Nature’s Art Gallery Featuring the Tarantula Hawk
I’ve just finished a new artwork, and I’m still deciding whether I’ve captured something quietly magnificent or something no child should ever meet on the page. The Tarantula Hawk is not a gentle creature. Even drawn in soft psychedelic colours, it carries an intensity that refuses to be…
Keep readingBlending In, Standing Out, and My Visual Dream Journal
She towers above the crowd, head and shoulders rising like a silent signal that she doesn’t quite belong. Her posture calm, her expression unreadable, at first glance she’s just another figure, but the world around her seems to shrink in comparison. That’s the dream journal artwork I call Blending…
Keep readingI’m an Uncommon Animal – Dodo Bird
I’ve just dropped a new t-shirt: the I’m an Uncommon Animal dodo edition. A little extinct bird that once strutted around like it owned the world, now gone. A tragic but fitting mascot for our modern creativity: easily distracted, overrun by convenience, and at serious risk of disappearing. Wear it…
Keep readingTarantula Hawks, Deadly Snakes, and Big Skies: Own a Piece of Nature’s Wild Pattern
My latest piece, the Tarantula Hawk Wallpaper—25 editions on ZeroOne—is out in the world, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a celebration of one of nature’s most metal insects. Gorgeous, deadly, and terrifying. I love turning creatures like this into patterns, making the uncommon common, giving people a…
Keep readingWhere Emotion Meets Technique, Mark Sibb’s Artistic Breakthrough | Fork in the Road Podcast
Mark Sibb shares how his artistic journey began during the COVID lockdowns and evolved into a thriving creative career rooted in personal expression, community, and experimentation. From navigating the balance between commercial work and creative freedom, to discovering that his style emerged not from seeking perfection, but from…
Keep readingDon’t Let Your Creativity Go the Way of the Dodo
Meet my Dodo.I originally created this little extinct oddball for Inktober, but it’s since taken on a life of its own… ironic, I know. The Dodo will likely flap its way into my next kids’ book, More Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet. There’s something about its stubborn, slightly bewildered face…
Keep readingStreaming & Survival: Virg on Becoming a Thriving Artist in the Digital Age | Fork in the Road Podcast
Musician Virg pulls back the curtain on the realities of being a modern musician in the digital world. From her childhood discovery of synthesizers to the creation of her Italian single Martini, Virg takes us deep into her creative process, her cultural identity and Italian music, and the…
Keep readingInktober Day 28: Skeletal
In the deepest parts of the ocean lies a creature that turns bones into life. The Bone-eating snot worm (Osedax) doesn’t have a mouth, stomach, or eyes. Instead, it uses root-like structures that secrete acid to bore into whale bones on the seafloor, dissolving them to extract nutrients…
Keep readingInktober Rivals: Tiny Mosquitoes and the Everyday Rivalry of Making Food vs Making Art
Some rivals you can reason with. Others you can’t even see coming. Enter the mosquito, humanity’s deadliest enemy. Forget lions, sharks, or snakes… this tiny airborne vampire has taken more human lives than every war in history combined. It doesn’t roar. It whispers. It hunts in silence, armed…
Keep readingArctic Fox vs. The Artist: Inktober Day 19 and the Cold Truth About Why I Won’t Quit (Even When It Makes No Sense)
Meet the Arctic fox, the true master of survival at the edge of the world. This small predator is built for extremes, with fur so insulating it’s been recorded as the warmest of any Arctic mammal. In winter, its coat turns pure white to vanish against snow and…
Keep readingInktober Day 18 – Deal: The Daily Drawing Deal That’s Changing My Art and Helping Save Animals
In the coral kingdoms of the reef, one tiny creature runs the most important business under the sea: the cleaning station. Meet the Cleaner Shrimp, nature’s underwater negotiator. The deal is simple: predators promise not to eat them, and in return, the shrimp gets to climb right into…
Keep readingInktober Day 17: Ornate
When it comes to intricate design, nature’s got the edge. Meet the Ornate Box Turtle, a North American original dressed in golden lines and dark spirals — like a living mandala carved by sunlight and soil. Each marking is a fingerprint of survival, a story etched over decades…
