Monica Welch
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dovetail-ink.bsky.social
Monica Welch
@dovetail-ink.bsky.social
1.8K followers 2.4K following 830 posts
Artist, lover of words; seek ways to breathe new life into timeless wisdom. Avid reader. Long/growing list of new art modalities to try (punchneedle, batik, and linocut at the moment).
Inspirational/bright watercolor prints & cards at DovetailInk.Etsy.com
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"What a hunger, what a need we have for beauty and happiness that comes with #beauty!" (Dorothy Day, "On Pilgrimage," Feb 1, 1951)

I am addicted to #color, and to #wordart. Trying #embroidery as an additional way to combine (dovetail, as it were) them. Why sew on white, if one can sew on COLOR?!
An embroidery hoop with brightly colored batik sunflower fabric is held in Monica's left hand. In the upper left corner the letter T has been stitched. The needle is poked into the fabric, and the extra length of teal thread is draped across the fabric.
October 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM
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I created the illustration 'Swords into Plowshares' for the article 'What Do We Do with All This "Violence"?' by Matt Harper, on ICE violence in LA

catholicworker.substack.com/p/what-do-we...

#nonviolence #SocialJustice #CatholicWorker
A repurposed police car with flat tires in front of a brick building that has been graffitied with "Swords into Plowshares Isaiah 2:4." Bright flowers and vines grow from the open hood & trunk of the police car. The front door is open to show canned food stacked on the front seat, and blankets are piled in the back. The car has been graffitied as well, e.g with "food," "blankets," and the last 3 large letters of police (ICE) crossed through with an X.
September 25, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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Day 3 of what I'm calling #NewButNeglected - St Anne & the Child Mary.

Journals: a.co/d/epEOiTb
Fine Art America: fineartamerica.com/featured/saint-anne-with-child-mary-monica-welch.html
Prints/Notecards:
dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1707359273

#DigitalWatercolor #PatronSaint #Procreate #Catholic
September 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
dovetail-ink.bsky.social
St. Apollonia, patron of #Dentists is Day 2 of my #NewButNeglected art. Fitting, as one of my kids has a #DentalHygienist appointment this afternoon!

fineartamerica.com/featured/saint-apollonia-patron-of-dentists-monica-welch.html
Journal: a.co/d/abCLZnG
Prints/coloring page: DovetailInk.etsy.com
A whimsical digital watercolor of St. Apollonia, patron saint of dentists. A tan woman with long dark hair perches on a giant tooth among clouds that are a mix of heavenly yellows and dark storm. She holds a tooth in a large pair of pincers. Text from a traditional prayer to St Apollonia is in the sky above her.
September 23, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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Finally adding new art to my shops!

1st: St Anastasia, #weavers & #healers Coloring page dovetailink.etsy.com/Iisting/4370651806
Prints dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1814468167
Journals a.co/d/fa73Zgp
More fineartamerica.com/featured/saint-anastasia-patron-of-weavers-and-healers-monica-welch.html
September 22, 2025 at 10:04 PM
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I made a dress!!! After my crazy year, life is settling down (even in the midst of...all this). Able to find time around the edges for drawing (posting new art soon!) and exploring new twists on hobbies.

This is a slightly modified Dress #1 by #100ActsOfSewing and I LOVE IT.

#Sewing #HomeMade
A selfie of Monica, a white woman with long teal hair, showing her in an orange sleeveless dress with light teal trim and pockets.
September 18, 2025 at 6:28 PM
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Doing some #BackToSchool related reading - halfway through this impactful book. Dr. Lester @imterencelester.bsky.social weaves together his personal story with solid research and statistics, making both more powerful. An insightful and inspiring read, especially for #Teachers and #Educators.
The book From Dropout to Doctorate in Monica's hand
August 30, 2025 at 10:11 PM
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May Day! Mayday, mayday!

Making my voice heard to those in power, inspired by #ProjectMailStorm

#ArtistLife #Calligraphy #HandLettering #StandUp #MayDay
Curly, hand-lettered text that says "Serve the workers and help the poor, not the billionaires!" A teal metallic market was used, and glitter is sprinkled on the white paper.
May 1, 2025 at 3:07 PM
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A 2nd left-handed digital oil so that I can continue with Alai Gazuna's color theory class despite my fractured right elbow. Goal was to paint a very neutral still life using COLOR. I think I won! 😃

Big props to Alai for her fantastic instruction.

