Meet Ruby! Ruby is the daughter of Morgan and Danny Allain, who were featured on Sustaining Craft on my previous writing website. This was originally posted on June 16, 2017. I’ll be reposting some previous work here, including Danny‘s and Morgan‘s 2016, 2017, and 2020 features.

Ruby Allain only turned five at the end of April [2017], but she’s already making her mark as an artist.

“We all hang out together in our one big room and share supplies,” explained her mom, Morgan. “The bookmark thing started because when Danny and I have to cut down paper, there’s usually an inch left over.”

Trying to cut down on waste, they started making the paper ends bookmark size and giving them to Ruby. “I like painting,” Ruby said, who makes 10-20 bookmarks at a time. “I’m an artist, too. My mom and dad are the greatest artists. That’s why I did bookmarks.”

Ruby started painting two years ago, at age three. It took her about a year to understand how to control the brush, Morgan explained. Ruby went to her first event as an artist over Christmas 2016, then another event more recently, selling about 70 bookmarks all told and making over $50. “I’m gonna sell more though,” Ruby said. “They have different colors and I did them all by myself and pictures, too.”

Painting with watercolor, Ruby likes to add in a variety of colors. “I do every color,” shared Ruby. “I like colors. Blue, pink and yellow and orange and red and green. I like pink. That’s my favorite color.”

Ruby is also a fan of the comic, “The King’s Lost Ruby”, that Danny draws for her. “It’s about me,” Ruby explained. “I like that my dad did the ogre. That’s my PawPaw. It’s really fun. My MawMaw is a witch – a good witch though.”

And she’s a fan of the Labyrinth artwork Morgan creates. “She does Labyrinth and we have that movie and I like that,” Ruby said. “She loves David Bowie and I do, too.”

Plus, living in rural DeQuincy, LA, their backyard is perfect for exploring. “Me and my dad go on adventures,” gushed Ruby. “We go on adventures where the treehouse is. We do a lot of fun stuff at my MawMaw and PawPaw’s house. We make maps and I have a sword.”

Asked if she fights monsters with her sword, she said yes– “Zombies, mummies and other nasty things.”

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Ruby gets her love of painting from her parents, Morgan and Danny. Follow Morgan on Facebook, snag a piece of art from Etsy, supporting her on Patreon, and catch her on Instagram as @theinklinggirl. Danny shares his work on Instagram and sells through Morgan’s Etsy as well.