Some of you may be setting your New Year’s resolutions right now, however with it still being the dead of winter I prefer to follow the rhythm of nature and set my intentions with the spring equinox, when light takes over darkness, life re-emerges, balance is restored, and creation begins. So for me, winter is the time to dream without pressure and reflect on what I have overcome thus far.

With that being said, this time last year looked very different for me, and what started off on a very high note came crashing down rather quickly. I was so excited to kick the year off with a brand new job where I could finally support fellow artists for a living, only to be led by a CEO full of false promises that resulted in surprise layoffs and the company closing their doors. Despite them being a startup, I jumped all in when the opportunity arose and was quickly reminded why I have never been much of a big risk taker. Having been on my own since I was 18 and always holding a job since I was 15, I was overcome with emotions. I had never lost a job before, especially at no fault of my own, and on top of it, in an industry I was genuinely passionate about. To say it was soul crushing would be an understatement. It didn’t help that it all happened with terrible timing, and I don’t mean just being let go the day after my 44th birthday, but the fact that I was left to hunt for a new job only to find myself tangled in the web of a nightmare job market filled with scammers, hackers, AI garbage, age discrimination, remote jobs that are really hybrid, too many applicants, fake job postings, and most of all, false hopes.

Unfortunately, I still haven’t escaped that job hunting web just yet, but my mindset has changed as I continue to reflect on all the blessings that have resulted from it. For instance, yes, I may have taken a risk, but I also was stuck in a very toxic work situation, and jumping ship to board on with the new startup gave me the push I needed to leave. And although everyone’s time at the startup was cut short, I was blessed to be able to work with an amazing team of women I may never have had the opportunity to meet. I quickly picked up new software and skill sets, and even some great advice and ideas that I now utilize for my own art practice. Most importantly though, I got to experience what it was like working directly with some very talented and well-known fine artists from all around the country, which was something very special that I had hoped to gain from my time working there.

As months passed, one thing remained constant, and that was me word vomiting over and over again about how incredibly grateful I am for my hardworking husband. He has not only been keeping us afloat financially, but he has been my emotional rock through everything, reminding me that just because I am not working full time doesn’t mean I am worthless, because honestly most days thats how I’ve felt. Not having the spending money to enjoy ourselves like we used to or having the ability to save like we were has definitely taken a hit to my self esteem but at the same time allowed me to gain a sense of freedom that money could never buy.

Which leaves me with the one thing I feel this year has blessed me with the most, and that was time. Something I never had before and at times still feel guilty about gaining. When working for other companies, I never had the dedicated time and creative energy I needed to fully invest into my own artwork. Writing this blog alone would have been much different, much shorter, or not even written at all. I would become overwhelmed trying to balance and keep it all together, my health often taking a toll, projects and ideas piling up because it would take me forever to finish anything, or feeling overwhelmed enough to skip the creative process altogether, which would ultimately leave me feeling unaccomplished and unfulfilled.

After being let go from the daily grind, it seemed like whenever I had a confidence crushing moment on my job hunting journey, it would immediately be followed by an uplifting art win of some sort. I now know those were signs from the universe divinely guiding and gifting me with what I had always asked for, it just arrived terribly wrapped in loss and confusion. It was like asking for flowers and the universe giving me rain instead. The seeds were planted. It was up to me to figure out that the glimmers in the rain drops only came if I provided the sunshine needed to bloom. So some days I chose to take breaks from the stress of the job hunt and strictly focus the time I was gifted to work on bringing more of my visions to life. Guilt free.

Since being laid off, I have also gained a plethora of new LinkedIn connections and although a majority of them are strangers in the real world, they’ve truly helped keep me sane. They’ve been there to boost my confidence when venting about job hunting dead ends while also being there to celebrate and support me when sharing my art wins and announcing my new creations. Many have even written up features or conducted interviews about me and my work, and others have actually become new collectors of it. Ironically, most of them may have never even discovered my work had I not been more active on the platform due to my job hunt and the time I was blessed with to focus and really go all in on it this year.

And although I was technically unemployed, I remained VERY busy. When I was not creating, applying or interviewing for jobs, I was putting in hours of unpaid work as an Artrepreneur, which really has put into perspective why it’s been so hard to keep up with everything while working a full-time job.

Top that off with everything else going on in the world, there were many days that made it harder to find the blessings and transform negative thoughts into positive ones. But I found that when I surrounded myself in inspiring environments and spent my time and energy wisely with people who would rather live in the moment than constantly focus on drama, politics, news, and negativity, I felt much lighter, healthier, and creatively motivated.

Refocusing my mindset was important for me as an artist. For instance, did someone physically steal a piece of my artwork and therefore I became a famous artist overnight due to the heist? No, but someone wanted my artwork badly enough that they were willing to risk getting caught and arrested for it.

Did I make a killing on my work this year to the point I could completely live off the income and stop job hunting? No, but I gained a couple freelance gigs that got me by, and both my Etsy and Closet Collectibles sales were on the rise, resulting in many happy dances for a girl who just wants to share her visions with the world while hoping they speak to someone as weird as she is.

So with that, I just want to show my gratitude to everyone that helped these artist milestone moments happen for me over the past “Gregorian calendar year”….

• Misc Updates & Creature Features
  • As seen in the above photo, my in store display at Closet Collectibles was moved to the Cabinets of Curiosities and is now the main focal point of their brand new horror themed collectibles room
  • I joined Lyric, an artist first platform allowing my art collectors another way to shop my creations (the company rebranded as Latchet)
  • Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Screenwriter, & Entertainment Journalist Staci Lane Wilson interviewed and featured me and my work on Women In Horror
  • Writer and publisher Frank Schieber interviewed and featured me and my work on Cool Hand Frank, which also led to a special extended Halloweek special access feature in celebration of Halloween
  • Communications Executive Mar Della Greca whos work focuses on film and media projects interviewed and featured me and my work on TBM Horror
  • Michael Joy of Marketing Macabre whos work focuses on horror professionals interviewed and featured me and my work on HorrorNews.Net
  • I was chosen and featured as a Canvas Rebel
    
• New Creations & Project Specific Milestones
  • Spitting Image
    • My split face portraits “Nothing Is Trivial” of Brandon Lee as Eric Draven and “Maybe Today Satan” of Kierna Shipka as Sabrina Spellman were selected and featured in the Artflow Alliance Virtual Art Exhibition: Haunted Histories from Halloween – Dec 31st
    • I was commissioned and completed 7 portraits that will be used for promotional and fundraising efforts for the fantasy web series Sommoners Tale created by Brandon Nyte
    • In celebration of the final season of Stranger Things I conjured up a limited edition Vecna – Upside Down picture frame to showcase an 8×10″ giclee print of my Pretty Bitchin’ split face portrait of Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Seasons 1 and 2
    • I checked Mia Goth and Pearl from the X Trilogy horror movie series off my art bucket list by completing my split face portrait “I’m Not Staying On This Farm”
    • I checked Walton Goggins and Uncle Baby Billy Freeman from the Righteous Gemstones off my art bucket list by completing my split face portrait “Voila! No More COVID!”
    • I checked Kane Hodder and Victor Crowley from the Hatchet horror movie series off my art bucket list by completing my split face portrait “Daddy” which I had the honor of gifting to Kane at Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con
    • I introduced my art collectors to new print merch options, offering matte finish giclee and canvas prints, limited edition framed snow globe prints, Totally 80s Sticker Packs and limited edition ornaments
    • My split face portraits “Chop Driftwood” of Bill Moseley and “Shit The Bed” of Sid Haig were featured on multiple episodes of the Slash Sisters Podcast on Youtube
  • Drippings
    • I contributed to Lewis Lavoie’s Mural Mosaic Global Roots Project entitled America Connects – Nature’s Reflection. The mural that will be unveiled in spring of 2026 will include my “Reflections In Green” painting of Kermit The Frog
  • Undead Dolls & Decor
    • My Undead Doll Holly was featured in the the November edition of the Artflow Alliance Insider e-Newsletter & Gift Guide
    • I was commissioned and completed zombified picture frames for 3 new art collectors
    • I conjured up a limited edition Zombie Head Light Switch Cover which sold very quickly
    • I was selected as a Women In Horror Featured Artist by the George A. Romero Foundation. The feature included a photo from the time I met and gifted George the life size zombie head prop that I made of him
  • Dead Girl Decay
    • I was commissioned and completed 12 pin up girl barrettes themed to the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers for BM-5 Tailgaters
  • Monstrosities
    • I conjured up a visual representation of my Alter Egos as 8×10 3D Canvas Monsterpieces
    • My Moffin Ornaments were featured in the the November edition of the Artflow Alliance Insider e-Newsletter & Gift Guide
    • I conjured up and introduced 3 new Mini 3D Canvas Monsterpieces and 2 have already been adopted!
    • I conjured up and introduced 3 new Pet Rocksters and all 3 have been adopted!
    • I sold the final remaining Moffin Stash Box from Batch 2
  • Spellbinding
    • I handcrafted and blessed a new Spiritual Skullerfly Crystal Ornamental Wreath inspired by citrine to invoke and manifest positivity and balance the solar plexus chakra
  • Remains
    • I was commissioned and completed my 6th Cotton Candy Cocoon Ornament
  • Skinned
    • I teamed up with Teenjus aka my husband Frank and we got “righteous” dressing up as Uncle Baby Billy Freeman for Halloween
    • My Mokey Fraggle costume from Halloween 2024 was featured on the ToughPigs Costume Parade for 2025
  • Deadly Designs
    • I was contracted by the realtor/owner of Teighlor Made TX to set up her WiX website from their brokerage’s company template. This included adjusting layout, updating media, hyperlinking, SEO & social media share settings, alt text, blog set up, setting up forms, service/meeting requests bookings, automations, notifications, label tags for segmenting contact leads, setting up admin roles, giving the client marketing and process feedback
    • I contributed to the Anti Ai Art movement by creating “I Support Human Handmade Art” sticker packs and t-shirts so my art collectors can show their support. The items were featured in the December edition of the Artflow Alliance Insider e-Newsletter
  • Back Bones
    • My artwork was accepted by Adam Green to be a prize for ArieScope Pictures’ Yorkiethon 9 – Arwen’s Silent Auction which is aka The Movie Crypt podcast’s 9th annual LIVE marathon to benefit Save A Yorkie Rescue. The 16×20″ canvas print was autographed by myself as the artist, actor Kane Hodder and Adam Green at Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con and contributed to raising money for the charity event
    • I was once again the VIP Prize Collaborator for Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con where I doubled the number of prize contributions resulting in a very happy crowd and another successful VIP Cocktail Reception Party for celebrity guests and ultimate ticket holders!

And most importantly, I want you all to know… I’m not stopping anytime soon!

Stay Strange & Magical ✨
LDG Nicole