Teaching at Handcraft Studio School

On Saturday I taught my Publishing for Creatives class at Handcraft Studio School, a very cool workshop venue that just happens to be in my very own hometown of of El Cerrito. I only took photos while we were setting up (because once the class got started I was far too busy chatting about publishing), but they do give you an idea of how utterly charming a place it is - from the decor to the refreshments right down to the Kindah Khalidy mural in the bathroom. And you get to see my little materials set-ups (featuring Chronicle Books notebooks with art by Hartland Brooklyn, Rifle Paper Co., Jane Kim, Virginia Johnson, and others) of which I am inordinately proud.

Sunday Outing

Usually my family goes elsewhere on Sunday afternoons and I get work done writing books and stuff. But having recently turned in a manuscript I am a bit more free and easy at the moment, so Mabel and I had a ladies' day out this weekend. We had coffee (well, chocolate milk and cookies for her) and watched the passing parade. And I officially indoctrinated her into one of my own great childhood pleasures: Archie comics! And we went to the museum and found a new piece of art by an artist neither of us had ever seen before: Elizabeth Murray. It was great.

Tape

A picture of tape I made in 2016. Drawing plaid is really fun.

1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair

I was busy recapping and recapping my New York art experiences, but then I went on vacation and got sidetracked by the art I saw while traveling. So am just now realizing I never did put up my final NYC 2018 Art Friday post which is this one right here. And it's a humdinger! So here we go!

As is usually the case with big art fairs, during Frieze weekend in New York, other art fairs happen too. I went and saw the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair and it was utterly fantastic. Here are some of the amazing things that caught my eye at the several dozen galleries exhibiting.

Above: Alice Mann (this photos series of South African drum majorettes--called "drummies"--was my absolute favorite thing of the show, and a good deal more of it is woven in below for your enjoyment)

Elias Sime (detail)

Elias Sime (detail)

Sanle Sory

Uthman Whaab

Thameur Mejri

Lawrence Lemaoana

Lawrence Lemaoana

Alice Mann

Fredric Bruly Bouabre & Alighiero Boetti

Fatoumata Diabate

Kassou Seydou

Ruth Ossai

Derrick Adams

Senzeni Marasela

Kyle Meyer

Kyle Meyer

Ralph Ziman (those are beads)

Ronan McKenzie

Ronan McKenzie

Yinka Shonibare

Yinka Shonibare

Rahima Gambo

Rahima Gambo

Rahima Gambo

Elias Sime

Pieter Hugo

Kassou Seydou

Kassou Seydou

Ralph Ziman
 

Baya

Pieter Hugo

Ibrahim El-Salahi

Keyezua

Malala Andrialavidrazana

Omar Victor Diop

Alice Mann

Alice Mann

Alice Mann

Alice Mann

Ralph Ziman (beads! 70 million of them!)

Color Poem #56

the pink champagne
turned out to be the
same purpley red of
both its label and the
stripes on the dahlias

How Was Your Day? - Cover!

I'm beyond thrilled to reveal the cover for How Was Your Day? A Journal For Everyday Wonders. This is a guided journal (a guided journal, for those not in the know on the publishing lingo, is one of those journals that offers you questions and prompts to write about, with blank spaces for you to write your answers) that not only did I write but, yes, I also made the artwork for! My level of excitement, and nervousness, about this endeavor is vast. And I can't wait to show you more about it as the publication date approaches. But, for now, take a gander at that cover! Drawing of notepad and pencil by me, design (among other things: those rainbow letters!) by the inimitable Kristen Hewitt of Chronicle Books.