The Evolution of the Worms

Long before Weird Whimsical Art existed, before mushrooms started taking over my sketchbooks and paper mâché projects, there was Wally the Worm.

I was in middle school when I invented him.

Wally wasn't just any worm. He was a tequila worm.

Like any respectable comic book hero, he had his own index card comic strip called The Adventures of Wally the Worm. I filled card after card with his ridiculous escapades.

It all started when an unsuspecting guy at a bar ordered a shot of tequila.

Along with the tequila came Wally.

Instead of accepting his fate, Wally did what any determined worm would do. He wiggled around inside the poor guy's stomach until the guy became violently ill. Moments later... Wally was unceremoniously launched into a toilet.

The end?

Not even close.

Wally floated through the pipes, drifted into the sewer beneath the streets, and eventually poked his head out of a manhole cover. Somewhere along the journey he had picked up a giant fuzzy ball of hair on his head. He gave himself a good shake, the fuzz flew off, and he continued his adventure.

Eventually he caught a ride on the tread of a passing tire, which carried him all the way back to... another bar!

He wiggled his way up onto the counter, slipped into an open bottle of tequila, and the bartender put the bottle back on the shelf.

Right next to another bottle.

Inside that bottle was a female worm.

Naturally...

They fell in love.

Looking back, I have no idea where my brain came up with that story, but I remember laughing the entire time I was drawing it. I even translated the entire thing into French and gave it to my French teacher, Mr. Towne (I wonder if he remembers that?!)

Later, in high school, something else started creeping into my artwork.

Mushrooms.

After soaking up all the wonderfully "shroomy" forest vibes at Grateful Dead shows, Bucksteep, and other music festivals, I became fascinated with mushroom art, they just made everything a little happier for some reason. They started appearing in my drawings, paintings, carvings, and eventually all kinds of handmade creations.

Now, years later, I've somehow wandered in a complete circle.

The mushrooms are still here.

And the worms have come back.

Maybe they were just waiting patiently underground all this time.

These new little worms have grown into their own characters. They're a little wiser than Wally... maybe just as curious... and they're ready to help out around the studio. Sometimes they might help out the goldfish in one of their silly circus endeavors. You'll start seeing them popping up in recipe comics, DIY projects, printable craft sheets, and all sorts of creative adventures.

So if you'd like a few whimsical projects to print, cook, build, paint, or simply smile at, be sure to check back often.

Apparently...

The worms were calling me all along.

Every artist has an origin story. Mine apparently starts with a tequila worm named Wally.