Meet The Artist

I was born and raised in Chicago, a city of art and creativity. My father was an artist who attended the Chicago Art Institute, and I of course wanted to be just as talented as he. My mother supported my love for making things and made sure I had all of the supplies I needed. I began with drawing and making collages of my favorite characters, superheroes, shows, and really anything I felt passionate about.

As I began to expand my creative endeavors, August in Chicago, my first creative business was born. I started dabbling in using different mediums to create things like jewelry, clay dishes, candles, and so much more. I made my own stamps and business cards and went to craft shows, really throwing myself into the scene. Although I enjoyed making things and being in the business of creating, I had a hard time finding my niche. 

I left the city in 2017 and moved to Maryland. It took some time to settle into this different lifestyle. I went from a fast-paced on the go city life, to quiet neighborhood surrounded by farmland,  mountains, trees, and wildlife. I tried to keep up with August in Chicago but I felt disconnected from it, even down to the name of my shop. 

Finally, I changed my name to Autumn in August and everything fell back into place. I picked up burning again and remembered how much I loved it. The smell, the way the pen would glide across the piece, and the patience it took to create something. It finally clicked, that I found my thing, my niche. So I invested in a high quality wood burner and a ton of wood slabs and got to work creating things. I started off simple and safe, making cute home décor until I got my first custom request in 2019 for a project I'd never attempted before. The customer loved it! It was after that, that I finally realized I was playing it safe this whole time. I began perfecting my pieces and challenging myself - taking on designs that required more detail and patience. I started getting requests for dog portraits and absolutely fell in love with it. I was a dog handler, in doggy daycare and boarding facilities for 7 years prior to goin back to school and doing dog portraits helped me feel like I was still connected to that life. 

August marks 3 years that I've found my passion and have been spending every chance I get to perfect it. 

Outside of my business, I wear many hats.  I am a dog mom 4 wild pups - Zeus, Kora, Polu and Dudley.  I am an unofficial powerlifter, meaning I train as one but do not compete. I am a fulltime student working on my bachelors in social work, hoping to combine my previous dog handling and training knowledge to utilize service dogs with teens and children. My long term goal for my business is to continue to perfect my skill and grow Autumn in August as much as I humanly can; to spread art and love to everyone who visits my shop.

I hope you all enjoy and I appreciate the support I've been given the last few years from everyone. 

Thank you

- Elizabeth