Keep readingFrom Graphic Recording to YouTube Success: Raheem Nelson’s Creative Journey | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this engaging conversation, Raheem Nelson shares his journey as a graphic recorder, photographer, and vlogger, emphasizing the importance of style as a form of self-expression. He discusses his recent achievements, including a magazine feature and his approach to YouTube content creation. Raheem offers valuable networking tips for…
Keep readingInktober Day 16: Blunder
Ah, the Dodo — nature’s most famous “oops.” Once strutting proudly across Mauritius with not a single predator to fear, this plump, flightless bird had no idea that humanity would turn out to be its ultimate blunder. Within less than a century of our arrival, it was gone,…
Keep readingInktober Day 15: Ragged – Ragged-Tooth Shark
Meet the Ragged-Tooth Shark, a calm hunter with a grin that could star in a horror film. Those jagged teeth are perfectly designed for gripping slippery prey like fish and squid. Each tooth is long, thin, and needle-sharp, and when one falls out, another slides forward from the…
Keep readingInktober Day 14: Trunk
That little trunk says it all. Meet the Tapir, a rainforest survivor straight out of the Ice Age, equipped with a short, flexible snout that works like a snorkel and a fruit picker all in one. It’s how they sense the world, plucking leaves, foraging in the undergrowth,…
Keep readingInktober Day 13: Drink
Meet the Thorny Devil, the desert’s spikiest survivor and one of nature’s strangest drinkers. No bottles. No bowls. Just skin. Every groove and channel in its scales pulls in precious water, from rain, dew, or even damp sand, and funnels it straight to its mouth. It doesn’t just…
Keep readingInktober Day 12: Shredded
If you’ve ever watched An American Werewolf in London and winced through that transformation scene, skin tearing, bones cracking, pure primal chaos, you’ve already glimpsed the spirit of the Wolverine. It’s nature’s own were-creature: short, stocky, and absolutely unhinged when hungry. When it hits the scent of prey,…
Keep readingInktober Day 11: Sting
Meet the Tarantula Hawk, part beauty, part nightmare, all purpose. With a sting ranked among the most painful in the natural world, this wasp doesn’t fight for sport. It paralyzes a tarantula, drags it underground, and lays a single egg inside the still-living host. When the larva hatches,…
Keep readingArt as Activism: Visual Strategist Zed Anwar aka Zedtrafficker | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this conversation, Zed Anwar, also known as Zedtrafficker, shares his creative journey from the NHS to the world of advertising and NFTs. He discusses the challenges of being an artist, the importance of activism in his work, and how art can drive social change. Zed emphasizes the…
Keep readingFrom Corporate Job to Full-Time Musician | TortureTwinn’s Andrew Devin on the Fork in the Road Podcast
I sit down with Andrew Devin, the creative force behind TortureTwinn, for a raw and inspiring conversation about music, film, social media, and choosing passion over comfort. We talk about: 🎶 Wearing your influences on your sleeve – musically and cinematically. 📲 Going all in on social media…
Keep readingThe Power of the Pangolin
This sketch grew out of 2020, a year when fear consumed me. It seeped through my walls, through my body, until even breathing felt impossible. I forced air in and out using Wim Hof breathing techniques, as if training to survive the inevitable. I cracked under the weight…
Keep readingHow Aoife O’Dwyer Found Freedom as a Full-Time NFT Artist | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of Fork in the Road Podcast, I sit down with full-time NFT artist Aoife O’Dwyer, whose work explores the gaps in human perception — not just in her art, but also in how she showcases it in the world of Web3. We dig into:What it…
Keep readingSculpting Surreal Beauty and Darkness: Chris Choi’s Artistic Journey | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of Fork in the Road, I chat with Chris Choi, the artist behind Mecha Panda, about his incredible return to art after a decade-long break—and how he taught himself to sculpt. We talk honestly about: If you’re an artist navigating your own path—or curious about…
Keep readingAre You Seeking Security or Adventure? (Featuring the Zorilla)
Meet the zorilla, nature’s punk rock skunk. A creature so well-defended, even lions think twice. Its secret weapon? A super stinky spray that sends predators running for the hills! This stinky little beast may look cute and sleepy with its midnight fur and moonlit markings (as seen in…
Keep readingMy Visual Dream Journal – Day 103 – The Staring Contest | Collect NFT on ZeroOne
What gets better with age? Most people say wine or wisdom. But like it or not, for me It’s AI, and more specifically, AI art. It’s evolving fast, learning from every pixel, prompt, and mistake. But as AI gets better with age, so does every artist, we just…
