It started as a type of dare, to myself. An art teacher that told me I sucked. I gave up on visual art, and turned to writing. I published my first short fiction to a magazine when I was just 17 years old. Then life happened. A lot of life. I pivoted to technical writing and corporate training until it felt that all my creative life force had been sucked out of me. Then tragedy struck my life again and I realized that I had strayed so far from my own plot that I needed to get back to me again. So I dared myself to start doing all the things I was told I couldn’t and the earliest I could remember was that teacher. That was the first time in my life that I had put down my own beliefs about myself, so I started there.

I picked up a pencil and started doodling. Then it was pastels. Then watercolor. Finally, acrylics. Meanwhile, I had friends telling me that they wanted to buy my pieces. Most of it was neurographic art. My gateway drug, because anything that allows you to catch flow when you feel like your world is falling apart is a balm for the traumatized soul. The fluidity of the motion lead directly into the buttery smooth texture of acrylic paints on a brush. I don’t plan my paintings very often, they come from a form of synesthesia I experience when I listen to music. Many of my paintings reference music or literature, specifically because I will flood my system with a good rhythm and let the paint tell me what it wants to be. These are my meditations.

While my painting obsession grew, my distaste for the corporate suck of my day job grew faster. Everything at that place reminded me of all the abuse that I had received at the hands of people that I actually loved. I couldn’t take it from people I didn’t. I then found a position as a Paraprofessional Art Teacher at a special needs school. The company that I work for specializes in trauma informed care. These children speak to me because they were once me. My lessons are penned with hopes that I can spark healing through art the way I found it. And teaching them hones my artistic skills in return.

My life is now a perfect storm of creativity. Teaching, making art, and slowly making my way back to creative writing again. Collaborations with other musicians and artists. Every season brings a new creative endeavor.

My artwork can be found regularly at Funkwork Studio in Lakewood, OH where I hold art classes. Details about where to see my art or how to book my class are in the Find Me link below. My writing can be found on Substack, by signing up for this website's newsletter, or by joining my Mischief Mail Club here.

I am a regular in the zine Wagerat. Copies are available at any of my events or markets for free. You can request a mail order copy in my shop for the cost of shipping and processing. If you want to do it old school, you can mail $1 and a self-addressed stamped greeting card sized envelope to Wagerat: 336 Kansas Ave, Lorain, OH 44052.

I am currently collaborating with JFH Farms to produce a line of plants and pottery for the spring. These will be debuted solely through my website newsletter and mail club. These planters will be available to purchase in person at my vending events or by personal pick up.

I have also been collaborating with local musicians to put my art to music. Currently I am collaborating with Joe Hartsel of JFH Music to produce music videos. They can be found on our Youtube Channel @JFHMoodyFrequency.