I'm calling to the artist community; my community, for this. I've never and never will again ask, but this has been a slobberknocker of two weeks. Roughly two weeks ago, on the night of the 17th, my Mama died in my arms. My mama had no family besides me, so I lived for my Mama and to help her. On top of heartbreaking, traumatic and shocking, she had no life insurance. No additional funds. Nothing.

I reached out to state/local help; nothing. Colorado, USA, my home-state is horrible for any type of help. Between the now nearly $2,000 in rent, to bills on top of that with a horrible apartment complex that will not give me grace or time to pay, I have literally no hope without help. I went back to work immediately; I had no choice. I've managed so far not to cry during my shifts, but I'm in shock. My only hope is to be honest and rely on the altruism of my community of creatives.

My half-sister setup a GoFundMe immediately. It's my only hope to somehow keep me on my feet and let me move toward helping others down the road, being a productive member of society. So, pride be damned, I'm asking and begging for help. It's the only light in a dark time. So, I'm asking and begging for help from my fellow creatives.

My sister set this up and I truly need it. This is the hardest message I've ever had to write. Sunday night, my mama died. She had no life insurance. I counted on her SSI as the other half of our income. I recently did everything to raise her credit score so she could get a house in her name. I have nothing. I can't pay the $1936 rent and I can't even pay the approximately $650 to have my mama cremated. I need help everyone. I don't ask for help easily or often, but please. Pride be damned, I truly need help. One month of rent and getting my mama cremated would enable me to get back on my feet and work toward becoming a productive member of society and figure out what life is without my mama. I've never lived for me; I don't even know how.

I did everything right; I called 911, I started compressions, the EMT's and Paramedics went above and beyond and she didn't come back to me. I've lived my whole life for my mama.

Please. Anything would help. It's more than I had before. I've never asked but I'm begging.

The GoFundMe. I know you don't know me, but from a son who truly needs help. Anything would go further than you can imagine. I'm begging and asking those in the creative community to help one of their own.

Deck the halls with plenty of creative ideas, inspiration and far too many supplies. Yes, I've finally admitting that collecting creative supplies is a different thing than actually using them, but this isn't the time to call the meeting to talk about that, it's the time to feed the need for it...The meeting comes later in the year.

With a ton of ideas, recommendations and unique things, I'm confident you'll see at least one thing you'll like that's totally unique.

Check out the blog post here.

Inktober this year is going to be different; unlike the slobberknockers of previous years, this time, we're going to have fun. If you're doing it 1 day or all 31, you can participate however you'd like. If you want to pop-in occasionally if the mood strikes, I encourage it! As the days creep, I'll upload and update throughout the month what I've done for the corresponding prompts on this blog post and urge you to follow along and also participate using the hashtag #SEInktober on Instagram and/or TikTok.

Follow along with the Blog Post all 31 days and don't forget to use the hashtag #SEInktober so I can see your work too! Here's wishing everyone a happy and growth-filled month full of heart, art and soul.

It took months and months of work, but finally my new 2023 Watercolor Collection is finally live on my Etsy Shop! I'd like to take a minute and show those off and talk about them. It's taken months to handmake every paint, make the packaging, package them, then prep them for sale.

Everything from my holographic and glittering Fireworks Set (above) to the solar color-shifting Aotrom (below), it's all made, packaged and ready to find a home, eager artist and be created with. I'm so honored, humbled and truly excited to see what people create and know I've made products that are high quality and I use as well.

You can shop my watercolor paint selection here. I've got brand new things from the new Fairytale set with holographic glittering pigments, the new Fated Night set with deep, rich purples and the Coastal Set with warm, summery vibes. All pictured below:

I'm so proud as well of my other paints such as Electrified Lime (Below) that glows under Black Light (UV), Magnetic Watercolor made from Colorado Magnetite, Black Gold made from genuine Gold Dust, Elytra Beetle Wing, a color-shifting paint made from it's name sake and many more.

I'd be honored if you'd stop by my shop and browse around. There's a plethora to see. I'm running sales all the time and it truly helps an artist, freelancer and sharing the link does wonders. Thank you!

My Watercolors

My Etsy Shop

I'm participating in APEALZ Summer Dreams contest and would greatly appreciate (seriously!) a vote for my piece of the same name "Summer Dreams" in the contest. It would mean the world and you can vote here: https://www.apealz.com/contests/votes/info/summer-dreams-art-design-contest/1282

Voting is open for the Summer Dreams Art & Design Contest and you can help pick the winner! You can vote on as many images as you like, but just one vote per image. There's summer photography, beautiful paintings, psychedelic graphic design and much more. So click the Vote Now button and choose your favorites.

