JR: The Chronicles of San Francisco

I went to perhaps the most exciting art opening I've ever been to the other evening. The mural artist JR has created a video mural featuring 1200 San Franciscans that he filmed all around town in his mobile photo van studio. I kept hearing that it was a "video mural" but I didn't understand what that meant. It means: all the people move. Not every single one is moving all the time, but they all do things at different times -- plus, the whole thing is scrolling very slowly sideways (the complete piece being longer than the very long screen it's displayed upon. The mural is in the free area of SFMOMA which means it's open to the public, for free, any time the museum is open. The myriad faces of our city it offers are truly inspiring, and I'm not alone in thinking so. This was by far the largest crowd I've ever seen at an art event in my life. The thing is hard to photograph (if you're local you really need to just go see it) but below are my best attempts.

Color Poem #88

I think
about
different
shades
of pink
all the
time

Amazon Reviews, Please?

If you've read and enjoyed either of my new books -- How Was Your Day? or The Secret Art of Being a Parent -- would you consider doing me a favor and writing a review of it (or them) on amazon? In today's algorithmic world, amazon reviews really do quite a lot to help other people discover (and buy!) books. The links to each book's page are above. You don't have to have bought the book there to do it. And I would be forever grateful.

June Workshops

We had our first entirely sold-out workshop at Open Studio the other night! The inimitable Giselle Gyalzen (of Rare Device fame) taught best practices for wholesaling to a full house of awesome makers, designers, and artists (above).

Here's what's coming up in June!

THE ART OF THE SIDE HUSTLE: LEARNING TO CHASE YOUR DREAMS WITHOUT TRIPPING OVER REALITY WITH BECKI SINGER, 6/8

RESEARCH SKILLS FOR WRITERS WITH SHWETA JHA, 6/9

THOUGHTFUL MARKETING FOR CREATIVE HUMANS WITH KATHRYN JALLER, 6/15

CREATIVITY BOOT CAMP FOR WRITERS - HOW TO FIRE UP YOUR WORK AND CRAFT SOMETHING SHAPELY & BEAUTIFUL WITH BRIDGET QUINN, 6/29

Apples

Mabel said apples are boring. I felt strongly that no, they weren't. The names alone, I started to argue. But then I remembered there is no point in arguing with an eight year old about what is or is not boring. Indeed, maybe she's even right. Maybe they are boring and maybe that's exactly why I love them so much. So I decided to draw some. Personally, I think this one of the best drawings I've ever made in my life. So there you go.

Kid/Grown-Up Art

Just realized I never showed you the results from my Kids and Grown-Ups Making Art Together class at Handcraft Studio School last month! It was so fun to get out all the art supplies and the great big paper and help these parent/child duos create and make marks together. I knew it would be fun for the kids, and I hoped it would be inspiring for the parents, but what I hadn't realized was how inspiring I would find it myself -- both watching their art-making happen, and appreciating the visual wit and brilliance of the finished pieces. See for yourself!

Color Poem #87

when the child
who normally favors
all the colors all the patterns
all the sparkles and ruffles and
glittery words she can get her hands on
tells you she needs a plain black dress and
plain black leggings the simplest possible outfit she
can envision so that she can sing tis a gift to be simple in the
school talent show acapella while doing an interpretive dance you
buy the dress

HOW Design Live

I spoke on publishing -- how visual creatives such as designers and illustrators can (and should!) be book authors -- at the HOW Design Live the other week. And I got, in turn, to hear many impressive, entertaining, and just drop-dead amazing speakers on the main stage. Alas, I don't have any pictures of myself speaking but here are a few of my impressions.

Community Creative and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at Open Studio

I was delighted and honored to get to host the inaugural gathering of Community Creative -- an endeavor to connect nonprofits with writers and designers who want to donate their skills to nonprofits -- at Open Studio the other evening. It's being launched by Carrie Me Away (pictured above), a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, so an added bonus of the evening were all the fabulous drag nun looks on display. Take a peek!

Crisco

This one time, several years ago, I drew a can of Crisco. To this day I go back and forth about whether I need to be able to explain clearly in words why this is profoundly meaningful to me, or whether the drawing by itself is enough. I have not yet decided.