It’s Thursday, January 15th, 2026. I’m snug as a bug behind my desk, heater on at my feet and the sunlight streaming in through my window, slightly blinding. I can’t believe it’s January 15th, 2026. How the heck did that happen? Like most 30’s millennials, I’ve been intellectually aware (since my early 20’s) that time would start moving faster as I got older, but actually experiencing it in my brain? I’d like to return it for a full refund, please… 2025 was literally January (ugh), June/July (Happy B-day, lovely Emergency Room!, beach time), and the holidays (where I packed in most of my vacation time).

But hey, I haven’t even formally introduced myself - Rachel Pendergrass Dukes, artist, millennial, Gemini Wood Snake. Married, 2 dogs (DINKWAD, yes, absolutely), hanging out in Atlanta, GA. Yes, I have a 9-to-5, at a VERY prestigious manufacturing firm (won’t be hard to figure out if you feel like a quick google search), and this year, I’ll be trying to host more. But maybe more importantly, I’m officially launching my side-hustle. Yes, I also know that side hustles are completely passé, but I’m a little slow to the trends and this is no different.

Truthfully this “hustle” started in 2024, late in the year, and I have to blame my bff - she was already 2-3 years into her own side hustle at this point, and going strong. She has such infectious motivation that I just literally couldn’t help myself, I wanna be just like her when I grow up. Long story short, after she lent me an extra tent, I crammed out a few paintings that I really liked, had prints made and signed up for a few outdoor arts and crafts markets (one or two where she was selling, of course). The results weren’t entirely abysmal, but I had no idea of the market I wanted to target or what art I could provide, because let’s be entirely straight, I am an artist, and I make art, but I had very little idea of what people would want to buy. So in December 2024, I decided that the first 3 months of 2025 would be dedicated to figuring out something I could make that people actually wanted to buy.

Around that same time, I was also working on Christmas presents. If you know any artists at all, you know that making things is usually very well received by the recipient, and I like giving people things they’ll actually like. For my husband, my genius idea was to present him with a drawn portrait of our dogs, because he’s just mushy enough to really appreciate it (it’s hanging up in his office now ^_-), and that was a snowball I did not expect. Not long after, one of our friends lost his dog rather suddenly, and I was requested to draw another portrait, this time post-humously. Again, the portrait was very well received, and my brain lit up. I could actually do this - I really enjoy the process of drawing people’s pets, and even in the worst situation, I’m still creating a piece that someone can look at fondly and remember their fun-loving fur baby.

I am absolutely still interested in creating other types of art, but the pet portraiture is my main focus right now. In building a solid body of work in black and white, (standard breed drawings available in the printshop), I’m giving myself a reason to draw and stay in practice and to improve my technique and skillset. And yes, even if you’re naturally good at drawing, practicing is something you should do! We can cover that in another post. And when I’m drawing these very good boys and girls, I get tangentially inspired to create other art, so that’s all going on a list, for me to switch into when I need a break or a kick of dopamine.

What do you think? Have you thought about kicking off a side-hustle? What would it be, if you had no restrictions whatsoever?

the Backstory