"Art happens when anyone in the world takes any kind of material and fashions it into a deliberate statement."
—Thomas Hoving
Exploring the kick-ass geography, history, diversity, and modern culture of the Show Me State from our headquarters in Possum Trot, MO
A nostalgic and continuing appreciation—through art and illustration—for Kansas City's beloved Penguin Park
Coming soon
Look for the "Radial Drift Studio / Kevin Worley" brand on Amazon
Look for the "Radial Drift Studio / Kevin Worley" brand on Amazon
Why "Radial Drift"?
I've always been someone who does things differently—intentionally or not.
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was in kindergarten. Although the disease is no longer active, I still carry the physical effects from those early years. Fortunately, the toll on my body has remained relatively mild compared to what many experience.
One interesting result of arthritis is a common deformity in the fingers—a gradual, outward bend toward the pinky, known as "ulnar deviation" or "ulnar drift."
But of course, I was different.
Years ago, when I was a patient at Shriners Children's Hospital in St. Louis, I was called into a large conference room where a panel of doctors evaluated my case. At one point, the lead physician turned to me and asked, for everyone to hear:
"Can you tell the doctors here what makes your hands unusual?"
"Yes," I replied confidently—having already learned all the clinical names for the bones in the body. "My hands show a radial drift."
To this day, my fingers curve not toward the pinky, like most with arthritis, but toward the thumbs. Unusual? Maybe. But I see it as something unique and even a little special.
Like swimming against the current—just like the image in my logo—I've always gone my own way: independently, creatively, and often unexpectedly.
And that’s the spirit behind Radial Drift Studio.
© Kevin Worley and Worldwide Tiger LLC