December Update~!

Building, Expanding, and Preparing for a Transformative 2026

As we step into the final weeks of the year, The Art Collective International has been deep in a season of building, restructuring, refining, and quietly planting seeds for the year ahead. While much of our work happens behind the scenes, we wanted to take a moment to share what’s been happening across all of our studios — and what’s coming next for the ACI community.

This year has been one of intentional growth.
Not rushed, not chaotic (well, a little chaotic), but grounded, strategic, and aligned with our mission:
To create accessible, meaningful, and transformative art experiences — and to build a creative ecosystem where artists and art lovers thrive together.

Let’s catch you up on what’s been happening.

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🌟 1. Content Expansion & Video Production

Over the last few months, we’ve been reshaping how we create and share content across platforms. You’ll be seeing:

🎥 Studio B/Vlogs

Peek inside each studio:

• Lee Hansheng Studios (LHS)

• Chris Foster Design (CFD)

• Storm Garden Studio

• Dazzle & Daggers Design (DDD)

• Maizi.exe

From quiet painting moments to resin pours, color tests, miniature work, and digital explorations — we want to bring you closer to the creative heartbeat of each studio.

🎨 Process Videos & Tutorials

Short, clear, educational. Watercolor, mixed media, drawing, digital painting, and the techniques that bring artwork to life.

🌱 Community & Course Updates

Behind-the-scenes of our ACI Skool development process, including drafts, lessons in progress, and upcoming major releases. An entire photo library built from the community and us!

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🌸 2. ACI Skool: Growing an Educational Home

It’s been a big year for ACI Skool — and next year will be even bigger.

We’ve added:

• Weekly themes + more daily creative prompts

• New community tabs for sharing work, discussions, and reference libraries

• Room for featured artists, spotlight posts, and collaborative challenges

• Backend systems to support our moderators and keep the space safe and welcoming

Coming soon:

• Large, professional-level courses from foundations to advanced studies

• A better onboarding system

• More structured feedback days

• Member-driven learning paths

We’re building a platform that feels like a hybrid of art school, open studio, community center, and mentorship circle — without the gatekeeping.

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🎨 3. Studio Projects & New Collections

All ACI studios have been quietly working on upcoming releases for 2026. Here’s a glimpse:

Lee Hansheng Studios (LHS):

• New pieces in the Celestial Dreamscape series

• “Fuck Fascism” series expansions

• Temple of Silence and winter collection pieces

• Scroll artworks in progress, maybe even stained glass

Chris Foster Design (CFD):

• Miniature botanical and mycology paintings

• Art Nouveau mixed-drink series

• Resin-set miniatures in new frame styles

Storm Garden Studio (SGS):

• Nature-inspired mixed media

• Atmospheric landscapes
  

Dazzle & Daggers Design (DDD):

• Kawaii-inspired visuals

• Bold illustrations with texture and pattern focus

• New sticker ranges and accessories

Maizi.exe:

• Digital content creation

• Tech-focused art & brand integration

• Backend support for ACI’s evolving infrastructure

2026 is shaping up to be the most diverse and complete year of ACI output yet.

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🛠️ 4. Backend Improvements & Infrastructure Upgrades

Quiet but essential — these updates allow us to scale.

We’ve been:

• Rebuilding and refining internal systems

• Updating shipping processes
  

• Refining store categories, product descriptions, and SEO

• Strengthening operational structures

• Improving moderation protocols for scammer detection and safety

These upgrades set the stage for more efficient operations, better customer experience, and smoother workflows as our community grows.

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🌐 5. Strengthening Community & Collaboration

This year, ACI deepened connections across multiple creative networks and community spaces.

Highlights:

• Co-working and collaboration 

• Expanding our own ACI community through prompts, feedback, and education

• Supporting fellow artists, writers, makers, and small studio owners

• Preparing for more cross-studio collaboration projects in 2026

Community is at the core of everything we build, and we’ve been shaping ACI to support creators for the long term.

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✨ 6. What’s Next: A Look Into 2026

2026 will bring:

• Major course releases on ACI Skool

• More video content across YouTube, IG, and Skool

• Featured Artist programs

• New seasonal collections

• Behind-the-scenes access for Patreon supporters

• A more integrated multi-studio ecosystem

• Collaborative creative projects across ACI

This next chapter is about expansion — with intention, authenticity, and community at the center.

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❤️ To Our Supporters~ Thank You!

Thank you for being with us.
For watching, reading, collecting, learning, sharing, and showing up for small artists and independent studios.

Art thrives when community thrives.
And you’ve helped us build something beautiful, amazing, and real~ something we can keep growing for years to come.

We’re excited for the next chapter, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

— The Art Collective International (ACI)
When words fail, art bridges the silence.