At the end of May, I went to three different events. A celebration of life, a church cookout, and a neighborhood block party. As usually happens when meeting new people, we started talking about what we do for a living, meaning I’d give the same answer I’ve been giving for nearly seven and a half years. I draw summaries of meetings. And the same thing happened next, each time. The other person nodded. They sort of didn’t really get it. So I’d reach for my phone to show them a picture of the...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
What if I asked you to draw me an S…not just any s, but the S. Right now, on whatever's in front of you. Bet you could do it, or at least picture it. Six lines first, three and three stacked on top of each other. Pointy at the top, symmetrical, shaded so it looks 3D. You know the one I'm talking about. Megan, the boys, and I did it the other night. All four S's, lined up. You could barely tell whose was whose. You probably just drew the same one too. And if not, I bet you will soon, next time...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Back in the 90s, while I was in college in downtown Pittsburgh, I was in acting class that took place outdoors at Frick Park near the Carnegie Mellon campus. One day during class, all of a sudden, out of the woods comes a guy walking in full foam armor. (Picture my double take here). This guy struts right to the middle of the field like he owns the place. Then, just as suddenly, more and more people appear from all directions. They are all dressed in similar fashion, carrying foam swords and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Pacific Northwest National Lab held their cybersecurity for energy event in Milwaukee last week, in an early-1900s Hilton ballroom with carvings on the ceiling and relief sculptures on every wall. There wasn’t a single flat surface to hang paper on, except for a makeshift wall they had built at the back of the room. In order to make all of the drawings fit in the space (they moved our room at the last minute), I had to cut my sheets down to 32 inches across, taking a huge canvas and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
I’m living proof that sometimes, in the very weirdest and coolest way, you can connect with someone who just might be famous on Instagram. And keep up that connection. Surreal and so awesome all at once. That connection for me is with a guy named Nick Offerman. Unless you are really not into various forms of entertainment like TV shows, books, podcasts, movies, and even live comedy shows, you probably have heard of him. Nick has a new book out called Little Woodchucks. The live version of his...
2 months ago • 2 min read
I once weighed in at 250 pounds. That number feels strange to type now, and if you know me you might be surprised, but it’s true. At some point in my early thirties, I had let other things take priority over my health, and 250 is where I landed. My friend Aaron is the one who inspired me to change that. He and his crew were climbing Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States, and he invited me along. I was stoked! But there was a pretty decent caveat. He told me I’d need...
3 months ago • 3 min read
I wasn’t sure I was ready for this one. Not because of the baseline work itself. I’ve drawn at hundreds of events and I know how to take the markers out when walking into a room. But this event felt different for me, and I wanted to make sure it was done with care. Not just competently, but in a way that was meaningful for this group and what they stand for. Before I left, I told Megan: I just want to do this well. My friend Aja Moon, an amazingly talented artist in DC, settled it for me. She...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Draw in a lot of live rooms, and you’ll start noticing things from the front that are hard to unsee. Things like smart and very accomplished people sitting through hour after hour of content. Maybe, taking notes, maybe. Definitely nodding along. And then walking right out the door with a head full of ideas they’ll probably never do anything with. Usually, it doesn’t have anything to do with the content; instead, it’s more because no one gave them a minute at the outset of the meeting or event...
3 months ago • 2 min read
I have a suggestion for a great resource and inspiration for drawing. Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. You remember this book, right? It’s iconic and fun and a little fierce. Kids understand it on a base level, even if they’ve never read (or been read) the book. Though so many have. The monsters are approachable. You can actually learn to draw them. They look cool, but they’re not intimidating to attempt. That combination matters. This weekend, I got to see what happens when you...
4 months ago • 3 min read