Header Image Description: Trueheart Creations logo. A round piece of wood with a drawing of a white, lotus flower. The center holds a small, burning candle. Above the lotus is the title "Trueheart Creations."
Header Image Description: Trueheart Creations logo. A round piece of wood with a drawing of a white, lotus flower. The center holds a small, burning candle. Above the lotus is the title "Trueheart Creations."
From my heart to your hands, timeless art celebrating life's beauty, cherished memories, and loving connections.
Image Description: An older man sits in an armchair, surrounded by five young children. He has glasses and short, white hair. He's wearing a military cap and a dark t-shirt that says, "Grandpa: grandkids love him, fish fear him." A toddler sits on his lap, while two young girls lean against the chair on his right, and a young boy and girl lean against him on his left. They all are smiling. The faces of the children are blurred for their privacy. They are posing in a living room, standing on a patterned rug in front of a grey couch with a side table, lamp, and a small fan. On the wall behind them is a hanging shelf with pictures.
April 2024
Charcoal, graphite and colored pencil on oval wood, sealed with resin
This was such a wonderful commission to create for my dear friend, Erin Sage. I asked her to share a story associated with the photo of her grandpa and her sister and cousin's kids. Erin remembers the scene as "a time when my grandpa was healthy and was happy to be with all of his great grandchildren." Thank you for trusting me to re-create a special family moment. The kids' faces are blurred for their safety and privacy. Love you, buddy!
Image Description: A medium-sized dog stands in a camouflage boat on a misty lake. To the left of the boat, a background of trees makes a reflection on the water. The dog looks into the camera. Her right ear is raised. She is wearing a bow tie and a life jacket.
January 2024
Charcoal, graphite and colored pencil on oval wood
I finished this in January. It was commissioned as a commemorative gift to Chloe’s family upon her passing. I really enjoyed drawing her; her eyes were so expressive and emotive. I’m wishing her family comfort as they grieve her loss.
Image Description: A graduate and their mom pose for a photo in the lobby of the Yum Center after their graduation from UofL. The graduate is white and has long, curly hair. They wear a cap and gown and hold their diploma. The mom is a white woman with white and gray hair. She wears a black and white patterned cardigan.
December 2023
Charcoal, graphite and colored pencil on oval wood
I drew this as a graduation gift for my former partner, Katie and her mother. I wanted her to know how proud I was of her accomplishment and receiving all A's in her last semester of undergrad.
Image Description: A queer family. On the left is a baby wearing a sunhat. In the center holding him is his aba, smiling. They have long, curly hair and facial scruff. They are wearing a sunhat. On the right is his mother. She has long, curly hair. She is wearing a sweater. She is smiling. The background is a lake with trees.
May 2023
Graphite and colored pencils on square wood
A commission from Xander for Fern's birthday. This was my second attempt. I drew one on a darker piece of wood and sealed it with resin, which made it even darker, obscuring the details. This piece does not have resin coating.
I enjoyed drawing their sweet family twice and the opportunity to engage with smiles and joy from this photo. Happy Birthday, Fern!
Image Description: A white man smiles as he sits on a porch with two dogs. He has dark hair and glasses. A small, black dog sits between his legs while a large beige dog sits to his right with an open-mouth grin.
April 2023
Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil on oval wood
A commission from my friend Jayne as a birthday gift for his boyfriend. It was a pleasure drawing Sean and his cute fur babies, one of which passed away. Thank you for this opportunity. I hope you enjoy your gift to remember him by. Happy Birthday, Sean!
Image Description: A young, white man smiles as he stands outside in a neighborhood. He has dark hair with large curl in the front. He wears a white button-up shirt and a leather jacket.
December 2022
Graphite, charcoal and pastels on oval wood
I made this piece for my Grandma Tenholder as a Christmas present in 2022. Papa Joe died when I was 8, and it was a strange and sad time for our family.
Grandma placed him on her dresser next to her bed and told me it was one of the best gifts she's received. She also put a decorative cardinal on the top of the wood. She believes seeing her cardinals outside are Papa Joe saying hello to her.
Image Description: A drawing on wood of four brothers. On the left is a younger boy. He is smiling as he looks to his left. He is white and has medium-length, blonde hair. In the center is a teenager with long, wavy blonde hair. He is white and has a faint smile, wearing a beanie and a tracksuit. He has his right arm on his younger brother. On the right is another teen, also wearing a tracksuit. He is white with medium, dirty-blonde hair. He has his hand around the middle boy's neck. He smiles at the camera. In the lower right corner is the face of the youngest brother. He is white and has dark, medium-length hair, wearing glasses.
December 2022
Charcoal, graphite and colored pencil on round wood
A gift to my dad, Bobby, on Christmas 2022. I asked if I could draw him something and he chose this photo of him and his younger brothers, both deceased. Joey (center) died as a teenager in a tragic car accident and my Uncle Ricky (left) died of pancreatic cancer several years ago. Surviving are my dad and his youngest brother Randy, who appears in the lower right corner. My dad really loves his gift and talks about how much he appreciates it!
