Welcome!

I’m Joseph Patton, an illustrator and animator from the Deep South. After working as a teacher for over a decade, with a host of jobs before that, I’ve jumped into full-time art making. Inspired by folk art from my home and around the world, my colorful work is meant to encourage people to celebrate play, appreciate the small moments of everyday life, and reflect on the challenges of the world we live in. My site is here.

About the newsletter:

I've been on a winding, often messy path in my creative practice—full of missteps, wrong turns, and moments of doubt. Through it all, I’ve come to believe deeply in the power of play, joy, and connection to help ease the heartache of finding purpose in life.

This newsletter is my way of adding to the conversation on seeding creativity into our days, weeks, and months—whether through paid work or personal practice. I’ll share my own artwork, creative tips and projects, insights from the mistakes I’ve made (and the lessons they’ve taught me), and bits of inspiration from poems, books, and podcasts that have lit the way.

Subscribe to join the newsletter. Paid subscribers get full access to the publication archives and behind-the-scenes content and special projects (e.g. 30-day art challenges). Thank you for joining!