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I’ve spoken previously about my enormous girl crush that was born in 2012 on Inslee Fariss (then Haynes). She created these watercolor fashion illustrations that I just lusted after. Each girl just had so much spark to her. You wanted to be her, own that outfit, have that hair and hell, cook in that kitchen! It’s no wonder she confused me for a few years with thinking I wanted to be a fashion illustrator. Both of us use our own unique style to establish the same idea – a snapshot of you living your best life. With her girls, it was like you could be them. And with my scenes, it’s like you could live there. Or at least visit!

The first calendar for Design by Streetlight was born in 2012 and launched quietly into the world at a Comic Convention of all things. For the next three years it featured fashion illustrations as it’s main focus, and the third year that struggle was real. It was the first year I actually went into my personal archives, pulled out paintings of girls I had already done and then proceeded to add in backgrounds after the fact. I loved my girls for a long time, I really did. But man, once architecture found me, it had me by the heart in no time.

This is my seventh year in production, and the first year I have produced two separate calendars. The capoeira calendar was an excellent exercise in focus – both in timing to get it finished and in choosing locations and subjects. The classic DBSL calendar has been available as a wall calendar now for three years and they are quickly out pacing the desk calendars in demand. It makes sense. I had to ask myself even – why am I not hanging my own wall calendar in my house? It was because I couldn’t write anything down on it. Now I am good to go. The goal with the calendar each year is to feature exotic locations from around the world. I keep an open mind while looking for the reference photos and typically they are places I have not been to yet – because they are places I really want to see.

I hope you will want to pick up your own calendar, either desk or wall design. They make a great gift and as a girl still living a significant portion of her life from her cubicle, I can tell you they make a cheerful sight to take in each day as I dream about one day resigning from that cubicle for good.