Keep readingZ is for Zorilla – A strangely comforting pattern in nature
Bring some wild style to your space or wardrobe with this eye-catching Z is for Zorilla pattern! Featuring a bold, graphic black and white illustration of the elusive Zorilla (striped polecat) in a hypnotic kaleidoscope layout on a soft purple background, this design is perfect for animal lovers…
Keep readingHow Drained Eye Built a Full-Time Art Career | Fork in the Road Podcast
Want to become a full-time, financially thriving artist? In this episode of the Fork in the Road art podcast, we chat with Jason Sanders (aka Drained Eye) about how he turned his passion for art into a sustainable, creative business. We cover:🧠 Why you should start selling your…
Keep readingMy Visual Dream Journal – Day 100
I’ve finally done it. I’ve recorded 100 of my dreams into a visual dream journal—with the strange and powerful help of AI. It’s been a journey into the absurd, the profound, and the surreal. What struck me most along the way is just how perfectly matched the randomness…
Keep readingFrom Zorilla to Zzz’s: The Moon Phases Wallpaper That Became a Dreamy Throw Pillow
Every letter of the alphabet in my Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet series comes with its own hidden world — and for the elusive Zorilla, that world is bathed in moonlight. When I was illustrating the nocturnal Zorilla — a skunk-like creature with a name that sounds made-up but is…
Keep readingThriving as a Kids Book Illustrator with Chelsea Wade — Fork in the Road Podcast
I sit down with Chelsea Wade — a kids’ book illustrator known for her love of animals, unique South African wildlife patterns, and vibrant visual storytelling. Chelsea shares her journey from art school to self-taught success, teaching English abroad, and eventually co-creating her first children’s book with a…
Keep readingQuick Way from my Visual Dream Journal Day 98 – NFT on ZeroOne
My favourite historical figure?Without hesitation: Salvador Dalí, the moustachioed maestro of the surreal. And it’s no surprise, really. His obsession with dreams, the subconscious, and the bizarre feels deeply aligned with my own creative practice, especially in my Visual Dream Journal project, like the piece “Quick Way”, where I recount my…
Keep readingI’m an Uncommon Animal – Wearing Conservation, Curiosity, and Creativity. My Babirusa T-Shirts
There’s something proudly different about my “I’m an Uncommon Animal” t-shirts. With a bold red Babirusa front and center and those wonderfully wonky tusks crisscrossing like nature’s exclamation mark, these tees are more than just wearable art—they’re conversation starters, identity shapers, and miniature love letters to the weird and…
Keep readingBabirusa Wallpaper Now on Zeroone – Only 10 NFTs Available
I’ve just released something a little wild: Babirusa Blue, a repeating wallpaper pattern featuring the amazing and unusual Babirusa — and it’s available as an NFT on the Zeroone platform. This isn’t just digital art. It’s possibly the only Babirusa wallpaper in existence — and there are just 10 editions available. Why the Babirusa? The Babirusa…
Keep readingPig-Headed Determination
If I had to pick my favorite thing about myself, it’s probably my pig-headed determination. Now, that might not sound elegant or poetic—but let me tell you, it’s been the engine behind everything I’ve created. The kids’ books, the patterns, the podcast interviews, the oddball t-shirts, the animal…
Keep readingHow Do I Want to Retire? With a Mug, a Mandate, and a Mandarin Tree
I’ve well and truly shot myself in the foot. I chose a life of creativity — which, let me tell you, sounds romantic on a podcast but looks a lot less charming on a superannuation statement. I’m 51. I have no retirement fund. Not a cent of super.…
Keep readingWhat’s the Oldest Thing I Use Daily? My iPhone 8 Plus, a.k.a. My Portable Art Studio
Let’s get one thing straight: old phones are still pretty damn good. I’ve been using my iPhone 8 Plus daily since I inherited it from my dad when he passed away in 2020 (friggin miss you, Dad). And honestly, I’m still not convinced I need to upgrade. Sure,…
Keep readingQ is for Queen Charlotte Goshawk – Limited Edition Art Prints Now Available
I’m excited to share the latest limited edition artwork from my Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet series – Q is for Queen Charlotte Goshawk. There are just 10 hand-numbered limited edition prints available, each one celebrating this incredibly rare and elusive bird of prey. Like much of the series, this piece is a…
Keep readingThe Things I’ll Never See
