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fanart and commissions

sketches, oc's and studies

I’ve taken a new direction in my artistic journey, and my alias has changed. You can now support me as @astralis.png or visit my website at https://illustrations.astralstudio.art/. Thank you so much for being here!

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currently under hiatus

VOGHT PARK MURAL

concept

In August 2024, I was approached by the president of the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council, Mischelle Pierce, about creating a mural for Voght Park in Merritt. After visiting the site, I developed a digital draft in Procreate to explore the composition, themes, and overall atmosphere of the piece.This initial design was meant to set the direction of the mural and serve as a foundation for further refinement as the project moved forward.

results

The mural was painted in 2025 by Summer Students Karri Kroeker and Janelle Gage, using my approved draft as the basis for the work. The finished piece follows the original composition and imagery I developed, though it reflects the draft stage of the design rather than a fully refined version.Even so, seeing the concept translated onto the walls of Voght Park brought colour and movement to the space, and helped shape a welcoming atmosphere for the community. The project was featured in the Merritt Herald, where I spoke about the ideas and intentions behind the mural:

The summer of 2025 saw many City Arts projects completed, among them one of our favourites - the washrooms at Voght Park, near the dog park. Designed by digital artist Astralis Snee and painted by our summer team Janelle Gage and Kari Kroeker, this mural brings joy to all who walk or drive by. Vibrant colours, an engaging design, and a cute Instagram background - this mural has it all.Artist Astralis Snee talks about their creative process for this mural:When the NVCAC's president, Mischelle, asked me to create a mural in Merritt, I was thrilled. Street art surrounded me
growing up in Chile, and my favourite metro station, Universidad de Chile, is covered from floor to ceiling in a mural. Waiting
for the metro there was never tiresome—I could always discover new details and piece together the story being told without
a single word.

While my work in Merritt was on a smaller, more humble scale, I felt the mural needed to speak for itself. I asked myself:
What do I think of Merritt? What do I want others to know about this city when they see this mural? That’s how the creative
process began.
I wanted the mural—especially its main facade—to convey "opportunity" and "community" through vibrant colours, dynamic
shapes, and playful elements.Diversity matters to me, which is why the children on the hill reflect different backgrounds. I
also wanted to honour Indigenous peoples: the main face overlooking the valley features colours and braids often
associated with Indigenous identity, and two qimmit sit on the lower corners, their gaze directed toward the centre, serving
as a symbolic cornerstone. These dogs were significant to many Indigenous nations in what we now call Canada. Their
history has been tragically affected by colonialism, yet they continue to exist, and their bond with humans and historical
contribution endure. Creating a mural for a dog park felt like the perfect opportunity to include them, even if they weren’t
specific to the traditional territories of the Nlaka’pamux and Syilx peoples.

I hope visitors can enjoy the park with their dogs, surrounded by the enthusiastic burst of colour from my digital design,
faithfully brought to life by Karianne and Janelle, and that it makes locals and visitors alike feel welcome beyond the park
itself, connecting with Merritt’s rich cultural heritage and diversity.

free sample brushes

click on the name of the brush kit to download

google drive will show the file as a folder but it is a single file meant to be open by procreate.
brushes wont work by using their single components separately.

these links were made possible by: N/A | digital art junky | paperlike] | loish | _spec

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clarification

21 March 2025

Hi there! I saw my name today in the Merritt Herald.I’d like to clarify that I’m non-binary and go by they/them pronouns. While I was recently mentioned in a local newspaper, I was unfortunately misgendered. I know mistakes happen, and I appreciate everyone who makes the effort to get it right.Second, I also want to clarify that while I was part of the design process for the city’s new marmot mascot, the version they went with is quite different from my original concept. It’s not something I feel represents my work, and I’d rather not be associated with the final design.I’m still grateful for the opportunity and everyone’s support. Thanks for understanding!#CityOfMerritt #TheMerrittHerald