GUT Visiting Artist: Julia Rothman
A reflective drawing exercise to start the year off right
Happy 2023 GUT friends! Launching the Grown-Ups Table was definitely a 2022 highlight. Beyond that, I’m personally thrilled to be done with last year and extra ready to start fresh. After 12 days of Covid, I finally tested negative for Covid yesterday, and I’m starting to get some energy back. (Thanks for all the well wishes everyone!) I loved seeing everyone’s drawn holiday views over on the chat. It was a great way to lear more about about each other homes and traditions - and wrap up 2022 together.
NOTE: Today is the last day to order a 2023 DrawTogether Sweatshirt, then they are gone! ORDER YOURS HERE.
I can’t think of a better way to kick off the year than with a special dispatch from a very special visiting artist, my friend and all around amazing illustrator…
GUT Visiting Artist: Julia Rothman!
I’ve been looking forward to a GUT visit with Julia for a long time. You have seen Julia’s illustrations everywhere from the New York Times, to her latest children’s book, to her wallpaper, to her all her books (anatomy! Sex! more kids books!), to Stores, to her new Patreon (I highly recommend subscribing.)
You name it, she’s done it. Plus Julia’s taught at RISD and SVA, she co-founded Ladies Drawing Night, and she and I created the database Women Who Draw together back in 2016. (Or was it 2017? What is time.)
Julia + Wendy = some backstory
Julia and I met back in 2014. Or 2013. We both had books coming out from Chronicle Books at the same time (hers = Hello New York, mine = Meanwhile in San Francisco.) We’d never met in person, but one day, out of the blue, Julia called me on the phone and suggested we join forces and co-promote our books. “Let’s not make it SF or NY, let’s make it SF and NY. Everyone wins.”
It was some creative jiu-jitsu: with one simple reframe, Julia turned a potentially competitive situation into a collaborative one. We ended up doing book-launch events together in both cities, and more important, becoming very close friends. And while we can both be competitive (note that photo of above) ever since that first call, we talk openly about potentially sensitive work stuff, diffuse it, and always support each other 100%.
A few years ago, Julia invented a simple and powerful New Years ritual that I have done myself and found to be really fun and helpful, especially when drawn. So I asked Julia if she would lead the GUT in it this New Years. And lucky for us, despite being in New Zealand right now (everyone wave to Julia!) she generously agreed.
So without further ado, here is a New Years assignment for the GUT, direct from the amazing Julia Rothman. Julia, take it away: