Feeling Stuck? Kickstart 2025 with Maverick's Inspiring Journey!
Hello everyone!
It's lovely to be back with you all. Here's wishing you a glorious 2025. As some of you know, my health can be a bit up and down, so I truly appreciate your continued support. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed and purchased artwork. If you haven't yet, please visit our Redbubble and 4th Wall stores, where we showcase a fantastic range of creations from our growing team of gay disabled artists worldwide, as well as music albums and books.
I'm also delighted to share with you that we now have an online bookstore. Browse Timeless Tales to your heart's content, enjoy a huge variety of inspirational books related to the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. From Tom of Finland and other artists who rocked the world, to gay celebrities, singers, writers and pioneers. 10% of all proceeds go towards supporting independent booksellers and the other 10% come to us. Just like the purchases from our online stores, your shopping helps power our content creation, data upload expenses and cover living costs for our gay, disabled artists. Thank you to everybody who has supported.🙏💖
If you're feeling a bit deflated after the holiday season, that's totally normal.
The "January Blues" can make us feel like we should have some direction for the new year, but perhaps you're not quite there yet. Maybe it feels like nothing significant has changed, and every day follows the same routine. With that in mind, I'd like to share some encouragement inspired by our recent video on the Iconic LGBTQ channel. If you haven't watched it, you can check it out here. And if you haven't subscribed yet, please do so and join our vibrant community!
Meet Maverick: An Inspiring Story
Maverick, or Mav for short, resides in a compact 19-square-meter room in a sweltering climate. Far from his homeland, he lacks the safety and stability to return. With no familial or governmental support, he's essentially living in self-imposed exile. Despite these challenges, Mav maintains that it's better for his mental health than being back in the UK, where he was left without proper care for his PTSD and OCD. Over the years, he's developed other health conditions, having been out of his homeland for nearly seven years.
Mav stays positive by bringing the world to him instead of venturing out. Using Google Maps, he virtually travels to various places he'd love to visit, planning and researching as if he were there. This practice gives him a boost of energy on his darkest days, especially when struggling with his health.
Inspired by the movie Top Gun, Maverick found a way to connect with the world through his art despite facing significant challenges. His art became a therapeutic outlet, helping him feel less isolated. He creates scenes with imagined characters, forming a virtual community in his mind. His dedication to inclusivity and authenticity shines through in his work, especially for those from marginalized countries where being yourself is still a crime.
The Leather Subculture and Inclusivity
Leather subculture has been a cornerstone of queer culture for over 80 years, fostering community through shared interests. Originating in 1940s San Francisco, gay leather culture emerged in response to post-World War II motorcycle clubs. By the 1950s, leather bars like Chicago’s first in 1958, became safe havens for the community.
Maverick's art focuses on intersectional issues, celebrating gay love, leather culture, and mental health. He often pairs men from different nationalities, such as Brazilian and Japanese individuals, and includes transgender, non-binary, and intersex figures. His portraits convey longing, emotion, and strength, highlighting complex human relationships.
After fleeing due to prejudice and lack of mental health support in his own country, the leather scene’s strength and uniting message to marginalized communities resonated with him. His art began to transform; from his initial interest in BLUF and military uniforms to leathermen. Maverick frequently depicts men standing proud in leather gear, whilst asking viewers to consider how many might have invisible disabilities like depression or PTSD. He aims to highlight that invisible disabilities can be as debilitating as physical ones. His work juxtaposes vulnerability with the strength and armor-like pride of leather, showing that even the strongest have their struggles.
Empowerment and Visibility
If you're feeling like nothing much has changed and you're living the same Groundhog Day every day, perhaps you can take a leaf out of Maverick's book. Lose yourself in an alternative world. Plan your dream vacation online, even if you don't think it's realistic or you have the money. If you're a writer, research publishers and how others got their big breaks. Look at motivational stories and see how others made the impossible possible. As Nelson Mandela once said, "It always seems impossible until it's done."
Whilst we're speaking about travel plans. We’ve also teamed up with Mr B and B, offering LGBTQ-friendly accommodations. If you’re able to travel, explore their range of options, from private rooms to boutique resorts. Booking through our link, or clicking through on any of our banners, helps support us at no cost to you, keeping the lights on and enabling us to bring you more fantastic content.🙏💖
Maverick never dreamed that his work would be featured and sold worldwide. He thought he was just a lonely, isolated warrior holding out in Asia. It just goes to show that miracles can happen when you least expect them. Never lose hope, keep the faith, and remember that there are others out there fighting the good fight alongside you. You might not see them, and you might not know their names, but together we are stronger. Just one small step today can help make your change happen. Don't wait for the miracle. Be the miracle😎
Support and Connect
If you're a gay disabled artist, writer, poet, musician, or filmmaker, we’d love to feature your work. Do get in touch and share your story. If there's a good angle and you feel it will be of interest and inspiration to others, either here or on our youtube channel, we'd love to hear from you.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for your support in 2024. If you haven't subscribed yet, please do so and join our community. Remember, you are not alone. You are worthy, valid, and seen. Let's make 2025 a year of growth, connection, and positivity.
Wishing you all the best, Adam😎⭐
