As parent, and primary caregiver, to four (4!) teens, I can confirm they are a wild (but often friendly) and precocious (but often insecure) species! I'm so thrilled to be able to read your graphic essays here on Substack!
Four? (4?) (4!!!!!!!!) That is almost a full basketball team of teenagers! Thank you for reading and saying nice things, and thank you for raising awesome young humans! ❤️
They are pretty great. Luckily (sadly) the oldest turns 20 this fall. I guess I'm not really her caregiver anymore, but even though she's in college, I still count her as one of my teens until the last moment possible.
“No thanks. We know what we’re doing!” 😂 What a wonderfully captured and illustrated recap of the workshop. They sound great. Love this: “Maybe we can be as brave as a dragon who chooses to be itself.”
Whew! Let's just say that several endings auditioned for the part, and I had to stop working and go for a run to clear my head enough to make my final decision. In other words: thank you for saying so! ❤️
Wow, thank you so much, Grant! Geeking out to have you comment. I've been a fan for years, ever since discovering your comics at The Rumpus. I brought my copy of Poetry Comics to the library this weekend and told the librarian to order it ASAP. :) And yes, re Lynda Barry: I'm not sure I can overstate how she has shaped my teaching and comics making. ❤️
hey grant, i just want to piggyback on all this enthusiasm to let you know that i think you are great and kelcey is great and lynda barry is great! thanks for all the greatness everyone!
OMG. This was so inspiring, and as usual w/ you, so wonderfully illustrated. Those teens were so inspiring. From the mouths (and pens of, no longer, but still really, they are) babes.
Thanks, Betje! I realize you are mostly wondering rhetorically, but the irony of course is that one big culprit is SCHOOL. Ironically, we "learn" to lose our creativity in schools, which are organized like factories thanks to capitalism, etc. (I'll stop there but you get the point! 😂)
What a super post! Thank you for the inspiration. Xo
Thank you!
Thanks! A wonderful, engaging read. Inspiring!
Thanks, Bob! So nice to hear!
From creative abandon to abandonment of creativity ❤️ GENIUS… all of it…
Wow I love everything about this. As a librarian who only started drawing when I was 54 this really moves me. Thank you!
Wow, good for you! I started drawing late too. I've been writing for a long time, but even that started late...
I read your post from beginning to end and wished for more. Touching and funny. I’m looking forward to The Keeper.
Oh thank you so much! 🥰❤️
Such a delight, and so true what you’ve shared about creating with abandon vs abandoning creativity! Thank you :)
Thanks so much! I realized when I was drawing the "Creative Abandon" sign that we only have signs for "Children at Play"--not adults!
I just found your newsletter and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Thank you for creating and sharing.
Yay, so nice to hear! ❤️
You did it again! ❤️
Ha! Thank you, Paolo!
As parent, and primary caregiver, to four (4!) teens, I can confirm they are a wild (but often friendly) and precocious (but often insecure) species! I'm so thrilled to be able to read your graphic essays here on Substack!
Four? (4?) (4!!!!!!!!) That is almost a full basketball team of teenagers! Thank you for reading and saying nice things, and thank you for raising awesome young humans! ❤️
They are pretty great. Luckily (sadly) the oldest turns 20 this fall. I guess I'm not really her caregiver anymore, but even though she's in college, I still count her as one of my teens until the last moment possible.
Yes, she's still a teen for now, and even when she hits that next milestone, she will always need dad's particular kind of caregiving. ❤️
“No thanks. We know what we’re doing!” 😂 What a wonderfully captured and illustrated recap of the workshop. They sound great. Love this: “Maybe we can be as brave as a dragon who chooses to be itself.”
Right?! They were so fun!
That ending! Well played, my friend.
Whew! Let's just say that several endings auditioned for the part, and I had to stop working and go for a run to clear my head enough to make my final decision. In other words: thank you for saying so! ❤️
Absolutely brilliant perspective! You inspire so many people…including me. 😎
Aww, shucks! 🥰
Love this post! Thanks for mentioning POETRY COMICS, and I second the Lynda Barry influence. She's one of the great graphic thinkers and teachers!
Wow, thank you so much, Grant! Geeking out to have you comment. I've been a fan for years, ever since discovering your comics at The Rumpus. I brought my copy of Poetry Comics to the library this weekend and told the librarian to order it ASAP. :) And yes, re Lynda Barry: I'm not sure I can overstate how she has shaped my teaching and comics making. ❤️
That means a lot, thank YOU!
hey grant, i just want to piggyback on all this enthusiasm to let you know that i think you are great and kelcey is great and lynda barry is great! thanks for all the greatness everyone!
Myq! You are also very great! 😁❤️
I appreciate it, Myq! In good poetry comics company 😊
THIS. was soooooo inspiring!!!
Yay, thanks, Krista! (We should get coffee sometime!)
I would love it!!!! Let's do it!!!
OMG. This was so inspiring, and as usual w/ you, so wonderfully illustrated. Those teens were so inspiring. From the mouths (and pens of, no longer, but still really, they are) babes.
Thanks, Alice! They ARE still babes! Overgrown, articulate, inspiring wonderful BABES.
Oh I love this post! Why do we get so scared about creativity at some point, I wonder. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Thanks, Betje! I realize you are mostly wondering rhetorically, but the irony of course is that one big culprit is SCHOOL. Ironically, we "learn" to lose our creativity in schools, which are organized like factories thanks to capitalism, etc. (I'll stop there but you get the point! 😂)