"a love letter to the soundtrack that keeps me feeling and imagining" @venusxite

Dear Diary,

Art isn’t just a hobby, it’s the thread that runs through every memory I’ve got. I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing.

Growing up in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, I was that kid who’d always be scribbling in my maths notebook instead of focusing on the work due, making up my own little worlds on paper. Back in middle and high school, sketching was how I handled the pressure and stress that came with studying — especially in France, where school days run from 8 AM to 6 PM. It was my way of letting go and taking a breath.

Credit: Venus (Instagram @venusxite)

The school system was intense, but the classes never really felt hard to me. I was considered an “advanced” student, so boredom was the real enemy. To fight it, I collected hobbies — refining each one like a secret weapon to distract myself. It’s something I still do today. For example, last year I learned to code during summer break just so I could create my own website; something I didn’t have the motivation for until boredom hit me hard.

About three years ago, I picked up digital art kind of by accident and immediately fell in love with how free it felt. My mom had brought home a graphic tablet, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to test it. I didn’t stick with that tablet for long, though; something about it just felt off. But there’s something really fun about being able to play with colors, layers, and new techniques without worrying about making mistakes. It opened up a whole new way for me to express myself. I used to struggle to do that (as a stereotypical alt kid with niche interests) and I haven’t looked back since. Turns out, when I’m bored, that’s when I start creating new worlds all over again.

Honestly, I keep finding new sparks everywhere i.e. my personal experiences, my surroundings etc. but lately (and honestly, always) it’s been music, specifical

y Radiohead, that’s been inspiring me a lot. There’s something in the mood of their songs — how they can be both haunting and comforting at the same time — that sparks new ideas whenever I listen to them. I’ve been sharing songs like “Permanent Daylight,” “Lift,” or “Pearly” in my posts and stories, not just because I’m a fan, but because that feeling of beautiful melancholy or existential introspection always manages to find its way into my comics and drawings.

Credit: Venus (Instagram @venusxite)

Sometimes, when I’m in an art block or everything feels a bit grey, I’ll shuffle through Radiohead’s discography and just let my hand move — no pressure to make it perfect. The unintentional combo of their layered sounds and my own anxious linework creates small visual worlds I never would have considered otherwise.

I also love exploring how music and illustration interact — like capturing a sound in a color or a character’s expression. The bittersweet vibe and openness to vulnerability in their music push me to be honest in my own work, to show more flaws and feelings. In a way, my art lately is a love letter to the soundtrack that keeps me feeling and imagining.

Well… now it’ll be hard for you guys to guess my favorite band. LMAO. (Not very niche, I know — but Radiohead’s kind of popular for a reason, I guess.)

Honestly, I’ve wondered so many times if it’s even worth posting my art here. Sometimes Instagram feels more like a cold platform than a community — like I’m tossing my work into the void and hoping someone out there catches it. Most days, it’s hard to feel genuinely connected to people just scrolling past.

But I keep showing up for a few reasons:

• Is art meant to be seen? Even if the algorithm feels indifferent, sharing my work is a way to give it life beyond my own walls. There’s a kind of magic in letting my images circulate, even anonymously.

• Every once in a while, something breaks through the noise — a heartfelt comment, a DM from someone who truly resonates with what I made. Those small yet loving interactions remind me why I started posting in the first place.

• Posting here has become an unexpected way to document my own growth. I can scroll back and see how far I’ve come, which is motivating even on lonely days.

• Seeing fellow mutuals put their work out there—even when it feels like shouting into the wind—gives me the courage to keep going too.

So while Instagram isn’t always the connective space I wish it was, I still show up hoping for those rare moments of genuine human exchange. And maybe, one piece at a time, the right connections are being made — even if it’s just one person at a time.

Until then,

Venus

Featured image credit: - (Instagram @venusxite)