There are places in this world I’m almost certain I’ll never visit. Not for lack of interest, but because some of them would definitely kill me. Take the bottom of the ocean, for example. There are creatures down there that live in total darkness, in water so pressurised…
Keep readingFavourite Parts of the Day
One of the things we do as a family is go around the table at the end of the day and share our favourite moments. It might be something big, but more often than not, it’s something small — like spotting a funny cloud, getting a good parking…
Keep readingY is for Yeti Crab – Limited Edition Print
Meet the Yeti Crab — a deep-sea enigma wrapped in fuzz and glowing mystery. This yellow crustacean feels like it’s crawled out of a deep-ocean fairytale, equal parts bizarre and beautiful. With hairy claws that farm their own food, a face only a deep-sea mother could love, and…
Keep readingHow Kids Quietly Reintroduce Us to Ourselves
Today we collected leaves, feathers, and bits of bark on our walk, nothing special, just things that caught our eye. Back home, we made a simple bark canvas together, arranging the pieces into something that felt like art. It wasn’t polished or profound. But for a moment, it…
Keep readingWhat Does It Mean When You Dream of a Man in a Mammoth Costume Drinking Tea?
It’s Day 87 of my visual dream journal, and “Mammoth Man” arrived unannounced from the subconscious fog, a scene too peculiar to ignore, too poignant to fully explain. I didn’t draw this piece by hand. I used AI to recreate the surreal theatre of my dreams. I see…
Keep readingWhat’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had? Here’s mine… 🐙☕ #DumboOctopus #CreativeLife
Does your name start with D? Know someone whose does? This D is for Dumbo Octopus mug could be the perfect gift—or the cutest addition to your own office coffee arsenal. I mean, how could you not fall in love with the Dumbo Octopus? With its flappy ear-like fins and deep-sea mystery, this quirky creature…
Keep readingDiscover the Hypno Bat: Art, NFTs, and Optical Illusions
The Hypno Bat was one of my earliest breakthrough designs—a strange little character born from my love of optical art, nocturnal creatures, and that hazy line where cuteness and creepiness blur. Since its debut, the Hypno Bat has shape-shifted into hundreds of variations, each one an evolution, a…
Keep readingMastering Hyper-Realism & Creative Content with Alexander Notarangelo | Fork in the Road Podcast
Alexander Notarangelo @___alexndr___ is a self-taught hyper-realistic oil painter whose mind-blowing attention to detail brings canvas to life. Alexander shares how he juggles his art practice with full-time work and Dad life—while still growing a loyal audience online. You’ll discover how he balances multiple paintings at once, how…
Keep readingPlaying with Colour Cats & Curves: Trying New Markers with My Kids
This weekend I gave something new a crack—my first time ever using graphic markers while making art with the kids. The table was a wholesome, arty mess: colour everywhere, kids totally engaged, and a parade of oddball cat faces coming to life. These markers are bold, a little…
Keep readingW is for Water Deer – Limited Edition Print
Meet the Water Deer, nature’s beautifully strange alignment of all the things I love: an uncommon animal with just enough mystery to feel like it wandered out of a myth. With tusks like a vampire, ears like radar dishes, and a wary, almost otherworldly stare, the Water Deer…
Keep readingWhat Legacy Really Means (And How We’re Building Ours With Art, Animals, and Permaculture)
I’ve always had a thing for weird and wonderful creatures, especially when they’re turned into hypnotic patterns. There’s something mesmerising about the rhythms you find in nature — ants in a line, spots on a frog, the unexpected beauty in the bizarre. #Ants #PatternLover #KidsBookArt #NatureInspired #Permaculture #AnimalSocks…
Keep readingThe Wallpaper You Never Asked For… Is now a Rainbow Vampire Squid NFT
As a lover of intricate patterns and design, I can’t help myself transforming the shapes of my ‘Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet’ kids book animals into mesmerising wallpaper that I’m sure everyone would want in their home or at least their virtual home. It’s fascinating to see how…
Keep readingArtists Personal Brand & Creative Collaborations with Raheem Nelson | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of the Fork in the Road podcast, host Andy Marshall speaks with artist Raheem Nelson, who is known for his work in graphic recording, digital and traditional art, and personal branding. Raheem shares insights into his creative process, the evolution of his art practice, and…
Keep readingMy Visual Dream Journal, Day 93: Am I a Leader or a Follower?
My dream journal has become a rich source of visual storytelling—every image layered with feeling, symbolism, and mystery. I don’t try to explain them. Even if I had them professionally interpreted, I probably wouldn’t agree with what they said. There’s something more powerful in just letting the dream…
Keep readingFrom Branding to Brushstrokes – Ali Sabet on Creative Freedom & Expression |Fork in the Road Podcast
I sit down with Ali Sabet—a globally recognised artist known for his Japanese brushwork, expressive style, and breakthrough success in the NFT art world. We explore his journey from a successful branding designer to becoming a full-time artist whose work now captivates collectors around the world. Ali shares…
Keep readingRest Your Weary Bones, and Tell the Damn Story
I didn’t dive headfirst back into the world of art because I thought it was a sensible career move. I’m not that far gone. I came back to it because creating art keeps me marginally sane. However, if you want to make a living from art, and not…
Keep readingA Love Letter to My Podcast Guests
The guests I invite onto the podcast aren’t just interviews—they’re conversations with people I admire deeply. Every single guest I’ve had the privilege of speaking with has been a thriving artist in their own unique way. They’ve each faced creative blocks, financial hurdles, rejection, doubt, and burnout. But…
Keep readingWork in Progress – My Visual Dream Journal: Day 89
Nothing lasts. Not the art, not the frame, not the smug sense of importance. Eventually, it all gets vandalised, washed, fixed, layered over, and repeated until you can’t tell what was original and what was just another attempt at cover-up. And honestly? That’s kind of beautiful. Nothing’s original.…
Keep readingHow Tortor Smith Made an Award-Winning Stop Motion Film at Aardman Studios | Fork in the Road Podcast
Discover how stop motion animator Tortor Smith created an award-winning short film at the legendary Aardman Studios (home of Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Chicken Run). In this episode of the Fork in the Road Podcast, Tortor shares their inspiring journey into animation, from handmade craftsmanship…
Keep readingWhat are your favorite emojis?
My favorite emojis are the poop, the sweating face, and the rocket ship. If you stitched those together, you’d get a pretty accurate map of my artistic journey. A lot of crap, a lot of panic and hurtling into the unknown at full speed. For Inktober 2023, the…
Keep readingFrom DIY Horror to Fine Art: The Dual Life of Sue Brown aka Ursula Dabrowsky | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of Fork in the Road, we sit down with the incredible Sue Brown—known in the horror world as Ursula Dabrowsky and in the art scene as Zanne Brown. 🎥🎨 From making gritty, crowdfunded Australian horror films to crafting bold, abstract works on canvas, Sue shares…
Keep readingNon-Human Biologics, Egg Wallpaper & the Artist’s Delirious Descent into Easter
Somewhere between the mystery of government-whispered alien corpses and the unrelenting need for caffeine, I ended up designing egg wallpaper. And turning it into a font that reads – non-human biologics and printing it on a mug. Because if you can’t process the absurdity of existence, you may as…
Keep readingThe One Place I Never Want to Visit: Home of the Vampire Squid
Despite my love for rare and obscure creatures, there’s one place on Earth that I will never voluntarily visit: the midnight zone of the deep sea — the home of the vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis). Its name literally translates to “vampire squid from hell.” That alone should tell you everything…
Keep readingFashion Designer Wildy Martinez on AI Art, NFTs & Authenticity in Web3 | Fork in the Road Podcast
On this episode of the Fork in the Road Podcast, I sit down with artist and fashion designer Wildy Martinez—aka Wildflower Fields—to explore how she bridges the worlds of traditional art, AI, and NFTs while staying grounded in authenticity. We talk about the journey from physical to digital…
Keep readingWhere do you see yourself in 10 years?
