The Drawing That Started It All
How a doodle inspired by my childhood launched my art business
Hey there! So this rainbow astronaut? It's way more than just a cute doodle.
This little space traveler kicked off my whole business, my art journey, and honestly changed how I tell stories. It's living proof that sometimes the best ideas come from digging up parts of yourself you thought were long gone.
Like pretty much everyone, I was totally lost during those weird early pandemic days. My work had become all spreadsheets and strategy meetings, and I was DYING for something creative. On a total whim, I signed up for an online sketching class and—surprise!—turns out I freaking love drawing. It was like meditation but with pens—I'd completely lose track of time.
When the class ended, I sat there staring at a blank page thinking: what now? With no teacher telling me what to draw, I naturally drifted back to what I was obsessed with as a kid: space.
Space isn't just some random thing for me—it's basically my origin story. One of my core childhood memories is just me and my dad, sprawled out in the backyard with star maps, hunting for constellations. I was that annoying first-grader who wouldn't shut up about planets, to the point where my teacher sent home extra space homework just to keep me quiet.
By my teens, this space obsession morphed into joining air cadets, where I got so into flying that I had two pilot's licenses before I even knew how to parallel park. Wild, right? I went all in—aerospace engineering degree, seven years in the industry, the whole deal—before eventually switching to digital agency work.
For me, astronauts have always been the ultimate symbol of "what if?" and "let's find out!" Even with my boots firmly on Earth, I've tried to keep that curiosity alive. So when I finally sat down to draw just for me, of course that's what came out.
I remember getting stupidly hung up on those little reflection marks on the helmet visor. Should they be on top AND bottom? Does that even make sense physics-wise? My inner engineer was battling my inner artist.
Then I had this breakthrough: who cares if it's technically accurate? I liked how it looked! It felt right. That was the moment I realized art doesn't need to make sense—it just needs to make you feel something.
That's what this astronaut represents - it feels like home. It's the bridge between my logical side and my dreamer side. It connects the stargazing kid, the teenage pilot, the engineer, and whoever the hell I am now.
It reminds me that we're all just a patchwork of our past selves—all our random interests, relationships, strengths, and even our screw-ups. The good stuff comes when you mix it all together. That's why I named my brand Nomadic Raconteur—because every weird detour in life has a story worth telling.
This whole thing started as just a pandemic hobby to keep me sane. One small step that took me somewhere completely unexpected.
Drop a comment and tell me: Have you ever picked up a random hobby that completely derailed your life plans—in the best possible way?