Enamel Music to My Ears

Adventurers, we’re already halfway through June and I don’t know about you but the second the sun (and warmth) comes out in Minnesota suddenly my focus shifts to the outdoors. I spent some time this past week cleaning up some of the weeds trying to take over my tiny little herb and veggie garden and I’ve been slowly but surely planting seeds and young plants to set them up for a summer of growth.

It’s also peak convention season, and I have several new charcoal pieces underway to launch at summer cons! I’ll have more to share about those (and some other big announcements!) as we head into July, but for now I wanted to share a brief update to get the latest enamel pin project on your radar, for those of you who are here for the pins. Take a look below at what’s new, now, and next at Raden Studios!

Happening Now: Mythical Bards Enamel Pin Campaign

I know I’ve had a lot of updates more recently connected with enamel pins. They’re not a primary focus of my work, but they are a relatively new one! In fact, I’ve been collecting pins myself for nearly two decades. I think it was probably inevitable that these would hit my creative radar eventually!

My latest set of pins, “Mythical Bards,” is currently live on BackerKit as part of our “Pin Quest” event and the first three pins have all fully funded! The next three we’re working to unlock, in order, include a dragon, will-o’-the-wisp, and wolpertinger. Drafts of the stretch goal designs are underway, along with finalizing the existing pin designs (they’re mostly there, just not quite final). There’s also a freebie pin you get for backing at least three of the Pin Quest projects, and a fun storytelling pin I’ve made as an add-on.

The whole series of Pin Quest projects includes a lot of really fun takes on mythical creatures and RPGs, both. Take a look, if that’s your thing! Pin Quest ends on Thursday, June 26.

Support the Mythical Bards campaign now!

If you’re looking for more enamel pin fun, I’m currently planning two additional crowdfunding campaigns to bring them to life through BackerKit, along with a third set of pins I’m self-funding:

• Mythical Bards 2 (spooky edition): There were too many mythical bards to pick from for this current series, but I’m having so much fun designing these I’d love to continue! Right now I’m intending to focus on some spookier (maybe glow-in-the-dark?) bard pins for the annual Pintober event in October. Top of my list includes a will-o’-the-wisp (if it doesn’t fund in this round of pins) and a cat-sìth!
• Con Adventurers 2: Similarly, there are so many more convention activities I’d love to capture in pin form! I’m planning for a return of my dragon and cat duo for Pintopia 2026 in January, bringing to life some major activities I missed in the first round, including gaming and cosplay.
• Artist Series 2: The first pins I designed with my own work (rather than as volunteer work for a local convention) were pin versions of some of my original charcoal drawings. My intent is to continue these every year, and I’m hoping to have the next set of six – including versions of “Deep Beneath the Waves,” “Quoth the Raven,” and “I’ll Believe in You” – ready before the fall!

Up Next: July Events!

Did I mention it’s convention season? Because it’s FULLY convention season! We have a very art-filled month ahead. Take a look below at what to expect in July (and to wrap up the end of June):

• June 14-28 | The LAST Unicorn Art Show, Minneapolis, MN | Art Show
  This is happening NOW! After ten years of unicorn art shows, this is officially the last one that the Otherworldly Arts Collective is hosting. I stopped by the show on its opening night last Saturday and there’s such a beautiful variety of unicorn/myth-inspired artwork. Definitely try to check it out before it’s gone!
• June 20 | Minnehaha Falls Park Market, Minneapolis, MN | Vendor, OUTDOORS
  Cross your fingers for me, it looks like rain in the forecast. This will be my first outdoor event, in beautiful Minnehaha Park, right next to the falls themselves. Music in the Minnehaha Bandstand starts at 7PM this day, and if the rain truly sticks to just the morning it could be a beautiful afternoon by the falls!
• June 20-23 | MisCon, Missoula, MT | Art Show
  I have a box of artwork inbound to Montana as we speak that should arrive in time for this upcoming convention weekend! There will be some limited edition works and originals, both, available for bidding in the art gallery.
• July 3-6 | CONvergence, Minneapolis, MN | Dealer’s Room/Art Show/Panels
  I’ll be here live and it’s going to be a PACKED CONvergence (CVG) weekend, but I’ll share more details about where to find me, my art, and my badge ribbons on socials when we get a tad closer. One of the biggest and busiest events of my year, and it’s nonstop fun for all four days!
• July 4-7 | BayCon/Westercon, Santa Clara, CA | Art Show
  I’ll have work in TWO art shows over the 4th of July weekend! BayCon/Westercon should have a new piece or two, as well. Stay tuned!
• July 12-13 | Range FanCon, Virginia, MN | Vendor
  One more live show in July and this one is up in beautiful northern Minnesota. I really enjoyed my time up here last year, looking forward to seeing you all again in just a couple weeks!

The best place to see the most up-to-date list of upcoming events is on my Events page, which I keep updated regularly when I receive acceptances into a new show.

As always, please let me know if there’s anything else you’d really love to see or hear about in my newsletter, and thank you all so much for coming on this journey with me!