Aaaaand we're back.
The GUT turns one! And we're going LIVE.
Welcome to the Grown-Ups Table (AKA The GUT)! New here? Head over to the introductions and say hello. Wondering how all this works? Here are the basics and links to all the past GUT dispatches, lessons and assignments. Want to get in on weekly drawing prompts and art share, join the GUT’s creative community *and* support the love and hard work that goes into making all this happen? Here’s how:
Helllllooo GUT Friends!!
I’m officially back from my Summer Break, and boy did I miss y’all.1
At the same time, it felt good to shift gears for a few weeks.
I’ve always felt a little scared that if I ever paused on the things I do, or even slowed down, that I might disappear into a void of laziness and never start again. For years I refused to take any meaningful break. But these past three weeks I did it. I made some space. And guess what. Shocker: I’m still here! No disappearing. And I’m feeling all the more ready to dive back into all the questions and curiosity and art and making with y’all. So that worked out. Turns out we can grow and change after all. :)
I heard from some of you that you took a break, too. GOOD ON YOU!2
Let’s ease into a new chapter together.
What have YOU been up to?
While some of you took a break with me, others of you kept drawing! I’m blown away by the beauty GUT members created and shared over the past few weeks. As of this morning there are 2,647 drawings and notes in the Summer Series project chat. (!!!) And I see a lot of new names sharing work in there, too.
A handful of subjects you selected as the the basis for your series: Clouds, “People I love”, Abstract Drawings, Cats, Hands, Awesome Women, Pools, Fruit, Kids, Trees, Shoes, Flowers, Cactus, People, Family, and so much more…. The outcomes are extraordinary. Here’s a tiny selection of single images I grabbed from the chat.
I posted a few images of full series at the end for members. Go check them out for yourself in the chat.
What I’ve been up to.
Aside from out of town guests, a Portland anniversary sing-a-long, seeing Barbie and doing my version of Beach (very different from Ken’s), I’ve been busy ushering my new book How to Say Goodbye into the world. I got to connect with some brilliant folk I love and admire like Maria Popova of the Marginalian, Sari Botton of Oldster, Ned Buskirk of You’re Going to Die, and Amy Sutherland of The Boston Globe. My favorite conversation was with Steve Levitt of Freakonomics fame on his podcast “People I (Mostly) Admire.” Our discussion was real and honest and personal and you can listen to it here. Pardon the crying. It’s mostly from laughter.
Thank YOU for your support with the book, GUT peeps.3 I’m happy to say How to Say Goodbye made into onto the Independent, USA Today, and Bookshop bestseller lists. It will be available in the UK soon. I’m getting notes that it’s connecting with people. As an artist and human, that’s what matters. It feels good.
And with that bit of refection on our Summer past, let’s move ourselves into our present. The FUTURE, even.
Because next week….
The GUT Turns ONE!
Next week is the GUT’s One Year bday. Or anniversary? Whatever we want to call it, it’s been a full year since we first gathered together and drew our delights. I am in awe at the depth and breadth of this community and what we’ve created here in such a short amount of time. We are all over the world! Some of our members have organized in person meet-ups (huzzah!) and created zines of our work. We’ve drawn tens of thousands of drawings and shared them with each other, stretched outside our comfort zones, found connection in a real creative community.
Supported each other through hard times.
I love us.
What’s coming in year 2
Looking forward to our second year, we have an inspiring group Visiting Artists joining us, including folks like Author Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project, Writer-Who-Draws Austin Kleon, Printmaker and Textile Artist Jen Hewett, Nature Journaler and Conservationist Jack Muir Laws, Illustrator Lauren Tamaki, Artist Lena Wolff, Illustrator Carissa Potter, Curator and Author Sara Urist Green, and many more…
We’ll also be focusing on themes like Materials (exploring Watercolor, Graphite, Inks) and Techniques (Cross-Hatching, Gesture Drawing, Blending), Nature Journaling, Visual Storytelling, Drawing and Wellbeing… and much more. If there is a subject or theme you’re interested in exploring, please leave it in the comments below. This may be a quasi-class, but it is a total-conversation.
TELL ME: What do you want more of in the GUT’s Year 2?
Oh wait, did you just leave a comment saying you want to have a meet up and virtual art demonstrations?
WELL IMAGINE THAT….
Sunday, August 20 at 12pm-1pm PST
We’ve been talking about it for a while, so what better day than the GUT’s birthday to go for it. After a year of drawing together we will finally meet in person, put names with faces, and get to know each other a little better and draw (and paint) together on our first live GUT gathering.
In addition to the meet and greet, I’ll offer a basic intro to watercolor techniques and share how *I* paint with watercolor. (Which, I should mention, is more like drawing with paint than actually painting. But whatever, no rules in art.) Then we’ll have some time to just hang out and draw together. We can do some Q&As and share tips and just connect with each other. It’ll be like a GUT dispatch + the art share chat come to life, and online so we can all be there.
Because while the GUT is about art and drawing, it’s really about connecting.
Sound fun?
Supplies! If you want to do the watercolor class, you’ll need watercolors, a brush, water, and paper. Nothing fancy. If you don’t want to watercolor, that’s great, too. Bring whatever supplies you want to use, and hang out and draw.
TO REGISTER: This special GUT DrawTogether gathering is for subscribers - AKA GUT members. (Scholarships available for those experiencing financial hardship. Email me. Supporting members make this possible. TYSM.)
Here is the link to register: