About The Original Art

Sparked by art. Meant to inspire. Made to be used.

All Twinki-Winki products begin as original art you won’t find anywhere else. 

Each design is born from colorful, curious play. I believe creativity matters deeply, and I pour that energy into everything I make.

But it doesn’t stop at art. Twinki-Winki products are made to be lived with. From tote bags and towels to mugs and blankets, these products are cheerful, practical, and no-fuss fabulous: easy to use, easy to care for, and full of joyful charm.

At the heart of it all is a spark - a spark of creativity I hope will inspire your own. Because the world needs your playful, creative energy too. Oh, yeah.

The spark for Fab Ladies

The inspiration:
I’ve always loved playing with fashion. And I know firsthand how expressing my style on the outside makes me feel braver on the inside. I think of myself as a fashion misfit because I make my own style rules. Life is too short to put feeling fab on hold, don’t ya know.

So the spark was to create art that reminds you to have fun expressing yourself. It’s all about those moments when you feel like dressing up just for a trip to the grocery store. Or using the good china to eat your cornflakes. I knew I’d want quirky characters in colorful outfits strutting their stuff.

The process:
For Fab Ladies, I created an extra-large original out of 12 parts. This allows me to work large in a small space. It means I can scan the art in 12 parts and combine them digitally on the computer.

I started by using black acrylic paint as my first layer. Then I haphazardly slapped on white paint to leave dark areas that looked like heads or figures to me. This also allows me to create a bit of texture when fine-sanding between layers.

Then begins the back-and-forth dance of sticking on colorful shapes with tissue paper and adding black lines or white paint to flesh out my ladies. I collaged cut-out eyes from fashion magazines to bring them to life. And I had loads of fun giving them funny expressions and silly hats. Ha!

The final touch was to add bright crayon colors to their faces like makeup.

The spark for Glorious Misfits

The inspiration:
I’ve always felt like the new kid at school. This goes back to my childhood but has stayed with me all my life. A part of me has always liked the attention. But a part of me has felt shame for being different. 

What I’ve learned over the years is that you don’t need permission to be YOU. And no one can stop you from giving your love away and making this world a better place. Smile.

So the spark was to create art that celebrates being your true self, no matter how quirky you feel. This group of characters has existed in my mind ever since I wrote their story (Super Luca’s Glorious Twinki-Winki Adventure). And I thought the art could celebrate each of their misfit personalities. I knew I’d want sparkles and rainbows and all things magical.

The process:
For Glorious Misfits, I began each one on a wooden board. 

I started by using black acrylic paint as my first layer. Then I slapped on white paint and sprayed water to create a blotchy background. And I used a permanent black marker to loosely doodle each character.

Then begins the back-and-forth dance of sticking on colorful shapes with tissue paper and adding black lines or more white paint. I also added crayon lines and even glitter paint in lots of colors. I wanted each figure immersed in a magical cloud of sparkly potential.

The final touch was to add tiny gold and red stars all over. Of course.

The spark for Rainbow-Yummy

The inspiration:
I wrote a story called Super Luca’s Glorious Twinki-Winki Adventure. And there’s a pivotal part where Luca invents a new holiday called Rainbow Day as the perfect excuse to bring the gang together. And in typical Luca fashion, she goes all out gaga with the preparations.

The spark was to create art that inspires you to be your own rainbow. So I decided to illustrate the wacky food Luca whipped up for her friends on Rainbow Day. Picture this: pink popcorn with gummy bears and fruit loops. Steaming bowls of rainbow macaroni and cheese. Then for dessert, frosted cookies with rainbow sprinkles. I knew I wanted this art to have the feel of a fun drawing.

The process:
For Rainbow-Yummy, I began each one on watercolor paper. I drew the design with a pencil and then used watercolors to fill the background. Then I erased the pencil and colored in the rest. The final touch was to add all the lines in a permanent black pen. 

The spark for Play

The inspiration:
After creating the Rainbow-Yummy artwork, I needed a new series using the same vibrant color scheme. But I wanted to introduce a fun contrast in scale to shake things up.

The spark was to create art that invites play. I decided to create designs that would complement the Rainbow-Yummy drawings. I knew I’d want a graphic style with bold shapes.

The process:
For Play, I began each one on a wooden board. I added a layer of paint and tissue paper to create the background. This lets me create a bit of texture when fine-sanding between layers.

Then begins the back-and-forth dance of adding colorful shapes with tissue paper and black lines in a permanent black pen. The final touch was splattering bright watercolors over the tissue paper for a little more intensity.