in any capacity), especially to younger children (mine are 12 and 5), it's a challenge to get separate yourself in that capacity. And if they're in the studio with me(because they will track me down if I'm gone for too long, even if I tell them what I'm doing 😅) trying to focus and do any type of "serious" art is impossible. So I've long put the marathon art sessions behind me, and squeeze in as much as I can during early mornings, late nights, and the small window of time when I log off of my corporate job for the day, helping my son with his homework, and before I have to pick up my daughter from aftercare. Sometimes I can get a few hours in, other times it's 15 or so minutes. But when it's time to switch to , it also means it's time to switch from serious artist to fun crafty mom who has tons of tempera paint, markers, crayons, stickers, scrap paper, and glitter. SO MUCH GLITTER ✨😂💜🦋 and honestly,I wouldn't have it any other way. They're my biggest motivation to make this thing work 💜

Can I make a confession 😬?
I love rainy days 🌧️ specifically cooler overcast ones with intermittent rain. I am totally not with these 80+ temperatures, especially in October 🥵 this that I created reminds of that glorious week or so of rainy weather here in New Jersey not too long ago. It's also my very first illustration ☺️ There's so many different elements, and it's been fun playing around with it. It's really exciting to finally add it to my creative arsenal 😉

Just start 💜🦋
Last night I was working on my service list and bio for my website, and had a little bit of an anxiety attack over this pivot, and putting myself out there at this level. Artist, illustratior, designer...a whole 😳 The audacity, right?! But then, I always circle back to where I started. I never saw myself getting into , until one day in 2019 I decided to go ahead and get the Picasso drawing tablet on the right, with the free drawing program on it. Constant practice, constant research, and constantly telling myself that I got this...and I've landed some great opportunities, and learned a lot along the way. Fast forward to now, as I've leveling up my skillset with the on the left, and learning and . And I feel my confidence growing along with my abilities in both programs ☺️ The point is, if you ever want to work on a goal or dream...just start. You're never going to have it all together, it's never going to be the perfect time, and you're never going to have everything you think you need. You just need the determination to get started, and the audacity to believe that you can make it happen 💜🦋

Design vibes 💜
When I decided I was going to market myself as a designer, I knew I wanted to build my portfolio with messaging that felt like it spoken directly to my heart, while remaining true to my style. "Illustrative design" I call it ☺️ That's the great thing about creativity as a whole...when it's done with intention, the authenticity shines through, and that is definitely something I work hard to pass on to my clients. I'll also be offering these as prints on my website, launching October 13th 😁💜🦋

Coffee please ☕
I missed , but coffee pretty much fuels my existence, so here are my favorite and inspired that that I've done ☕🤎🤍 I'm finishing my website update this weekend, and getting back into the groove of posting on my socials again, so thank you to those who have hung in there with me during this quiet time. Slowly getting my mojo back 💜🦋
☕ "Coffee Break"
☕ "Coffee at Twilight"
☕ "Blonde Latte"
☕ "Espresso"
☕ "Pumpkin Spiced Latte"
☕ "Winter Neutrals"
☕ "Chocolate Milk"

From one of my favorite creatives ever 🎶 Happy Monday 💜🦋!

Gotta love a good pivot...oh, and the logo? I made it 😉 Coming soon...💜🦋

Black coffee ☕ 🤎
I like the convenience of digital art, but it's important to me to keep my traditional skills sharp as well. For me, traditional art requires a fair amount of planning ahead, intention, and concentration, all while immersing myself in the process. Losing control while taking control...if you know, you know 😏 This is one of my favorite illustrations, created with Sharpie Fleshtones color line and markers and colored pencils. I absolutely love the softness of it, and the different shades of browns. I did try to zoom in on this a few times, though 😂

