The Squonk is a legendary cryptid rumored to inhabit the hemlock forests of Pennsylvania. The Squonk is a shy, perpetually miserable creature with loose and wrinkled skin and a sad expression. According to legen, the Squonk is so embarrassed by their appearance that they spend most of their time hiding and crying. If you try to catch the Squonk, it will get so upset that it will dissolve itself completely into a puddle of tears!
I learned of the Squonk, arguably the most relatable of cryptids, in July 2011 and created a simple illustration of him. Sharing it to my Blogspot account, I had no clue he would take on a life and fandom of his own!
I had absolutely no idea just how viral he became until 2023, when someone tracked me down and tagged me in fan art of my design on Instagram! I couldn’t believe it! A drawing I made more than a decade earlier had developed its own following, and renewed an interest and love of this lesser-known crypid!
Since then, I have trademarked my original design and have embraced its unexpected life as a character and piece of meme culture! I’ve created merchandise featuring this lovable crybaby on everything from keychains, bumper stickers, greeting cards, enamel pins, shirts and more. All of this is available in my Etsy shop! He has even been a part of Brat Box during their crypid-themed month!
So far, I have found my Squonk on a variety of websites, celebrity pages and even spotted a few tattoos of him! What started as a simple character study has turned into something I could have never predicted! This silly and strange cryptid has traveled across the internet and reached millions of viewers. I’m so glad that the Squonk has found a life of its own and inspired so many others to love and create artwork about the Squonk!
