32: Drawing Connections
News for U.S. Art Collectors, Beginner Drawing Course 2026, Patreon, Studio Update
Hi friend,
Late summer has settled in here. Monarchs are drifting through the yard, goldfinches are busy in the thistles, and the evenings are getting noticeably shorter. Our pond out back has dried up in the heat, though we did get a little rain recently. I'm hoping for more in the coming weeks so the turtles, frogs, and the rest of the pond life will have a place to settle in for the winter.
I've been carrying my camera often to build a stronger reference library for future work. Some of these photos have already appeared as subjects for recent drawings and paintings, and I'm considering pulling together a small digital reference pack so others can draw from them as well.
Back in the studio, I'm finishing new pieces, preparing for workshops, and testing materials that will show up in upcoming drawings and paintings. Patreon is also on the horizon again, where I'll be sharing more behind-the-scenes content and works in progress. There's plenty underway and here's the latest.
Important Update for U.S. Art Collectors
I want to start by thanking all of you who have supported my work. Many of my originals and prints live in homes across the United States, and that connection has always meant a great deal to me.
Recently, there has been a significant change to U.S. import rules that affects every artist and maker shipping into the country. For many years, the United States had what was called a de minimis exemption: packages valued under $800 entered duty-free with minimal paperwork. That rule is now gone.
What This Means in Practice
All international packages entering the U.S. now face customs processing and duty charges, regardless of value.
Postal services (like Canada Post to USPS): U.S. Customs applies a flat fee of about $80 USD per shipment from Canada.
Courier services (FedEx, UPS): Original artwork has a 0% duty rate, but couriers charge brokerage fees of $30-60 USD or more.
Example: If you bought a $200 painting from Canada, you'd pay around $80 in postal duties (nearly half the artwork's cost) or $30-60 in courier fees.
Why This Matters
This change impacts every international artist, maker, and small business selling into the United States. That $80 flat fee applies to jewelry from Europe, ceramics from Asia, textiles from South America—everything. For smaller works and modestly priced originals, the duty can feel disproportionate to the purchase price.
What I'm Doing
Because of this change, I'm pausing direct shipments to the U.S. for now. I want to avoid putting collectors in a position where surprise fees outweigh the joy of receiving art. In the meantime, I'm exploring ways to make my work more accessible in the U.S., such as through local printing partners or stocking originals stateside. However, this has proven challenging so I am hopeful there will be a change in policy around this.
How You Can Still Support My Work
If you're in the U.S. and would like to keep supporting my work, there are many ways to connect:
Patreon: Coming soon for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes updates
YouTube: Subscribe for tutorials, painting sessions, and studio insights
Workshops: In-person sessions here in Canada, with possible recorded or live-streamed access in future.
Podcast: A new season of Drawing Inspiration is coming soon!
Of course, if you're ever in Ottawa and interested in an original or print, I'll deliver it to you locally and you can bring it back across the border if below your trip threshold.
I'll continue to watch this closely, as are many of my Canadian artist friends. If there's any change, I'll provide an update. 🤞
Your ongoing support means a great deal. Thank you for continuing to be part of my art practice through these changes.
Beginner Drawing Course – January 2026
Starting in January, I'll be offering a 5-week beginner drawing course in West Ottawa. Each week includes a 90-minute evening class designed to build your drawing skills step by step.
The first course is limited to 10 spots so I can spend time with each participant. You're welcome to bring your own tools, but I'll have starter kits available for anyone who needs them.
All attendees will have access to a private Facebook group to share work, ask questions, and connect with other participants between classes. I'll be active in the group to provide feedback and support.
Once this first course fills, I'll open additional sessions in Ottawa Centre and East Ottawa. I will also be considering one and two day full-day workshops throughout the region for clubs and groups interested in hosting such an event.
Registration details: The course synopsis and full details will be shared in the next few weeks. Registration opens first through this newsletter, then on social media a couple days later—so staying subscribed gives you early access.
Looking Ahead
This January course is just the starting point. I'm planning:
Advanced drawing course in spring (the logical follow-up for beginner course graduates)
Beginner and advanced watercolor courses later in the year, focused on nature-journal-sized work that pairs perfectly with sketchbook practice
Patreon Returning
I often get asked for tips, deeper insights, and full-length videos showing how I work from start to finish. I've been thinking about the right, sustainable way to share that content—and I've decided to bring back my Patreon in September.