Friday 💜🦋
💜 has been going well, and lately I've been spending some time doing it outside (before it got ridiculously hot 🥵) I also played around with which I haven't done since high school. If you're a working creative in any capacity, it really is important to just create for the sake of creating...not worrying about what sells, portfolio building, etc. I truly feel it keeps your mind free, and that's what art journaling does for me.
💜 I've been thinking about this a lot lately. There's a lot of things I'm realizing now in my 40s that I wish I had realized in my 20s, when I had a lot less commitments and responsibilities. But, there's a lot of wisdom that comes with age and experience, and I know that will help me more now than ever, in whatever path I decide to pursue.
💜 Sigh...I don't have it in me to learn another app. I really don't. No shade to anyone jumping on the Threads train, but it just feels like jumping in the middle of a pi***ng match between two egomaniacal millionaires. I never got into Twitter so I don't think Im missing out on anything.
💜We started a garden and now I can't stop buying plants 🥴🌺
💜 I'm SO with this. The constant need to be on socials and documenting everything you do in real time is exhausting, and does not equal success. My biggest accomplishments have happened when I've stepped away and put in the work, period.
💜Speaking of being seen, I wore a crop top outside and nobody fainted from seeing my curvy plus sized body in it. Wear what you want.
💜After an exhausting few weeks of work and my kiddos starting summer camp full time next week, I'm excited to get back into a steady creative routine again. Be back soon 🦋

Angel wings 💫
Essence magazine recently published a great article by Dominique Fluker (https://lnkd.in/e4mmNgKH) discussing problematic terms like and an insane term I just recently discovered, .As someone who came of age during the "he**in chic" era of the 90s, struggled with disordered eating and to accept her bigger body for a long time, seeing yet another new wave of body-shaming terms is just...depressing. And what makes it worst, is that thanks to social media, the toxic messaging is in your face 24/7. It's not like back in the day, where you could turn off the TV or not buy the magazine. Just a few years ago, I thought that we had made such great progress in terms of normalizing and praising larger bodies. Recognizing how toxic diet culture and "fatphobia" truly is, realizing that fat does not equal unhealthy, and normalizing a variety of bodies in the media. Clothing retailers were offering more extended sizes, and showcasing different types of bodies on the runway. And now it seems in the past two years or so, we've taken a dramatic step backward. Let me be clear...I'm team "do whatever you want" in order to feel more confident. What concerns me is that it sometimes means shaming others because they don't fit into your standard of beauty, or changing the composition of self at the detriment of your health and safety. Scary surgeries, diabetic medications being used as weight loss aids, and fad diets that slowly kill you or permanently damage your insides. And I know for a fact...if you don't resolve what's going on in your head, continuously changing your outsides is not going to make you feel any better. This recent plus-sized pin up illustration kind of an answer to this whole "unbig your back" thing. Soft rolls and "angel wings" as I like to call them. I've said it before...if I had seen more images portraying bigger bodies in a positive/normal light, I probably would have learned to love my body a lot sooner. If my art can help someone else accomplish that, I'll have done something great. Let's continue to normalize, accept, and love plus-sized bodies, just the way they are 💜

Monday Photo Dump 💜🦋
💜Y'all...social media is wild. The amount shenanigans you have to do to be seen is crazy, even to your actual followers. And the things you do see? All I can say is that it's crazy the types of things people will film and post, and things people say to complete strangers 😳 So at this point, my goal is more focused on connecting with like-minded creatives on platforms where there isn't so much mess, as well as find legit clients for my business. one of those platforms. I'm working on connecting and building more of a presence there, and using IG and FB for art-related fun, like it was originally intended for.
💜 My last project solidified my decision to dig deeper into being a designer. This is my first intentional foray into pattern design 🦋 excited to grow my skill set in that department.
💜Also adding this beauty to my portfolio. These illustrations are also encouraging me to pivot more to my website, because frankly I don't know how much they'll be seen. Not that I'll be creating anything super explicit, but these platforms police the hell out of . So she'll be on my website soon 😉
💜 It's funny how finding yourself as an adult means going back to what you loved as a kid. I loved and but stepped away from it because I thought it wasn't marketable. But does EVERYTHING have to be? It's crucial as a working creative to create for fun, and that's what I intend to do with this and . I'm thinking or because God knows I have a ton of half empty ones laying around 🥴
💜I don't believe that you're only a legit creative unless you have a college degree, and although I do have a degree, most of the things I've learned have been from the school of life. BUT...getting a has been rolling around in my head for a while. seems to be the best option for me in terms of continuing education. To be continued.💜 A selfie, only because my curls were popping at the moment 😉 happy new week!

"Waisted"
Digital Illustration
Please credit/tag when sharing
www.purplebutterflystudios.com

"Moon Phases"
Digital Illustration
Please credit/tag when sharing
www.purplebutterflystudios.com