#DigitalArt #Procreate #Color #ArtYear #Learning
Colorful digital oil painting of a small white bowl with a decorative ceramic ghost figurine perched on its side. In the bowl is an avocado seed with 3 chopsticks, in preparation for sprouting it. The painting is in bright pastel colors.
March 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM
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Fractured my right (dominant) elbow. Taking Alai Gazuna's color theory class and figured I'd try *left-handed* with a new media - she uses oils, so I tried digital oils (I've been all watercolor, traditional and some digital).

I never liked oils but with my left hand I do! 😃

#FebruARTy #ArtYear
Colorful digital oil painting of a cute smiling avocado plushie, partially reflected through a glass of water.
February 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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Polar pears!

My HS kid's idea and I had to do a quick little digital painting with the concept.

A #punchneedle /embroidery pattern is where I'd like to go next with this!

#PolarBears #DigitalArt #Procreate
Digital watercolor of two pear shaped/colored polar bears. They are floating on a piece of ice in a purple sea under a pink sky, with a distant iceberg in the background.
February 23, 2025 at 2:48 PM
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For your entertainment, I present my series: #Avocados -- Zombie, Cute&Happy, and Rave.

Three #palettes were used -- Zorn, complementary, and analogous -- as part of a color theory class by the fantastic Alai Gazuna. If you LOVE color like I do, go check her out!

#DigitalArt #Procreate #Watercolor
Three digital watercolors from the same avocado reference picture - one split in half with seed showing, one whole. They are painted with three different color palettes - Zorn, complementary, and analogous.
February 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 10: Rings

The full hand-lettered text of the Magnificat in this one.

12x18 mixed media

(Prints: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/2535... )

#Magnificat #Catholic #CatholicArt #Prayer
A whimsical, watercolor and art marker presentation of the Magnificat - it contains the full hand-lettered text of Luke 1:46-55 on the wings of a contemporary butterfly set against a bold black and orange background of circles/rings. In the Magnificat, Mary proclaims how God "exalts the lowly" - he has come to flip many of our existing notions upside-down. This piece, with its sky-like butterfly wings, hopes to symbolize this reversal.
February 10, 2025 at 1:48 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 9: #ArtYear

This year's #musical at our high school was Something Rotten. My mom-job was lobby decor, especially this #balloon arch. I was quite pleased with my idea to add green felt stems to create tomatoes!

Everyday creativity is such a fun part of #ArtistLife, right?!
Balloon arch over a small indoor concession stand. The red balloons have green felt stems added so that they look like tomatoes, and there are felt sunny-side up eggs on some of the beige balloons.
February 9, 2025 at 2:42 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 8: #Puzzle

This prompt brought back vague memories of helping an #autism linked group plan t-shirts, many moons ago. Turns out it was in 2014.

Saw some other art I'd forgotten I did (😂) as I hunted for the pics - so fun! Will share with another prompt sometime soon :)
Rough pen and marker drawing of 2 stick figures, one adult and one child, over a background of large, colorful overlapping puzzle pieces. The larger figure is kneeling facing the smaller stick figure, with their hands raised towards each other. Simple sharpie drawing. Inside a square are two stick figures, one adult and one child, together placing a large puzzle piece into a puzzle shaped gap in the path.
February 8, 2025 at 2:33 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 7: #FishyFeb

One of my favorites. Who doesn't love #Koi?

Details in ALT; instant download/prints: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1835...
A contemporary watercolor painting with an orange and white koi fish, green lily pads pink flowers, and teal water ripples combine with hand-lettered text: "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7"
February 7, 2025 at 3:20 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 6: Eyes

#Aquinas *also* said:

"What is divinely taught to us by faith cannot be contrary to what we are endowed with by nature."

"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off."

So yes, #Faith. But also, #Science. And #Love.

(Prints/cards: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/4820... )
A bright watercolor of a large mandala-style sun, quote, books, and the head and shoulders of a monk with a tonsure. The hand-lettered text is a quote by Saint Thomas Aquinas: "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible." Surrounded by books (including titles that he authored), St. Thomas Aquinas looks heavenward amidst symbols traditionally associated with him - the sunburst on his chest, Dominican crosses, and fleur-de-lis. Drawn by hand with archival ink pens, I then added color with watercolors.
February 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 5: #ArtYear

Patron of #Weavers and #Healers, St. Anastasia. A recent favorite.

The text is from the chanted #Orthodox Troparion honoring her. A quick search online, and you can listen!

