october updates! road trip recap + book gifting guide! :D
two road trips & home again!
i just got back monday night from my last art festival of 2021. so if i just met you in williamsburg, va (or even a few weeks ago reston, va), hello and welcome to your first colourful email newsletter!
on my way to williamsburg (the 53rd annual an occasion for the arts), i stopped in at thechrysler museum of art. i went to high school in the norfolk area, and mom and i would go weekly. (& you wonder why i'm an artist?!) :D i'll spare you all the details before i get weepy, but if you're in the area, please visit!
it's an incredible building, and a world class collection of art. bonus: free admission every day! art for all. :)
their most recentexhibit of alma thomas's life work ended with this quote:"through color, i have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man's inhumanity to man." oof. preach it, sister. and may my work do the same!
no, i don't just love colonial williamsburg for the coffee, but...
...thereisa new illy coffee shop in merchant's square (since the last time i was there for the festival in 2019!) and yes, i had more cappuccinos than anything else this weekend. :) also, if anyone would like to build me a house big enough for their espresso cup chandelier, i accept. please also see evidence of hallie-sized coffee mugs that await you in line. ;)
coming soon*ish...
all of my NEW faerie tale feet mini originals SOLD at my last two art festivals!
thank you so much for collecting!
by popular demand, i just MIGHT make a limited edition reproduction run of your favorites... so stay tuned for that drop and maybe something NEW, too... ;)
shop all the bookish, artful goodies in the halthegal etsy shoppe!
halthegal patreons get first DIBS on any new etsy releases... and sneak peeks into my studio (er, mess? chaos? happy fun creative time?!) so if you wanna collect what THIS turned out to be (and his two companion pieces in progress), + all the other surprises i've got up my sleeves for holiday gifting, join now for a teeny tiny monthly membership fee that supports me in all my colourful, bookish, artsy endeavors! :) thank you!
join the halthegal patreon fun!
the best of 2021 (so far!): a book*gifting guide!
is it too soon to be thinking of holiday gifting?
maybe not in a pandemic.
the publishing industry and bookstores are asking us to shop early (paper shortage, printing delays, delivery wait times), so i thought i'd help you out with my favorite of the 116 books i've read so far this year in case you wanna add to cart now!
recommended middle grade reads*
keeper of the lost cities, by shannon messenger.
the key to extraordinary, by natalie lloyd.
the forest of stars, by heather kassner.
*these all also happen to have alternate cover art paintings i created this year as portfolio practice. i've shared the process and downloads with my patreons! :)
recommended young adult fiction reads*
six crimson cranes, by elizabeth lim.
amelia unabridged, by ashley schumacher.
in the wild light, by jeff zentner.
the fire-keepe's daughter, by angeline bouley.
written in starlight, by isabel ibañez.
the wide starlight, by nicole lesperance.
pride and premeditation, by tirzah price.
*these bonus entries have already gotten a lot of press but are also worth reading: tweet cute, by emma lord; tokyo ever after by emiko jean; and the last legacy by adrienne young. :)
recommended adult fiction reads*
if the shoe fits, by julie murphy.
the other bennet sister, by janice hadlow.
recommended nonfiction reads
dear ally, how do you write a book?, by ally carter.
100 essays i don't have time to write, by sarah ruhl.
quiet, by susan cain.
the button below shall take you to even more of my recommendations by category--and your purchase shall help support independent bookstores across the country! :) happy reading! happy gifting!
check out my book recs + support indie bookstores by shopping online at bookshop.org
link to my monday morning weekly reading book reviews on instagram
none of this is sponsored, just book*nerd me telling you about books i enjoyed! feel free to email me with suggestions or new books to review!
that's it for this month!
to recap:
great to meet you! collect more halthegal art in my etsy shoppe!
want first dibs on new holiday items? join my patreon!
book buying early at bookshop.org, helping support independent bookstores (and try libro.fm for audio books!)
sales are still open for the once upon a bookclub bookbox featuring my short story (!!) !
and if you'd like to support my art and writing for a small monthly pledge, check out my patreon!
with peace, love, and many colourful reads to you,
*hallie :)
bonus shout*out to my local barnes & noble. i didn't give my name at the café register, but this was waiting for me on the counter. it made me feel OH*so*faMouS! ;D