Happy Sunday, Reader!

Greetings from Sheboygan, where I am still recovering from the Shine On-athon. (Should we attempt that again?) Thanks to everyone who showed up and said hi!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Adults are ruining everything.

Exhibit A is the art of collecting.

Take baseball cards. At the risk of sounding like Grandpa Simpson, when I was a kid, packs cost fifty cents and came with fifteen cards. My brothers and I rode our bikes to the card shop and spent our allowance chasing the last card we needed to complete a set. Every pack felt like an adventure. Occasionally, we'd save up for a whole box or get one for Christmas.

Then adults took over.

Collecting stopped being about the fun of trading with friends and became all about rare inserts and making money.

I'd love to share the hobby with my sports-loving son, but it's barely recognizable. Back then, a $15 box held 36 packs—540 cards. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $40 today.

Now, a box costs around $70 and contains just six packs, for a total of 72 cards. The selling point isn't the cards themselves—it's the chance to find autographs, relics, patch cards, and color parallels (whatever those are). It even warns that special insert packs may contain fewer cards.

Cool, cool.

Sorry, son, no baseball cards for you. Dad has a mortgage to pay.

I don't begrudge people who treat baseball cards as an investment strategy; I just wish there were still an option for those who want to collect them for fun.

For kids, that's the whole point, and it always has been.

We recently hosted a virtual Ice Cream Social in The Wonderground. We had an energetic discussion about the collections we had as kids. Things like stickers, stamps, bottle caps, tigers, tractors, unicorns, Matchbox cars, and Garbage Pail Kids were brought up. (You had to be there for Kim's explanation of her empty Tic Tac box collection.)

The subjects were diverse, but the common denominator was FUN.

Until adults proceed to ruin it.

Believe me, Adultitis is all over the art world, too. I created Wondernite to help counteract the stuffy galleries, pretentious gatekeepers, and astronomical prices that are more about reflecting status than the quality of the work.

I believe art collecting should be fun and accessible to everyone. Sure, I sell original paintings, but I consider anyone who has ever owned a print, calendar, or even a sticker with my art on it as an art collector.

That's what inspired the creation of The Collector Club, which is open to Founding Collectors who want to secure the very first release. I wanted to make it affordable and fun. And there's little more fun than receiving a surprise in the mail every month. I can't wait to see the diverse and creative ways people will store, display, and enjoy their collection. If you like my art, I hope you'll check it out, but more than that, I want to offer a warning and some encouragement.

Collecting as an investment strategy or a way to show off can invite Adultitis to take over.

These days, I collect Funko Pop figures. I took my stand against Adultitis early on. Retired ones can go for a pretty penny, but I specifically remove mine from their boxes and throw the boxes away (gasp!) because I collect them for FUN, not a retirement strategy.

Again, there's nothing wrong with collecting things with the intent of making money. I just want to remind you that it's not the only reason to collect something.

You're still allowed to collect things just for fun!

I hope you are already collecting something that brings you joy, even — especially? — if it's nerdy, weird, or completely devoid of any possible commercial gain. If not, maybe today is an opportunity to resume a collection from your childhood.

Remember, the best part about collections is the connections we make with others.

Making a trade with a fellow collector and admiring one another's favorite pieces.

A parent keeping an eye out on their travels for the thing their child is missing.

The celebratory joy of finally finding that long-sought-after treasure with your spouse at the out-of-the-way antique store.

The conversation with a person elated that an important possession from a late relative is finding new life with someone who will appreciate it just as much.

The crazy stories you can tell about how you secured your rarest item.

The memories you make in sharing your collection with grandchildren.

A one-of-a-kind gift from a friend who said, "I saw this and thought of you."

Collecting anything for the love of it is extremely anti-Adultitis behavior.

Those stories, connections, and memories we accumulate along the way are the best collection of all.

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What do you still collect? Share your thoughts (and photos!) with me, join the conversation in The Wonderground, or spend time this week recording them in your journal.

Stay young and stay fun,

P.S.

Someday, there will be hundreds…maybe thousands…of Collector Club members. Only one group will ever be able to say, “I was there when it began.” Here's a fun video about why I created The Collector Club and what you can expect if you become a member: ​

• ​Pasta Art is not Just for Preschoolers​
• ​Don't Believe Your Eyes, This is NOT Fried Chicken!​
• ​Battle of the Pencils​
  ....read more in The Wonderground

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