(Prints/cards: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1814... )
#PatronSaint #Catholic #DigitalArt
Saint Anastasia, Patron Saint of Weavers and Healers, is most often pictured as I have painted her in this digital watercolor - with a cross and medicinal flask, in flowing robes with a head-covering. I added a basket-style woven halo. The traditional prayer that I included in curly hand-lettering around the border of the halo is from the chanted Orthodox Troparion. A quick search online, and you can listen and experience its full beauty!
February 5, 2025 at 3:58 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 4: Purple

"Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am..." from 'Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity' (c. 203AD)

#PatronSaints #Catholic #DigitalArt

(Prints/cards: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1715... )
Among contemporary, watercolor heavenly clouds stand two women with halos, in rose pink robes, facing each other. One holds a baby, the other is pregnant, her hands embrace her belly. Saints Perpetua and Felicity, patrons of mothers, expectant mothers, and nursing mothers, were early martyrs in church history (AD 203). The stories of Perpetua, a noble woman with an infant son, and Felicity, a slave who was pregnant and delivered her baby shortly before her death, were recorded in "Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity." The quote within the artwork was drawn from that text. “‘Father, do you see this vessel lying here to be a little pitcher, or something else? Can it be called by any other name than what it is?’ And he said, ‘No.’ ‘Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian’”
February 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
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#FebruARTy Day 3, #SensoryArt prompt: Fluffy

Love how fluffy my little #PunchNeedle sheep turned out!

My first self-designed #pattern and one of the very few that I've actually gotten written into a doc and listed: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/1841...

#embroidery #psalm23 #sheep #peace
February 3, 2025 at 4:13 PM
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My new #RollerSkates!

I'm not that good, but husband and I like to go occasionally. My last pair of rentals were *awful* so I decided to invest in owning. And when I saw an affordable iridescent teal pair?! Yes please.

#Skating in them was so fun. #Joy.
Photo of iridescent roller skates with light teal laces on my feet. My socks, peeking above the tops of the skates, are teal and blue and are one of those intentionally mismatched pairs.
February 3, 2025 at 1:13 AM
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#FebruARTy Day 2: Shoes

Our Lady Undoer of Knots is an ancient devotion (approx 2nd c.)

"Untie the knots that prevent us from being united to God, so that we...may find him in all things." All things! Everyone. 💙

#UndoerOfKnots #CatholicArt
(Prints/cards: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/7202... )
Contemporary watercolor take on a Madonna and child - Mary, with very long wavy brown hair, has a young boy in her lap whose shoes she is tying. The background is a loose dark blue/green watercolor with a few leafy braches and yellow roses scattered in the grass. In curly, hand-lettered text is "Our Lady Undoer of Knots, Pray for us" at the top, and below the figures, "Untie the knots that prevent us from being united to God, so that we, free from sin and error, may find him in all things."
February 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
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It's #FebruARTy Day 1: #BlueSkyArtShow, Light

#2 of my 3-part pattern development project. These are based on my #SerenityPrayer art from 2013, a desert tryptych with the full text of the prayer.

#1 Serenity
#2 Courage (shown here)
#3 Wisdom (still in progress)

#PunchNeedle #WIP #Pattern
Circular punchneedle project still in the plastic hoop. A large mandala-style sun over a contemporary desert with a stylized mesa and cactus. The word "Courage" is centrally placed in large black letters with cactus-like lines poking outwards to add style to the letters.
February 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
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#JanuArty Day 31: Angle

The greatest of these is LOVE. Matters more than faith. What impact does this have on our actions?

This piece felt perfect for the transition into #FebruArty - looking forward to seeing y'all there!

(Prints/cards: dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/5959... )
The word LOVE in block letters in the shape of a heart, with a heart as the center of the O. The heart is filled with loose turquoise watercolor, the background is a bright watercolor red. The hand-lettered text of 1 Corinthians 13:13 wraps around the bright, colorful heart, the letters are in a curly style with red hearts as O's. The text is: "Now Faith, Hope and Love remain, these three; and the greatest of these is Love."
January 31, 2025 at 2:27 PM
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#JanuArty Day 30: Green

Sheep in the midst of wolves; wise as serpents and innocent as doves... Timely? How innocent? What's it really mean?

So fun to design & draw & paint and I loved how it turned out - so of course the prints never sell. 😂 (just in case... dovetailink.etsy.com/listing/9642...)
Watercolor painting of a sleeping dove resting in the coils of a large green and yellow snake. The snake's head rests protectively over the dove's body. The background is jungle-like leaves and vines. The illustration includes curly, hand-lettered text from Matthew 10:16, "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
January 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM