so, I made a comic book. its about many things, but a lot of it is about growing up and tryna figure out why you’re here on 🌎. its also about how life feels when you don’t know what you’re doing, so its a lot about my feelings, via a made-up character. I drew 16 pages of comics and designed the book layout, I digitized my handwriting for the bubbles, I bought special paper, did test printmaking then switched print processes and finally, have been hand binding all the copies. it’s probably the most involved, ambitious project I’ve ever done, especially under the time crunch and I had to restart drawing half way thru. but I knew I wanted to finish my last semester by pouring everything into this comic book bc if there’s one thing 9 year old me would’ve wanted, it’s to make a comic book. here’s the most complete sneak peek yet:
turned 26 last week, in the south of france, surrounded by so many good friends. I ate a lotta good food, saw good live music, and went to the mermaid cove. my life is complete now :,) thanks everyone for all the bday love. I feel so lucky, loved and grateful every day to be alive <3 let’s goooo twenty-six >:)
things I think about when I look out train windows: the tomato tart I’m going to (did) make, pretty book spines and books of postcards, the comic I’m making, lines I like from a book I finished, all the pretty typography for receiving letters on doors, my diary as a comic strip, my well loved penny loafers in the spring, basilicas and cathedrals, drinking coffee and eating cake with friends, fin ✨
happy 26th birthday to my best friend @jennamarbukh 💖 since I can’t bake you a cake like I most definitely would be doing today if I was in Richmond…here is a collection of all of my favorite photos of you and us :) it’s been 6 years since we met on a Zoom call in design school, and I remember I instantly thought: “yeah, I wanna be that girl’s friend”. 6 years later and I truly can’t imagine my 20s without you. not only are you wicked smart, fun and adventurous, you’re also a style icon and my tattoo inspiration. the icon and the blueprint! the designer and the muse! everyone, go get yourself a Jenna! I can’t wait to keep figuring out this crazy world together. love ya so much, Jenn 🎂🌞💞
amsterdam / berlin / paris, all before the end of the year
2025 has had so many ups and downs (and a last minute bout of food poisioning to close it all out) when I think through all of this year, I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives in 365 days. I started this year with the goal of living in europe by the end of it. and I somehow made that happen throughout losing two of my childhood pets, losing water in my apartment two times, working multiple jobs, passing a language test, and a bunch of other things like moving myself out of my apartment. there were plenty of positives outside of all those hardships, they just don’t fit so neatly into an Instagram caption. but over some tea or wine, the positives make for great stories. and now, at the end of 2025, all I can say is how different I feel. I’m more me than ever before, and yet also so unfamiliar to myself. I love that part of being alive. the spontaneity of change, how you can’t know how it’s changing you until it has. I’ve been sitting with that all year, the uncertainty, and instead of trying to run from it, I keep facing it. and I gotta say, it’s been the best way to become closer to myself and the world.
right now, my only goal in 2026 is to wear a shirt with broken pottery on it, like the one I saw at the musée des arts décortifs in paris (see photos). but knowing me, I will make a more comprehensive list of things to do and see soon enough. I’m just gonna sit with the uncertainty of what I want next, a lil more. bisous bious <3
The only way I’d want ever want to spend a vacation is reading comics outside, changing into my swimsuit under a towel on white rocks, then diving into the cold, turquoise Mediterranean. Tasting the salt in my hair after, and on my lips. Biking the coastline to find pieces of washed up pottery, while a ferris wheel spins in the distance and we snack on fresh baguette. At night seeing punk and synth shows while smoking cigarettes outside with beers and shots of madeline flavored liquor. Peeling the most delicious clementines after a gorgeous hike. That’s been my past week. Better than I could dream up, and the real reason I wanted to visit France again. It was all just to see Marseille, again.
France is now my home for 7 months, while I teach English (and make comics). I’m not quite sure how I got everything together to do this, but I definitely could not have done it without people helping me talk this through (you all know who you are <3)! a year ago I was feeling numb, depressed and just kinda accepting it. I had buried this dream of mine to live in France and make comics in the blur of life. I say this, because if you feel ever this way, go tell some people, get outside, play some sports/move, and go talk it out. these things helped me see myself again, and were it not for my friends, family and my therapist, I’d still feel myself living inside that cloud. now it’s cleared enough for me to try out this dream for 7 months. je te verrai en mai, Amérique <3
