November 2025

When you take social media off your phone, life begins.

Hahah! Seriously, though, it’s been such. a. great. choice. More brain space than ever! Lots has been going on over here, and we’re doing well. We got a nasty cold a couple weeks ago, but otherwise we’re sleeping (fairly) well and having lots of fun. I wanted to share what we’ve been up to.

I started making some youtube drawing lessons for kids. It’s fun to draw cute things and I enjoy how simple these videos are to put together. I don’t have loads of extra time, but I have enough to do a fun drawings and add some music. I hope you enjoy!

I’m going to do a cute cat drawing next, but I’d love your requests if you have ‘em.

I got to host a musical showcase last weekend for Medium gallery in my hometown. It’s such a cool space, and they had a killer show with a punk collage artist, Winston Smith. I played a couple origninal tunes and a cover of tears for fears and taylor swift. Classic Annie. :P

great turnout :)

My skethcbook is getting a lot of love lately. I watched a video of Ginnie Hsu’s sketchbook practice and I was floored at how prolific she is. I liked that she does a series of sketches and has structure in her practice, but she also just draws all the time like it’s a muscle and she’s a powerlifter. Here’s a drawing I did based on her suggestion to just “draw a place on the internet”.

Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet at Versaille

I finished a commission for a lovely family friend, based on her love of the beach. She gave me a few different photos to work with, and I used some inspiration from a couple seascapes I saw online. I used my palette knife, a limited color palette, and lots of texture underneath the painting. I like how it turned out!

The large painting to the lower left is another commission for a friend based on a film quote.

Work is keeping me busy, but I also have little pockets of time here and there, so I get the paints and pens out and make physical things. I had some journals from an event I had planned to do. The result:

And last but not least, my son is starting to take photos of things other than the floor lol. In fact, his photography skills have already surpassed mine. He has an eye for asymmetry and action shots. He took this snap shot a week back after I’d been playing some piano. This encapsulates our mornings: muffins, PJs, and coloring.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your November. I’m thankful for all of you who are on this art journey with me. Peace and love to you guys!

-Annie

September Sentiments

Annie Ruygt

Sep 27, 2025

Hello my Fall treats! It’s finally arrived! Pumpkin Spice and apple chai lattes have come to the cafes, and the light is slanted in that perrrrrfect way. The mornings are crisp, (yeah yeah…the days are still warm here in Northern California); I am delighted to say Happy Autumn to all of you.

THOUGHTS ON MEDIA

I took social media off my phone after feeling really dumpy about it for several months. I was scrolling for too many hours and never feeling very good afterwards. In just a couple days I feel so much BETTER. Peaceful. Calmer. Less bugged by news I didn’t want to hear, or people trying to offend someone else. Like purging myself of junk brain-food. Although there are pockets of amazing internet communities, I don’t know how to find them on social media without being bombarded with the other junk.

How do you find the balance? I work on the internet all day, so I might be prone to tech media burnout. I’m eyeing this little device that would allow me to use an analog phone at home so I can be screen free.

I wonder- do you feel the same?

NEW PAINTING VIDEO

Recently I did a cat painting for a friend, and thought I’d share my process. I made this Youtube video, so you can follow along. It’s long form, so enjoy and feel free to skip around if that makes more sense. If you have any questions about watercolor painting, I’d be more than happy to chat about it.

B. TULL UPDATE

This little series about a Beetle detective is still in the pitch stage. We’re so close to sending it off to publishers but we have a few more things to polish. It keep getting cuter and cuter, though. I’ll let you know another update in a few months.

That’s all for now. Thank you for being here with me. Wishing you all the delicious Fall goodies and warm spiced tea that you desire.

Love,

Annie

August 28, 2025

Summer always fees like it ends with August, even though there’s 20 more days before the Autumn officially starts. Blarrrg can’t wait

My husband has gone back to work at the High School, and years of muscle memory recall the excitement of buying school supplies and making my way back to a desk every September. This is the time when Summer break *ends*. No more pools or lazy days. But this year, my Summer wasn’t as lazy as it used to be…

Reflections on Summer of my past

I grew up without internet and without much TV. Sure, we watched shows in the evenings, but mostly we played outside and read books in the shade of our mulberry tree, or on our bed with a stuffed animal beside us. My children are young so they really depend on my to play with them and show them how to spend their time. And it’s just tooo eaaasy to turn on the TV or get caught up on my phone when I’m checking my emails.

Because of this, I’ve been placing tucking my phone away, and been more intentional about turning off the podcast and music- which is really hard to do if I’m being honest. But instantly my brain space widens and my psyche settles. It’s like magic. It’s also boring. (My kids acknowledge this, too as they run amuck with nothing to do.)

When your’e bored though, your creativity turns on like a light bulb. Boredom brings song ideas, plot twists, characters to the surface. All the good stuff happens when you have mental space, which isn’t possible if you’re plugged in all the time.

