The Secret Art of Being a Grown-Up

Here are a few spreads from my book The Secret Art of Being a Grown-Up for your reading enjoyment (just click to enlarge to a readable size). If by any chance you've already read the book, and if by chance you happen to be a person who's in the habit of writing amazon reviews, I'd be honored if you'd consider reviewing my book, here.

Commissions for Charity

Based on the success of my milk carton in the Artists Take Action auction, I've started doing a new thing where folks can commission me to make them a drawing of whatever they would like in exchange for their donating a chunk of cash to a worthy organization (they pick the charity they'd like to donate to, I just sign off on it so we're agreed).

The first two such deals I did are here. The lovely Kim Ballesteros wanted a picture of a cassette tape and a pencil, and donated to Preemptive Love Coalition. Rockstar Jennifer Cooper asked for pens and pencils (a pencil theme is for sure emerging) and donated to Days for Girls.

If you want me to draw something for you, for which you'd donate to a great organization, just let me know! And I will also do the same thing with signed copies of my books if you're into that.

Coloring

Even when the image itself is hazy, there remains something about the way the old Polaroid film captured light that I never will get over.

Manet

I was particularly taken with these images by Édouard Manet featured the other day over on my father's art blog Spencer Alley. They made me realize again something I apparently need to realize over and over again, which is that I actually do really like Impressionism -- I just need to see paintings I haven't already seen a million times before in order to access a pure and fresh enjoyment of their lovely and revolutionary qualities (as opposed to the masterpieces that have been so cliche-ified by coffee mugs and mouse pads and dentist office framed posters that it's nearly impossible to actually see them at all).

Color Poem #11

mabel has those bath crayons made of soap for
drawing on the porcelain and tile around the tub

a dozen bright colors she uses to make spirals and
people then wipe them away with her washcloth

but in one spot now
some color clings in a
vertical line of grout

a vibrant periwinkle
that resists removal

How Art Can Make You Happy on Instagram

One of the great many delightful things since my books have been published has been watching delightful people -- some friends, some creatives I work with, some complete strangers -- post images of How Art Can Make You Happy on Instagram. The images are gorgeous and frequently show how art makes the person in question happy. I love it. Here's a sampling!

Image above: Jen Jacobs (including some of her stunning new paintings)

Martha Rich

Kelly Beall

Leah Rosenberg (this one is actually a still from an amazing tiny video of the book Leah made!)

Case for Making

Art Lab Pins

Carissa Potter

Danny Gregory

Drop Forge & Tool

Helen Davis

Kelly Hieronymus

Lisa Solomon

Olivia Locher

Rae Dunn

Sara Barnes

Sonya Philip

Sous Commandant

Sophie Blackall

Susannah Conway

Nao Nagamura

Marlo Johnson

Being a Part of Artists Take Action

I was so very honored and inspired to take part in May's Artists Take Action auction. My drawing of a milk carton was among nine things auctioned off, with all proceeds -- over $1500 total! -- going directly to Meals on Wheels. I've talked before about how much I love and admire this endeavor, so to get to take part in it as an art-maker was incredibly exciting.

Afternoon Snack

I remember so vividly the child dressed like this at a year-and-a-half old -- in a borrowed fleece jacket, too-long jeans, and the softest white lambkin hat -- how can this be more than five years ago? HOW?! The mystery of the universe.

Art Market SF

Art Market San Francisco was extra good this year. From the moment you walked in and were greeted by Lisa Solomon's 1000 knots installation (detail above, shown in its entirety below) you knew you were in for a treat. Here is an entirely subjective sampling of stuff I liked --

Kindah Khalidy

Phil Shaw

Phil Shaw (detail)

Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst

Eduardo Sarabia

Butch Anthony

Dave Eggers

Bobbie Burgers

Chris Gwaltney

Gary Komarin

John Halcomb

Barbara MacFarlane

Xenia Hausner

Davis Cone

Brian Rutenberg

Jasmina Danowski

Kindah Khalidy

David Becker

Suzan Woodruff (detail)

Alexander Kori Girard

Micah Crandall-Bear

Pierre Marie Brisson

Jim Christensen