Image Description: A drawing on wood of a couple kissing. On the left is a black man with short, black hair. He is wearing a tank top and a sun hat around his neck. On the right is his wife-a black woman with a small, black Afro. She is wearing dangly earrings, a black tank top, and a sun hat around her neck. Their eyes are closed as they kiss.
June 2022
Charcoal, graphite and colored pencils on round wood
These are my sweet friends Meghan and Yakari. I drew them from a photo they took on vacation. On the trip, Yakari proposed to Meghan. These two are wonderful, creative humans and I love them. I really enjoyed the opportunity to capture a loving moment between them.
Image Description: A pencil drawing on wood of a young adult. It is a portrait of their face. Their eyes are peaceful and bright, lined with mascara and smokey eye shadow. They have a nose ring. They are smiling gently.
March 2022
Charcoal and graphite pencil on square wood
I drew this portrait of Asset as a gift for my friend, Adrian. Asset completed suicide after many years of suffering. They were a wonderfully talented poet and artist. Their death was a difficult loss for me and our community.
Image Description: A pencil drawing on a square piece of wood of Ringo the dog and Mario, her human. Ringo is centered, laying on the grass. She has a long nose, floppy ears, and white hair on her head and arms. Mario sits behind Ringo, by a body of water. His back is to the camera. He has short, dark hair and facial hair, wearing a backpack. His face is turned to the left, looking into the distance.
February 2022
Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil on rectangular wood
My friend, Fran, commissioned me to draw a memorial of Ringo the dog, for their friend Mario. Sweet Ringo passed away in early January. I made this with care for Mario and to honor Ringo. She looks like a loving, old soul. And I imagine her human misses her so much. Thank you for this commission, Fran.
Image Description: A photo of a drawing of the Willette family on a slab of wood. The couple smiles at each other. Amber is on the left. She is white, with long hair. Kyle is on the right. He is white with short, dark hair, in a button-up shirt. He holds baby Leo in his right arm. Amber’s right hand caresses Kyle’s right hand. Leo is centered, asleep in a white blanket.
January 2022
Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil on round wood
My sister Amber made a human and he is wonderful. She sent me a link to a dreamy photo shoot they had as a family and I wanted to gift her with a drawing to show how excited I am for her! I was happy to send this off to Amber, her husband Kyle and their baby Leo. She said she loves it. Now, Leo points to it when he sees it! I'm happy to be a “thuncle."
Original Photography: KMPHOTO.DESIGN
Image Description: A drawing on wood of a small dog. She has wavy, white fur and floppy ears. She is sitting on a couch with her paws hanging off the side.
November 2021
Graphite and colored pencil on rectangular wood
My friend Erin commissioned me to draw her mom's sweet dog Rudy as a Christmas gift to her. It is a tree ornament. And she said she wanted to keep it out all year long! Thank you for the commission, buddy.
Image Description: A drawing on a wood ornament of twin babies, sitting on an armchair. It hangs on a colorful Christmas tree. The sign in front of them says “Seven Months.” The toes on both of their feet are tiny and curled up. The baby on the left is white, and has wavy, dark hair. She has a big smile on her face and her arm hovers in the air in front of her. She is wearing a Darth Vader onesie. The baby on the right is white and has a small patch of hair. He is smiling wide. He is wearing a Chewbacca onesie.
December 2021
Charcoal and graphite pencil on rectangular wood
My college friend, Stacy, reached out to commission a Christmas tree ornament. I had the pleasure of drawing her adorable little humans, Lily and Kirk! They are twins.
Thank you for the commission and having two wonderful babies, Stacy!
Image Description: A drawing on wood of a small dog, looking up from his seated position. He has round, glowing eyes with eyebrows raised. He has large, pointed ears, and white fur on his snout with a thin streak between his ears. His eyes are surrounded by brown fur. His body has brown and white fur.
September 2021
Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil on heart-shaped wood
I was so happy to draw Arthur, my friend Erin's dog. I gave her this ornament as a gift while staying with her and her partner, Kristen in their home in Brooklyn, New York.
Image Description: Pencil drawing of a queer couple on a circular cut of wood; on the left is a white woman with short, curly hair wearing a gingham shirt and a lay. She kisses her partner on the cheek as she smiles at the camera. Her partner is white, with short wavy hair. She is wearing a hat and a black and white, patterned shirt.
September 2021
Charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil on round wood
I drew this photo of my friend Erin and her partner, Kristen. I visited them in Brooklyn, New York for the first time! And it was my first time meeting Kristen. I gave them this and a drawing of their dog, Arthur as a thank you for welcoming me into their home.
Trueheart Creations was born out of resilience during the pandemic, when job loss and personal challenges led me to seek purpose through art. Initially founded as Sweet Offerings Studio, my journey of self-discovery, including an autism diagnosis, deepened my commitment to disability advocacy and inspired me to embrace my neurodivergent traits—such as attention to detail and empathy—in my creative process.
After connecting with fellow artists, I found a name that resonated: Trueheart Creations. This name reflects my mission to craft meaningful art with care and love for my community, while staying true to myself.
I work primarily with charcoal, graphite, pastels, and acrylics, often creating unique pieces on wood, sealed with resin for lasting beauty. My goal is to create art that not only brings joy but also fosters connection and understanding of or our human experiences.