Castle – Optical Delusion feels like a structure that’s been quietly melting under the weight of time. Not destroyed—just… warped. Distorted. Like reality shifted a few degrees while no one was looking. Is it an illusion? Maybe. A delusion? Probably. Either way, it captures what it feels like…
Keep readingThawing My Creative Soul: A Dream Journal NFT from the Ice #NFTArt #ZeroOneNFT
There was a time when my creativity was on ice. I was busy showcasing other people’s creativity on my travelling cinema screen, while quietly putting my own ideas on the shelf—like a wrinkled sketchbook left in the back of a drawer. But eventually, I made one small but…
Keep readingFrank Garcia (Artemorbid) on Art, Music, and Building a Creative YouTube Career | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of the Fork in the Road Podcast, I sit down with Frank Garcia, also known online as Artemorbid @artemorbid_guitaristmusician to unpack his journey as a multi-disciplinary artist navigating the worlds of visual art, music, and YouTube content creation. Frank shares how his creative path began…
Keep readingThe Gruffalo, a Manatee, and a Pillow Fort of Joy
There are few books I could read over and over again—The Gruffalo easily tops that list. As a dad of two young girls, it’s become a bedtime staple, and I’ve long since given each character their own voice (I’ll let you imagine my sassy snake or sly fox).…
Keep readingGoliath Beetle Wallpaper: A Nature-Inspired Digital Artwork Celebrating Uncommon Beauty
This artwork is a celebration of one of nature’s most striking and powerful insects—the Goliath beetle. Known for its size and strength, this incredible creature has inspired a symmetrical, seamless pattern that brings together elegance, structure, and the fascinating world of uncommon animals. The Goliath beetle is one…
Keep readingAardvark Mugs: Sipping with the Uncommon
There’s something quietly magical about sipping your morning coffee from a mug adorned with aardvarks. Not just any aardvarks—stylised, patterned, and repeated in a groovy green-yellow op art-inspired wallpaper. These mugs aren’t just functional; they’re daily reminders that even the most uncommon creatures deserve a place at our…
Keep readingSet Adrift: A Ghostly Chapter from My Visual Dream Journal
If you’ve ever woken from a dream and felt the echo of it long into the day—like a memory you never lived—then Set Adrift might feel familiar. This piece is part of my ongoing Visual Dream Journal series, where I attempt to capture that fleeting, surreal terrain of the subconscious. Think of…
Keep readingBabirusa Wallpaper Wall Art: A Fusion of Nature and Design
Transform your space with the captivating allure of the Babirusa Wallpaper Wall Art, a unique creation by artist Andy Marshall. This piece draws inspiration from the enigmatic babirusa, an Indonesian wild pig known for its distinctive upward-curving tusks. Originally featured in the children’s book Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet, where “B…
Keep readingI’m an Uncommon Animal – Z is for Zorilla” T-Shirt
Celebrate your unique spirit with the “I’m an Uncommon Animal – Z is for Zorilla” t-shirt, featuring the elusive and fascinating zorilla—a creature as distinctive as you are. This design is perfect for those who pride themselves on standing out, especially if your name starts with ‘Z’! Available Sizes…
Keep readingAlien Octopus: A Visitor from the Deep (or Beyond?)
Few creatures on Earth are as enigmatic as the octopus. With their ability to camouflage instantly, solve complex puzzles, and squeeze through the tiniest openings, they often seem more like beings from another world than inhabitants of our oceans. In fact, some scientists have even speculated that octopuses…
Keep readingFilling the Void – My Visual Dream Journal
“Filling the Void” is part of my visual dream journal, a surreal exploration of the unconscious mind. Created in a pen and ink illustration style using AI, this piece captures the eerie and unsettling landscapes of my dreams—visions that seem to exist in the same liminal space as…
Keep readingAlien Aardvark: A Cosmic Tribute to the Uncommon |
If an aardvark arrived from outer space, how would we react? Would we worship it, study it endlessly, protect it like a celestial treasure? In many ways, the uncommon animals of our own planet are already as rare and enigmatic as extraterrestrial beings—overlooked, misunderstood, yet undeniably magnificent. This…
Keep readingWhich Non-Art Fields Inspire My Work?
Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The best creative work is fed by unexpected influences, and for me, those sources of inspiration stretch far beyond the art world. Two major influences stand out: nature and dreams—one rooted in reality, the other in the subconscious. Nature: Beauty, Horror, and Endless Patterns Nature…
Keep readingS.R. Chappell on Poetry, Digital Art & NFTs | Fork in the Road Podcast
Can artists truly thrive in the digital age? In this episode of The Fork in the Road Between Starving and Thriving Artist podcast, we dive deep with S.R. Chappell—a poet, digital artist, and NFT creator—who shares her journey from traditional poetry to collage art, NFTs, and self-publishing. We…
Keep readingHonoring My Five-Year-Old Self: The Artist-Zookeeper of Uncommon Animals
When I was five, I had two dream jobs—either a zookeeper or an artist. I loved animals, especially the weird and wonderful ones, and I spent hours drawing them. I imagined myself feeding giraffes, caring for tigers, and maybe even training an elephant or two. At the same…
Keep readingHow Has Technology Changed My Job?
Once upon a time, being an artist meant jumping through a series of hoops set by gatekeepers. If you wanted your music heard, you needed a record label. If you wanted your book published, you needed a publisher. If you wanted your art seen, you needed gallery representation.…
Keep readingMy First Paid Art Gig: A Music Video, a Big Lesson, and a Lot of Stress
My first real paid art gig dates back to my film school days when I wrote and directed a music video for the band Lazaro’s Dog. The song was Jeffery, and it was the early 2000s—a time when cinematic music videos were really starting to take off. Bands like Radiohead were pushing the boundaries…
Keep readingMastering Murals and The Art Business with Cat Dean | Fork in the Road Podcast
How do you turn mural painting into a thriving art business? 🎨 In this episode of Fork in the Road Podcast, host Andy Marshall sits down with mural artist Cat Dean to discuss her journey as a full-time freelancer, the business of large-scale murals, and balancing creativity with…
Keep readingThe Art of Saying Maybe
If I’m giving my kids my full attention, I feel guilty for not creating. If I’m creating, I feel guilty for not giving my kids my full attention. It’s an endless cycle of feeling like I’m failing at everything, all the time. And yet, here I am—still parenting,…
Keep readingHeading Home – from my visual dream journal series – NFT Available on #ZeroOne #DreamJournal
#DreamJournal #dream #nightmare #penandink #blackandwhite #aiart #drramsinai
Keep readingFlying Fish Wings: The Thriving Artist’s Tattoo (That I’ll Never Get)
If I ever get a tattoo, it’s going to be a flying fish. But not just any flying fish—my flying fish, the one I illustrated for Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet. And it’s going right between my shoulder blades. Not just as a decoration, but as a declaration. A pair…
Keep readingRelentless Creativity: How Diego ‘Robot’ Martinez Built a Thriving Art Career | Fork in the Road Podcast
El Paso artist Diego ‘Robot’ Martinez doesn’t just make art—he lives it. In this episode of the Fork in the Road podcast, Diego reveals the relentless work ethic, creative hustle, and strategic mindset that transformed his passion into a full-time career. We dive into:✅ The grind of making…
Keep readingPlanning vs. Improvisation in My Work: A Balancing Act
When it comes to my creative process, I live in a strange middle ground between planning and improvisation. There’s a blueprint, sure—but I never quite know how things will turn out. My Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet kids’ book is a perfect example of this. On the surface, it might…
Keep readingCoping with Negative Feelings: A Survival Guide for the Creatively Unhinged
Negative feelings. We all have them. Some people meditate, some go for a jog, some write poetry about the void staring back at them. Me? I take a slightly different approach—one that involves comedy, sugar, sketching, and trying not to let the Caltowie flies colonise my face. What…
Keep readingThe Healing Power of Art: Synesthesia, Dreams & NFTs with James Lee | Fork in the Road Podcast
In this episode of the Fork in the Road podcast, Andy Marshall talks with artist and musician James Lee aka Jams2blues, about the transformative power of art, creativity, and mental health. James shares his journey—how art helped him navigate childhood trauma, psychosis, and healing. He explores the role…
Keep readingT is for Tasmanian Devil – From Kids’ Book to NFT Art
There’s something undeniably wild about the Tasmanian devil. It’s scrappy, fierce, and misunderstood—a perfect fit for my Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet series. What started as an illustration for my kids’ book has now taken on a new digital life as an NFT on ZeroOne. When I created this artwork,…
