Help Illymakes Take Art on the Road
It’s been a while since I’ve made a blog post! For a long time, I have dreamed about bringing Illymakes to more art shows and conventions outside of Western New York. I recently took the first big step toward making that possible by launching a GoFundMe campaign to help purchase and prepare a travel trailer that could become a mobile creative workspace.
Growing Illymakes Beyond Western New York
t the Buffalo and Western New York area. I bring as much of my artwork and merchandise as I can fit into my vehicle, along with tables, displays, banners, storage bins, and all of the other equipment needed to set up my booth.
My name is Illy, and I’m the artist behind Illymakes. I have been creating art since I was a kid, well over 30 years now, and it has always been a huge part of who I am.
I specialize in vibrant, spooky, drippy skull and skeleton artwork created through both digital and traditional mediums. My work includes paintings, illustrations, coloring books, stickers, prints, apparel, custom art trading cards, and more.
Right now, I mainly attend art shows and conventions throughout the Buffalo and Western New York area. I bring as much of my artwork and merchandise as I can fit into my vehicle, along with tables, displays, banners, storage bins, and all of the other equipment needed to set up my booth.
These events are such an important part of growing Illymakes. I love meeting new people, talking with other artists and art fans, and sharing my work with people who may be seeing it for the first time. It is also always exciting when someone recognizes my artwork from Instagram or another social platform and I get to connect with them beyond a screen.
Why Traveling to Distant Shows Is Difficult
Most of the events I currently attend can be completed as day trips. Once a show is farther from home, the expenses increase very quickly.
Along with convention booth fees, there are hotel stays, airfare or long-distance driving, gas, tolls, meals, vehicle maintenance, pet boarding, and the cost of transporting my artwork and booth equipment. A three-day convention can require four nights in a hotel before any of the other travel expenses are added.
As a full-time artist, those costs can make it difficult to attend distant shows while still earning a sustainable living from the event.
I would love to bring Illymakes to larger conventions, meet art fans in new cities, and connect with people who have followed my work online but have never had the chance to visit my booth. One of my biggest dream goals is to someday exhibit my artwork at San Diego Comic-Con.
Creating a Mobile Art Studio
A travel trailer could make attending more distant events much more realistic.
I already have a vehicle capable of towing one, and I grew up traveling with a trailer, so this is something I already have experience with. Staying at campgrounds or state parks would generally be much more affordable than booking hotels for every event.
The trailer would also give us a place to prepare healthy meals rather than relying entirely on restaurants while traveling. We could bring our two dogs with us instead of leaving them at a boarding facility, which would save money while also reducing the stress of being away from them.
Most importantly, the trailer would become more than a place to sleep. It would serve as a mobile creative workspace where I could draw, paint, package products, organize inventory, and continue making new artwork between events.
My partner is a violinist, so it would provide a shared workspace where both of us could continue creating and working while we travel.
What the Fundraiser Will Support
The GoFundMe campaign is intended to help with the purchase of a reliable used travel trailer and the essential costs required to make it safe, practical, and ready for the road. Those expenses include taxes and registration, a professional pre-purchase inspection, towing equipment, safety supplies, insurance, immediate repairs or maintenance, and a basic workspace setup.
My partner and I will also continue contributing our own money and income from art sales toward the project. We understand that owning and traveling with a trailer will include ongoing expenses, and we are planning carefully for maintenance, fuel, campsites, tolls, internet service, convention fees, and other travel costs.
This fundraiser is not about purchasing something for recreational travel. It is about creating a practical mobile base that could help Illymakes attend more shows, transport more artwork, reach new communities, and build a more sustainable future around creative work.
How You Can Help
Every donation, regardless of the amount, would bring us another step closer to making this mobile art studio possible.
I also completely understand that not everyone is able to donate. Sharing the campaign with friends, family, fellow artists, convention attendees, or anyone who enjoys supporting independent creators can make an incredible difference.
I plan to share updates throughout the process, including our fundraising progress, the trailer search, preparations for the road, behind-the-scenes artwork, convention recaps, and eventually the new shows this project helps Illymakes attend.
Thank you for supporting my artwork, following Illymakes, and helping me work toward this next chapter. Every donation, share, purchase, and kind word of encouragement means more to me than I can express.