SocialA Drawing That Sparked a Movement
A few years ago, designer and illustrator Maria Fabrizio found herself at a creative crossroads. After earning a BFA from the University of South Carolina and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, she launched her own studio. But she still felt unsure of her direction—until one moment changed everything.
When the pope resigned, Maria drew a minimalist vector illustration: a pope hat hanging on a hat rack. “It seemed like a really big deal since it hadn’t happened in centuries,” she said. The image felt like a quiet way to capture a major global moment. She posted it on her blog. A few people noticed and encouraged her to continue.
That post marked the beginning of what would become Wordless News.
A Newsletter Finds Its Audience
Maria started creating daily illustrations inspired by the news and sharing them through a blog. To reach more people, she opened a Mailchimp account and began emailing the artwork to subscribers. At first, her list grew slowly—then exploded after NPR featured Wordless News on Morning Edition in 2014.
“It really became a big thing for my career,” she said. She went from focusing mainly on design work to balancing it with illustration. She even began contributing editorial illustrations to NPR.
Passion Over Profit
Maria intentionally avoids advertising in her newsletter. “I believe the white space around the images allows room for thought,” she explains. While she earns some income from selling prints on her website, monetization was never her goal.
“I’ve had so many people suggest I try to generate income from Wordless News, but I’m not willing to sacrifice the clarity of the site for income,” she says. “It’s my passion project and my creative habit. It teaches me about my visual process, forces me to flex my conceptual muscles and allows me to experiment, fail, and learn.”
Email as a Creative Connector
Using Mailchimp gave Maria a direct channel to reach new audiences and clients. More importantly, it gave her a platform for connection. She could get feedback, spark conversations, and push people to think more deeply about the world.
“Email is a way to start a conversation,” she says. “Opening up a channel for conversation, criticism, encouragement, and dialogue in general allows for a more connected community.”