Keep readingFrom Political Cartoons to Abstract Art | Lissy Elliott on Breaking Into Painting & Selling Art
How do you break into painting without formal training? Artist Lissy Elliott @LissyElliottCreations shares her journey from political cartoons to abstract art, landing her first exhibition, and making her first sales. We dive into the power of documenting your creative journey online, finding time to create, and building…
Keep readingQueen Kaleidoscope: A Bandanna Fit for a Wildly Unique Pet
If your pet is the bandanna-wearing kind, I’ve got the perfect one for you. It’s bold. It’s hypnotic. It’s a conversation starter. Introducing Queen Kaleidoscope, a design that isn’t just about making your pet look stylish—it’s about celebrating the world’s most uncommon animals in a way that demands attention.…
Keep readingNature is Full of Patterns—And This One Deserves Your Attention
Patterns. They’re everywhere. In the clouds, in the waves, in the branches of trees. My monkey mind is always on the lookout for them, eager to dissect and rearrange nature into something new. And that’s how I ended up with my Queen Charlotte Goshawk wallpaper—because why not take…
Keep readingIndependent & Unstoppable: Jason Sweeney’s 35-Year Music Career
How do you thrive as a musician in today’s changing industry? In this episode of Fork in the Road, host Andy Marshall reconnects with past collaborator Jason Sweeney—a prolific composer and musician who has been crafting soundscapes since the late ‘80s. From underground bands (The Millards, Pretty Boy…
Keep readingWhat’s the hardest piece you’ve ever worked on?
Out of all the art I’ve created—Hypno Bats, op art patterns, uncommon animals—nothing challenged me quite like my first major book illustration project for YouTubers Elijah and Crumpet. I was tasked with illustrating Motivate Man, a kids’ book featuring Elijah, a real-life boy. Unlike my usual work, where I could lean…
Keep readingHow do your emotions influence your work?
Art isn’t just something I do—it’s something that keeps me grounded. It heals, it gives me purpose, and without it, I don’t feel like myself. Creating art makes me a better, healthier, and happier person. But that creative flow? It doesn’t just happen. It’s directly tied to my emotional…
Keep readingHow Has Technology Changed My Art?
Technology hasn’t just changed my art—it’s changed everything about how I share, market, and distribute it. The days of needing gallery representation or a publishing deal to get your work out there are over. Now, with a podcast, a blog, and a few well-placed videos, I can reach a global audience…
Keep readingDo you have a daily creative routine?
People love to ask artists about their daily routines, imagining some perfectly structured day filled with deep creative focus, morning meditations, and hours of uninterrupted work. That’s cute. But if you’re a parent, you already know—structure is a luxury, adaptability is survival. My routine? It’s loose, organic, and…
Keep readingIs Art for the Artist or the Audience?
Thriving artists don’t create to impress an audience, to chase trends, or to make sure our work is palatable for the masses. We create because we have to. Because it heals us, focuses us, and gives us a way to make sense of the world. The outside shouldn’t matter.…
Keep readingThe magic happens when you stay open to new ideas, new skills, and new ways to create
Like many artists, my journey has been a mix of self-taught exploration and formal training—depending on the medium. As an illustrator, I’m completely self-taught. But as a filmmaker and scriptwriter, I’ve had some formal training. That being said, I don’t think the distinction matters as much as people think. Whether…
Keep readingCan Art Change the World?
Can Art Change the World? If you’re here, you probably already know my answer. Yes. Absolutely. But I don’t mean that in some fluffy, idealistic way where we all hold hands and paint rainbows together. Art has teeth. It has hypnotic swirls and op art illusions. It sneaks into…
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Discover what’s at the Fork in the Road between starving and thriving artist.
I’m Andy, and I’m a kids book illustrator obsessed with the concept of how you can change course from that of the starving artist to the path of the thriving artist.
I believe all the answers are out there right in front of us in the artists we know and love. Because as they say success leaves clues, so I’m planning on becoming part detective and part guinea pig. As each week I’ll be interviewing artists that are making money, surviving and thriving on my ‘Fork in the Road’ Podcast (The fork in the road between starving and thriving artist) that is.
Then i’ll be implementing the key take aways from each interview and road testing them in my own creative practice to see if it can move the needle and direct artists on to the road to success.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 