I'll be sharing detailed blog posts, short skill focused videos, full-length tutorials and maybe some real-time videos where I draw or paint while talking through my process, tools, and decisions. These sessions offer a clear look at how I build up a piece from first mark to final detail. It's not about polished, edited results—you'll see the full process, including how I problem-solve, adjust, and respond as the piece evolves.
To start, I’ll be introducing low-cost, accessible tiers so it's easy to follow along. Later this year, I'm considering options for more direct support, including critique and/or coaching tiers for monthly 1:1 sessions to discuss your art. I'm still gauging interest.
For more structured, step-by-step learning, I'll continue offering in-person workshops. But if you want a regular look into the day-to-day work—what's happening on the page, what I'm learning, what tools I'm reaching for—Patreon will be the place.
More soon. If you have questions or ideas about what you'd like to see, feel free to reply or send me a message.
Studio Update
Over the past few days, I've focused on a new piece: a red-footed falcon rendered in Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils on Legion Paper mounted to an aluminum panel. It's been almost a year since I last worked with colored pencils, and returning to the medium has been refreshing.
There's a tactile quality to these oil-based pencils that I enjoy, and the depth of color you can build slowly, layer by layer, makes them very rewarding to use. The Legion paper has excellent weight and texture that holds up beautifully to repeated layers. Mounted on aluminum, it feels solid and substantial—almost like working on a permanent surface rather than something delicate. That sturdiness makes it easier to be bold in the work.
Practice in Public
Nearly all the progress on this falcon has been made in coffee shops. This has become part of my regular practice—something I didn't think deeply about until I checked out the audiobook of Real Artists Don't Starve by Jeff Goins. He discusses "practice in public," where artists share their process in real time rather than hiding it away until the final piece is complete. When I read that, I thought: that's exactly what I've been doing.
Drawing in public has opened the process up in ways that working alone in the studio never could. People stop to watch, ask about the subject, or share their own connection to birds or nature. Sometimes it leads to conversations about materials, my upcoming workshops, sometimes about art in general, and sometimes about the wildlife itself with people of all ages. These small interactions shape how I think about the work and remind me that art isn't only about the finished product—it's also about the connections formed along the way.
I like the idea that someone might get their first glimpse of a red-footed falcon while standing in line for coffee.
This falcon will be available to collectors once complete. Alongside it, I'll be making several recent works available by removing the pages from sketchbook, including:
The green heron watercolor I painted from a reference I took in Ithaca
The watercolour frog piece from a friend in our pond
My detailed study of a stag beetle
Each piece represents a different part of my practice—pencil, watercolor, or natural history illustration—and together they highlight the range of work I've been developing over the past year.
Making originals available is always exciting because each one carries the story of its creation: the materials, the place it was made, and the time invested in building it up layer by layer. For the falcon, that story includes mornings in coffee shops, conversations with strangers, and the realization that "practice in public" isn't just a nice idea from a book—it's become central to how I approach being an artist.
Disount codes!
A few ways to save on your next art supply order—these are companies I use regularly and trust in my daily practice:
Leuchtturm Canada (Canadian Customers only)
Prepping for a return to school or thinking about tackling the idea of “Morning Pages” like me? These book are fantastic as bullet journals, coloured pencil and scrapbooking.
Get 20% off with the code MIKE20 at checkout.
https://leuchtturm1917.caGwartzman’s (Toronto, Canada)
I’m now an affiliate with Gwartzman’s, a solid Canadian source for my tools
Get 10% off most items in their online store using the code MIKEHENDLEY10 :
https://gwartzmans.com/mikehendleyArt Toolkit
Get 10% off your next order with the code MIKEART10 or use this link:
https://arttoolkit.com/discount/MIKEART10
Let me know if you end up trying something new—I always like hearing what tools others enjoy. Feel free to share these with someone you know.
Final Thoughts
That's everything for this edition. If something here caught your attention—whether it's the new workshop, the falcon drawing, or an idea you'd like me to explore—reply to this email and let me know. I always value hearing from you, and those conversations often guide what I share next.
I'll be back soon with new work, updates on upcoming originals, and more details about the Patreon launch.
Thanks for reading,
– Mike
It breaks my heart to read about all these artists around the world that stopped shipping to the US. What a sad situation. I'm always so amazed by your coffee shop works. The fact that you do that with a water brush amazes me. It makes things so much easier, not to carry all those brushes, but I still need more practice with the water brush. Thank you for this lovely newsletter!
I am delighted that one of the best art podcasts is going to have a new season. Wonderful news!