The more I’m bored the better off I am creatively. That’s the truth.

Doing the work this Summer

I have been painting a ton this month since I’ve had pockets of open studio time. I put some original paintings on my website, and the large underwater piece will head to my friends house in Reno sometime this Fall. I’ve also been working on a new tarot deck with Carrie Mallon, and we’re making slow progress, but still it’s shaping up nicely.

Check out the store

I can’t show too much from the Tarot deck, but here’s a rejected card. You can catch the vibe:

I finally made it to the coast with my kids. I had been lamenting that I wouldn’t see the ocean this year, but we did it! Both kids were weary of the sand and confused about the ocean waves. It makes sense. It’s a very unique setting and it was their first time really processing it.

Last but not least, my little Detective book is still in the works with my agent. I hope to send it out to publishers within a month. We’re trying to refine it as much as possible so it’s picked up! Finger’s crossed.

That’s all for now! Enjoy the rest of your Summer. Let yourself be bored a little, and stay creative.

Love,

Annie

August Apples

Growing up, my Oma made applesauce from their apple tree, and shared it with all of my aunts and cousins. It was a constant "after-dinner-treat, crisp refreshing, and easily accepted by any picky eater (and I sure was one!) In her older years, my Oma would come to our house and make applesauce with my Dad’s help. We’d use our Golden delicious apples, and I would also assist in cutting a boiling the apples.

Last weekend I stayed at my parents house and my Dad wanted to make applesauce with my son, who’s nearing 3 years old. He was excited to show him how the apple slices must be washed and boiled, and he let him turn the food mill handle. It was a delight, seeing my childhood come alive right before my eyes through my son’s experience. The apples were gravenstiens and make the most beautiful pink sauce, and we all enjoyed several bites together.

I’ve been thinking a lot about memories lately. The 90’s playlists I’ve been revisiting, give me a sense of life’s fleeting nature, and I well up with gratitude and love for the good parts of my life- for which there are so many. I’m feeling called to take time with these memories in some creative way. Maybe through art making (as I did today in this apple sauce painting), possibly through songwriting. Or both.

I have handfuls of notebooks from 9-20 years old, detailing my days, my anxieties, my Christmas gifts. We really art built from our memories. Some of them fade, but most of them become the tissue and cell matter that houses our soul, our personhood.

______

I invite you to take some time with your memories this week. There might be an old song you haven’t listened to in ages. Maybe you have a memory box of trinkets from school plays and 8th grade dates. How do they make you feel in your body? What did you learn from those memories?

If you’d like to share, please do. I’m always interested.

Extra Extra:

• You may not know that I have a special freebie section on my website for subscribers. You get free comics, an ebook and some wallpapers. Thank YOU for being on this journey with me. use passcode “comics” here.

• I have retired from pet portraits, but I am open to painting commissions! In the past I’ve illustrated natal charts, made personal tarot cards, and done intuitive artwork. Just drop me a line.

• I have added original art for sale on my website. And more to come as I work on more pieces for my Fall collection.

Happy August, Happy Summer days. May they be slow, sweet like honey, and filled with beautiful memories.

With love and lots of applesauce,

Annie

June Newsletter

Hello Creatively Juicy Friends!

June has been a sweet month. My hubband is off work for the Summer and the weather has been wonderfully cool here in our little Valley. Usually it’s scorching, but we’ve been able to enjoy lots of time outside playing in the pool, the garden, and going on walks without terrible sunburns. It’s been wonderful. And I’ve made some progress on music and books, which I’ll share about in a moment.

My artwork for Fly.io is up around San Francisco! It’s fun to see it in the buzz of a big city while people make their way to their jobs and while on errands. Hopefully it adds a little magic to their day.

And another project update: My pal Joshua from Accelerated Tech asked me to create box art for his cool 3D printer expander that he designed. I just got it in the mail and it turned out awesome!

I’m still tuning up the B. Tull bok, making sure it’s as tight and strong as it can be for a publisher’s eye. Everytime I work on a book it feels like the first time!

In music news…did you know I make music?? I uploaded my first album from 2011, to my bandcamp page. Now there’s 1 album and 2 EPs, and I have another batch of 5 songs. I’m working on for my 4th release, due later this Summer, titled: RUNAWAY. Music has always been so special to me, always a sacred outlet. I have too many songs that I’d like to record and share, but who has all the time to do this with a job and two young kids LOL??

This month’s goals are to carve out time for making music and my books, read some literature, and spend enough time doing nothing, too. I hope you get some time to do that, too! This dream weave class from my friend Kelly might interest you. I plan on joining! It looks like a great way to connect with the self, which I know I need!

One last update on the kids: Brother used to hate baths but once he got into the kiddie pool, all of that changed. He is OBSESSED with playing in the water. And sister loves doing anything that he’s doing. :) This is a typical Summer day around here:

Have a great rest of your June and see you in July!

-Annie and the Crew