My Piece:

Vote here: https://www.apealz.com/contests/votes/info/summer-dreams-art-design-contest/1282

I cannot begin to express what an honor this is to present my work and with what a heavy heart I do so.

View it here: https://www.behance.net/gallery/167938201/Bear-Me-Into-Freedom-Historical-Restoration

On Wednesday, May 12, 2021, Author Jeffrey C. McGuiness hired me to restore historical documents; the focus centric to restore documents for legibility and readability without removing the original typesetting aesthetic of olde; to restore but maintain the inked look. I also was commissioned to redraw and paint from newspaper clippings, using every skill in my wheelhouse I've ever trained and practiced for.

This project, as a whole, meant the world to me; deeply. As an American man and proud uncle, there's nothing more important that telling our story; the real one. This is American history. The story of a slave who dared to challenge. Spoke truth to power. I had a chance and the profound honor to help bring his story, his life and all around him to the forefront. Telling an American legend's tale. But, the documents, photos and calligraphy was damaged and needed to be restored.

As I worked, I found tears pouring down when I realized what words I was restoring. The horror of the truth is a heavy burden, but one we must lift to the light. I could only imagine the immense amount of suffering him and his must have endured and died for. It wasn't just a job, this was an honor like nothing else in my life. As not just a consummate professional, but a son of this soil, it's my duty to tell his truth. This was painful. This was tearing my heart wide open. This was needed in every way possible.

This is the result of my work, along with a small army of people in tandem. A confluence of individuals who poured time, tears and effort into this. I beckon you and humbly ask with alacrity you allow the truth to be told. A slave had the bravery to step into waters uncharted, so please respect his and their efforts by giving this a chance.

- Jarrod Vandenberg

See the project here

I added a few of my Handmade Watercolor Paints added back into my Etsy shop in preparation for my Spring/Summer 2023 new colors, palettes and sets launch, along with my brand new inks, FreakInks ©, handmade artist-grade inks, coming too!

For a short time I'm going to run a 40% discount on them and there's a really limited amount of them, so grab them while they last! Shop them here: Visit My Etsy Shop Here

Cryo, Sparkling Blue: Click Here

Elytra Beetle Wings, Color Shifting Green: Click Here

Golden Jasmine, With Real Jasmine Flowers: Click Here

Black Gold with 10k Real Gold Dust: Click Here

Midnight River Indigo with 24k Gold: Click Here

Magnetic with Genuine Colorado Hematite: Click Here

If you're interested in how to make your own watercolor paints, I made an easy e-booklet and it's on sale too! You can buy and download it instantly here from my Etsy shop too! Or just grab a 10 Random Watercolor Grab Bag if you're feeling lucky.

I'm so excited about these. A bunch of people have received theirs and I've only got a few left, so they're going fast before the spring/summer batch of colors and palettes come out in my store, so if you want this, you'd better grab this chance.

Grab the grab bag from my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1338144826/handmade-watercolor-random-grab-bag-10

All handmade with love and care and proudly made with sustainable, ethically and locally sourced organic ingredients, this handmade watercolor premium artist-grade watercolor paint is a product I personally use as a professional artist myself. Lightfast pigments and formulated to resist degradation, these half-pans are made to last until the very final use.

These grab bags come with 10 randomly selected high quality handmade watercolor paints. From color-shifting, dichroic and trichroic pigments, glittering and shimmering to genuine gemstones, real leaves and flora, even genuine henna, I've gone to great lengths to ensure my watercolors are truly unique in every regard. I'm truly proud of them.

Perfect as a gift for an artist in your life to open and use that's made by an actual artist, for an artist. Or, just to spoil yourself with an art supply that's unique but high quality.

Comes packaged with all 10 individually wrapped (no, they're not hard to remove packaging off each half-pan...I hate that part. And yes, I hand-wrapped every one of them.) in a beautiful bag without price, ready to gift.

Grab a grab bag here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1338144826/handmade-watercolor-random-grab-bag-10

February is Black History Month.

We've made great strides in the celebration of taking steps into the future and the possibility of sitting at a table of brotherhood of equality, but we yet have a long way to go. As an uncle of two half-black nieces, it is my fervent wish you take heed and listen to the babies on the come up. Listen to the voices amplified. Understand the mistakes of the past so we can not repeat moving into the tomorrow they deserve.

Eventually, we might be able to sit at that table Dr. King spoke about. In the meantime we have the elegant poetry of Ebony Stewart. The prose of Jill Scott. The business mind of Casey Brown. The history being told by Kaitlyn Foster. The justice being kept by Benjamin Crump and the Honorable Miss Ketanji Brown Jackson. Listen, and hope can be found, it abounds all around.

It says "A caterpillar can't understand butterfly language".

It's here: https://shatteredelegance.net/product/butterfly-language/