ArtbyMoga
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15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!
🕑 Added 2024-10-04 13:00:20 +0000 UTCThis month marks 15 years since I started ArtbyMoga. WHAT!? Thank you for following along on this journey. I wrote a reflection that summarizes the last 15 years. It’s a long read, so sorry, but if you’re interested here it is:
I began posting comics for friends and family as a kid on Facebook in 2009. With some encouragement, I started sharing my art on sites like Deviantart, Tumblr, and Instagram.
I was surprised my comics were actually popular on these sites; I had posts going viral at 15 and 16 years old. As a kid in high school, seeing 100,000 ‘likes’ on a piece of art I made had a profound impact. It was addicting.
I worked on comics every free moment I had and continued to grow the ArtbyMoga community throughout high school and college.
In those 8 years I created well over 500 comics. They range from funny to sad, goofy to serious, thoughtful to ignorant, meaningful to cringe. Very cringe.
When I graduated college at 22, I had almost 1 million followers across my social media platforms. This was when I decided to try and make comics my full-time career.
With my undivided attention, ArtbyMoga expanded to an online shop, apparel store, freelance projects, private commissions and collaborations with large companies such as Adobe, Netflix and Hulu. I even signed a book deal!
2019 marked 10 years of posting comics as Moga. Online I was a beaming success, but in my personal life things had grown quite dark. I started ArtbyMoga at 14 years old, and I burnt out on it at 24. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, anxiety and a panic disorder. Just in time for the pandemic to start!
Like so many of us, I struggled during the pandemic. I blamed a lot of my depression on Covid and the general state of the world. To cope, I focused on writing my book. Unfortunately, I focused so intensely I neglected my mental health. Shortly after finishing my book (which I’m so proud of), I had a severe breakdown.
For the first time ever I couldn’t make art. This inability to produce anything really messed with my sense of self. You all were so kind and patient, but I still felt like I was letting my readers down. My identity and worth was so tied to ArtbyMoga, when I was unable to keep up with the comics I felt a great sense of shame and failure.
On October 31st, 2023 I tried to kill myself. I ended up at a crisis center and was eventually diagnosed as having bipolar and ADHD.
Since being diagnosed I have started proper medication for my disorders and it has made all the difference. I am making comics again, which for a while felt like a total impossibility. I’m focusing on healing and moving forward with my life after almost losing it to depression. Life is really good right now :)
As time has gone on, I no longer tie success to the number of ‘likes’ a comic gets, but rather the kind of conversation it creates. I love interacting with you folks from all over the world, and hearing what stories/thoughts/emotions my art brings up for you.
If you took the time to read all of this, thank you. It’s been an honor to make comics for you.
Much love,
Meg
Comments
Jennifer Rodney
"I no longer tie success to the number of ‘likes’ a comic gets, but rather the kind of conversation it creates." This is gold! What a wise shift to make, what a wonderful thing to choose to value over "likes" which are so fickle and ungrounded and ungrounding. I applaud allllll the hard work you've done to get to this point and I celebrate you and your 15 years! So, so, so grateful you are still here.
Meg Adams
Thank you for sharing, you are speaking to my soul! ❤️
Mae.Bee
So happy you're here with us and that we can be with you.
Kotaface
Happy anniversary! But more importantly: we’re so happy you’re here, and that you found your way back to enjoying your art for yourself and for the connection it brings. I’ve only been here for a little bit but your art means so much to me. I’m also a reheaded gal with bipolar disorder and adhd and there’s nothing quite like finding another person who can portray your particular flavor of neuro-spicy the way you feel it. I’ve never had a crazy amount of followers, but I wrote a ton in my late teens/early 20s to the point that I believed my bipolar was the source of my creativity, and the day I recognized it as a compulsion and as a symptom, it broke me. It took a couple years to rebuild my relationship with my creativity and it was hard af. So I’m so happy that you’ve found that for yourself, and that you’re here, and that you share these stories with us. 💗💗💗💗
Jacob McLaughlin
Your comics are a constant bright spot. Congrats to fifteen years!
Tessa Murphy
You’re one of my all-time favorite humans and the conversations we have are some of my favorites!!!
Nigel Reeves
Congratulations 😊 you've worked bloody hard to get where you are, here's to another 15 more 😃😃
Meg Adams
Thanks Ray Day!! ❤️❤️
Meg Adams
Thank you, Roni ❤️
Meg Adams
Thank you Jenny, I’m so thankful to have you along for the ride ❤️
Meg Adams
Thanks Bubbles 🥰❤️
Meg Adams
Thank you so much Maria ❤️❤️
Simigirl79
Congratulations 🎉 Happy Anniversary 🎉 I ❤️ your art and insights into your world, which is a better place with you in it 🫂
Tessalations
I'm glad you're still here, Meg. ❤️
Kait
Congratulations on the milestone. I'm so glad you're still here ♥️
Maria E.
CONGRATULATIONS! I discovered your art a few years back while doomscrolling, and fell in love with it immediately. I think your openness, vulnerability and capacity to share those dark moments, while still being so human and empathetic are what have made you stand from the rest. THANK YOU for being so genuine, in this day and age, it isn't something common. THANK YOU for sharing your struggles and for being an advocate for mental health awareness. Life can be dark and difficult, and the rose colored glasses of social media don't help in any shape, way or form. I cannot tell you how much I love every comic you've made, how much strength and courage I've seen from your openness and how much joy you bring to many by just sharing LIFE... the good, the bad and the ugly. HAVE SOME CAKE! Here's to many more milestones for you, Meg... and now, if you'll excuse me, I need to re-read your book while having some tea! 🎉🙌❣🎂☕🥰
Brooke Vibber
*hugs hugs hugs*
JK
Happy 15th Comic-iversary! 🥰📖
Josh Masterson
The world is a better place with you in it!
Bubbles!
Haha why am I crying reading your post?? Congrats Meg! What a journey it has been for you! I’m so honored to be a part of your journey if only a small part 💖 so happy you are still here sharing with us! Much Love 💖✨
Jenny
Thank you so much for sharing your art and your story with us Meg. I have been following you for so many years, on various platforms, and,even though we don't actually know each other, you have been a part of my life and I have turned to your art numerous times. I have felt seen and I have laughed and I have cried. I remember being younger and reading some of your comics about depression and anxiety and feeling less alone and understood. I am so happy to read that you are doing well! Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything. 🥹🌈🌼
Mac
Happy 15 years!! I'm so happy you're doing better now 🥰
sam donnolly
Congratulations!
Roni
I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we're glad you're still here!! You bring so much light to so many, and your comics about your mental health struggles help so many, like myself, know that we're not alone. Keep doing you!
Ray Day
Meg, thank you for giving us 15 years of your awesome mind and talent and self. Your comics have helped me laugh or feel seen during some really dark times. I am so grateful for you and the community you have made. More than your art, I am glad you are here and doing better. You will always be more important than the art you give because your yourself gave and give us so much. Thank you and congrats to you!
