2026 Lavender Mail Club Report: What Building a Mail Club Has Taught Me

I recently launched my mail club on my website in hopes of reaching new audiences with my art. I've had a Patreon for several years and have been sending mail to supporters for quite some time, so this wasn't entirely a new endeavor. It was more of a rebrand, an opportunity to expand my reach, refine the rewards, and create something that felt more aligned with where I am as an artist today.

I've had a decent number of new sign ups over the last few months, but it hasn't been the fairy tale surge of members that social media seems to highlight. Instead, I get the sense that my journey into the mail club world will be quieter and more deliberate.

But I am happy to say that growth is happening, and to me this has become a challenge!  I’ve determined that my path forward for my art and mail club is to show up in consistency, refinement, and a deeper understanding of what I'm building as both an artist and a small business owner.

I'm learning that slow growth doesn't always mean stagnation.

Sometimes, it means building a system of roots.

A Little About Myself

I've spent over a decade creating art, and the last six years have been under the name Lavendercat.

Over the course of my artistic career, I've painted many different subjects, but what I've consistently been drawn to are portraits in my signature style: beautifully eerie women with striking eyes and vibrant colors. My work is heavily inspired by anime and manga, something I became obsessed with as a young girl. That influence is easy to spot today, especially in the eyes.

I began my journey as Lavendercat by participating in art challenges on Instagram that genuinely fascinated me. Over time, I refined my style through paintings of Oni girls, mushroom girls, witches, and other feminine oddities.

While my work still retains that recognizable style, it has evolved considerably. These days, I include animals, mythical creatures, and even incorporating landscapes. I've also found myself exploring themes of spirituality, fantasy, and mysticism. My artist spirit is constantly drawn toward refining my skills and developing a deeper connection with the subjects I paint.

Why Mail Clubs Are Having A Moment

As I've been growing my own mail club, I've paid closer attention to what other artists are creating.

Mail clubs, especially artist mail clubs, have steadily grown in popularity, and it's easy to see why. People are craving connection, surprise, and physical objects that feel personal again. Snail mail asks us to slow down. It invites us to open something, hold it in our hands, and spend time with it instead of quickly swiping past it on a screen.

I've noticed that many artists are expanding beyond simply sending a print each month. Their mail clubs often have a distinct atmosphere, a recognizable theme, aesthetic, or experience that reflects who they are as creators.

Observing that has encouraged me to look more critically at what I offer and how I can continue refining both my mail club and my own body of work.

What I've come to realize is that mail clubs are about much more than the items themselves. They create an experience that feels increasingly rare in our digital world. They foster a connection between artist and collector.

Subscribers aren't simply purchasing prints and stickers. They're stepping into an artist's world, their themes, rituals, inspirations, and growth.

That realization has helped me better understand what I want Lavender Mail Club to become.

My goal is to make it feel like a cohesive gallery arriving in your mailbox. I want the artwork to feel intentional and exclusive, and I'd love to include more behind-the-scenes elements in the future, perhaps even sketches and other pieces that don't appear anywhere else.

Refining Instead of Rushing

In 2026, I've found myself focusing more on refinement than reinvention.

Rather than constantly jumping from one idea to the next like the chaotic artist that I truly am, I've been working on Collections. This allows my work to breathe over the course of several months. From Oni girls, to angels, to Sushi heads and now to clowns and jesters, these recurring motifs create cohesion within my work and give collectors something familiar to return to. 

The same philosophy has carried over into my mail club.

I've been improving the packaging, adding small surprise elements, and making the overall experience feel more thoughtful and intentional. It's less about doing more and more about doing things better.

That kind of refinement doesn't always show up immediately in numbers, but it shows up in confidence. It shows up in the quality of the work. And it shows up in the people who continue to stick around.

Choosing the Long Game

There are moments when I wish things were moving faster. Times when I look at other artists' flourishing mail clubs or booming shops and wonder what I'm missing.

But comparison has a way of erasing context.

Everyone's path looks different behind the scenes.

I recently wrapped up Fan Expo Denver, the first (and one of the biggest) conventions of my 2026 season. For the first time, I watched my original art designs dramatically overtake my fan art sales. I also sold a record number of original paintings: nine in just four days.

That experience felt like confirmation that the work I've been doing behind the scenes is paying off.

This year, I've focused heavily on developing original concepts, refining my skills, and diversifying my subject matter while keeping everything within the Lavendercat style. I believe that shift has played a major role in my success throughout 2026. My booth layout has likely contributed as well (thank you hubs).

What I know for certain is this:

I'm building something sustainable

Something that reflects my love for color, darkness, duality, and the strange beauty found in things that are a little weird. 

Something that is uniquely “me”.

And I look forward to having you come along on this road with me and see where I end up ❤️.