Today I took part in video interview series that’s a joint venture between San Francisco Travel @onlyinsf and @Queerty. They asked some questions about my studio work, and my relationship and history with San Francisco. Next week will be exactly twenty years since I moved from New York to the Bay Area, and it was interesting to reminisce about how this city has shaped my life, and how being gay has shaped my understanding of who I am and what I do. The other folks they interviewed include Rick Welts (Golden State Warriors), Jennifer Scarlett (SF SPCA), D'arcy Drollinger (Oasis), Honey Mohagany (Stud), and Jocquese Whitfield (Mission Dance Theatre) and the interviews will be released in 2020.
Painted, finished and scanned. Watercolor and gouache on paper. The latest cover for this weekend’s @sfchronicle_food section theme of ‘Migration’. I contributed the back page story also, and I’ll be sharing more process of that later this week.
I spent my morning indulging with a solo brunch before a day of drawing and illustrating, and I took some time to read the latest #ObservedSF column, which is out today. It’s rare that I cover two events in the same time, but last weekend the @ybca 100 and @moadsf gala bookended my day. I saw a few of the same people at both events, and got to hear about people’s perception of both cultural institutions; what they both are, and aren’t, doing right. Both events were celebratory. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, in particular, seems really invested in the idea of civic engagement...where artists and their art can meet politics. The Museum of the African Diaspora had an enthusiastic turnout with the most stylish people (on any block) and surpassed their fundraising goals in minutes. It was incredible to see the support and to feel the community supporting itself. Pick up your copy in the newly minted Culture Desk @sfchronicle_culture of the San Francisco Chronicle.
I had the pleasure to sitting next to Danielle Banks of @projectlevel this last weekend at the annual @moadsf Afropolitan Ball. My date for the evening was obsessed with her hair pins, and I was determined to get the story of where they came from. Danielle smiled sweetly, and said: “My inspiration for wearing the “black girl magic” hairpins was my all black jumpsuit and my firm belief in popping out. I originally bought these pins for my 11 year old daughter Bianca Richelle ,who is rapper, and I always want her to be proud of her natural curly hair.” More of the gala moments this weekend in the latest #ObservedSF column, found in newly renamed Culture Desk @sfchronicle_culture
It’s a strange thing to hold an advance softcover copy of the book that @wisesons @rachellevinsf and I been working on the last year-and-a-half in my hands yesterday. But EAT SOMETHING: A Wise Sons Cookbook For Jews Who Love Food and Food Lovers Who Love Jews (a brilliant mouthful!) is a few months away from being out into the world. Evan Bloom, Rachel Levin and I met with the sales team of Chronicle Books yesterday to talk about all of the behind-the-scenes plans for selling the book across the country. We told stories of how Evan approached Rachel and I to create the book with him, how Evan and Rachel’s separate Jewish upbringings on separate coasts overlapped, the process of collaboration with our brilliant photographer @marencaruso, what my approach to the art direction, design and illustration of the book was, and how much Jewish cuisine and culture was a part of my upbringing in Brooklyn. We also talked about how the universal aspects of this book, filled with essays, anecdotes, illustrations and archival imagery, give a sense of how much our individual cultures and cooking are actually similar. EAT SOMETHING is out March 2020! I can’t wait to show the interior pages. You can preorder on Amazon now. Go, already!
The one and only Ms. Nina Simone for #IllustratedBlackHistory. This painted piece was part of a show last year at @thebkcircus. Thank you for including several portraits from the series, ZW.
Moments observed, friends reunited and sentiments expressed at the weekend’s @ybca 100 event for #ObservedSF
It was an active weekend of attending multiple #ObservedSF events for my next cultural column, out next weekend. The @ybca 100 was a celebration of the intersection of politics and art but, of course, I’m really looking for the moments under the moments; like the young woman with the peacock wrap, and ‘Bitch’ earrings, or the gentleman quietly reading Toni Morrison’s ‘The Source Of Self-Regard’ in between acts.
Like many people, I’ve been reading about the many accomplishments of Rep. Elijah Cummings @repcummings since his passing this week. During my lunch break yesterday, I watched (again) the 60 minutes interview he did earlier this year. While there’ve been a lot of recent public deaths that heighten the idea that our greats are dying off, I’m seeing it as a challenge to the rest of us to raise our standards and do more, and better. Here was a man of character, who saw himself in service to his community and had a simple and moral sense of what was wrong and right. That’s something we can aspire to. Thank you for the multiple reminders, and your service to us, Rep. Elijah Cummings.
Observed last night during the bustle of people coming and going at the bar of @nopasf. As much time as I’ve spent at this restaurant (and I’ve put in some time here), I don’t think I’ve ever drawn the experience of being here. I’m trying out some new pens, and I like the dynamism of the lines it produces. I can’t underemphasize what an institution this place has become. When it first opened in 2006 (I think I dined here the first week) NoPa was an early arbiter of how restaurants (re)define neighborhoods (for better and worse) and how neighborhoods define restaurants, as well as the sweeping changes that would transform San Francico. I made a lot of life-long friends (like @isawstephen) at this spot. Today, it’s become a mix of deal-making adults, families, date night couples, and late night industry owls (like me). Jason, my bartender, has been working here for four years, but we agreed that in “NoPa years” it’s really more like eight. #ObservedSF
Shannon Byrne interviewed me for her podcast @theprocess.co and it was released yesterday. We fell deep into the rabbit hole together, and talked many things: about my studio process, sure, but we also dug into how I got my #IllustratedBlackHistory book deal, how I survived financially in expensive-assed San Francisco, how my background as a magazine art director informed all of my current studio practices, and how I transitioned from being a facilitator and mentor to my artistic community to being one myself. I’d forgotten some facets of the conversation, and I listened to the whole thing yesterday and wow I said some really vulnerable things. Okay! The link to listen is at the top of my feed. I’d love to know what you thought. 📸 by my favorite @aloraluv
I’ve been low-key stalking and fanning out for years on the painted work of artist @sergegayjr. Now I get a legitimate reason to feature him and his new show ‘P.S. I Love You’ at @vossgallery in my next #ObservedSF column, out later this month. And show is amazing, check it out.
At my DESIGN IS POLITICAL talk last night, I talked about the process of how I went from being a full-time graphic designer to surprising (to me) illustrator to a bartender of both. My background as a magazine art director allowed me to create a system for my entry into illustrating part time (it sounds intentional the way I just write that, doesn’t it...but it was a messy messy process behind the scenes...). The initial #IllustratedBlackHistory series was a 30-day painting challenge I gave to myself to research and educate myself more on my cultural and political (and American) history. That process led to my idea for the ‘Observed’ column, which led to this book project I’m currently creating. I’ve always been interested in the political aspects of my work, but I’ve come to realize that there’s no distinction, no air, between the creative and political aspects of my work. For me, one doesn’t exist without the other. One of quotes from the talk last night was from Sean Dallaskidd @kidisgoat who said: “All design is a choice. You can choose to push for inclusion, you can choose to showcase diversity, you can choose to be a spark for change or you can choose the status quo.” Well said.
My talk on Thursday (tomorrow) evening at @cacollegeofarts Is called DESIGN IS POLITICAL, and is free and open to the public. I’ll be sharing my transition from a classically trained graphic designer to an political and iterative illustrator (I just made that up) who has decided to merge both extreme disciplines into my studio design practice. I’ll also be talking (emphatically) about my philosophy around (all) design being a political force. The event is part of California College of the Arts Design Lecture Series this fall. Roll through! There will be pretty slides, and I won’t be boring, I promise. / THURSDAY OCT 9th / 6-8pm / 1111 8th Street / Timken Lecture Hall / Special thank you to Deans Michael Wertz and Owen Smith for asking me to participate in this series. 📸 @rwyllie
Observed yesterday after 5pm as I left my studio, on the Muni, eavesdropping on people complaining about the human traffic attracted to the new Chase Center going to the game, as they themselves got off to go to the game (human beings are endlessly hilarious to listen to anonymously) and being side-eyed by this glorious woman on the left as I attempted to draw her (as she side eyed me). Also! I’m going to be a storyteller for the next @munidiaries Live! event on November 2nd, so I’ll have more of these kind of stories to tell. #ObservedSF
Back in the studio flow and flexing on the color proof for the oversized (14 x 20”...we are not playing around) designed for the amazing @laurencrew. Oh man, what a fun and collaborative process. Thank you for trusting me, Lauren, and letting me reflect back how powerful your photography is. That Christina Aguilera portrait! I’m not supposed to have design favorites coming out of my own studio, cuz it’s gauche, but this one is top 5 already.
I found a drawing this weekend that I’d done last year of my boyfriend’s father, James Anastasios Toya, who passed away last weekend. It made me reflect on the ephemeral aspect of life (again), and I was grateful that I had a moment to capture a sliver of his life. It was a mundane part of a trip to Chicago; his family was grocery shopping, and he and I sat together for a half hour. He was a quiet and unassuming man, who didn’t like or court attention. He was a veteran, an architect, an engineer, a doting father, and a very very sweet human being. I asked him if I could draw him while we sat, and he seemed confused that I would want to focus on him. In fact, I remember him saying, softy: “...now why would you want to do that?” When I finished, I showed it to him and he smiled. The truth is, he was in the beginning stages of a cruel battle with Alzheimer’s. I think he recognized himself. Being able to draw my everyday life has taken on a really personal meaning to me. I’ve spent most of my career assigning visual meaning to other people’s identities, as a graphic designer, as an art director, as a brand strategist. But it’s a really special thing for me to able to do it for myself as an artist. Rest In Peace, Mister Toya.
I celebrated my 48th birthday yesterday. It was day filled with love, time spent with people I love, and doing things I love to do. With the exception of a meeting that was more talking about life than anything else, I didn’t do anything resembling work. It’s the first time I’ve ever taken the day off from my work life for a birthday; and it’s the first time I’ve ever been unbothered about it. This photo was taken around this time two years ago. It was right after my father passed away and I was questioning my entire life. I had just started down the path of being an artist and I was wondering (a lot) if I had made the wrong choice. I ended up talking to many people I trusted about things I felt insecure about talking about, and I’m really glad I made myself vulnerable enough to have those conversations. In the two intervening years, I’ve learned how to have faith (in myself and the people I collaborate with), trust my instincts (some more) and believe in the path I’ve placed myself on (even when I have no idea what I’m doing). I’m grateful to my community that keeps me grounded and honest (especially with myself) and to my own self, for believing, even shakily, in the slightest possibility of my creative potential. I’m really grateful for that. 📸 @john_toya
Observed last night at @theprogress_sf between 8-9:30pm, after a day of collaborator calls and client meetings and writing outlines and cvs (I occasionally forget that I’m an artist now...and that art institutions ask artists for things like curriculum vitaes!) and project estimates and printer calls and serendipitous run-ins with wonderful people. So then! I sit at a bar and order things off the menu, as well as my one mezcal Negroni for the day (I’m totally lying, it was two) and all I want to do is watch strangers shed their days in their own ways. #ObservedSF
I’m giving a talk next Wednesday OCT 10th at @cacollegeofarts titled DESIGN IS POLITICAL. I’ll be sharing how my career crosses conventional boundaries between Graphic Design, Drawing, and Personal Narrative and how I got to this point (very messily). I’ve long held the personal philosophy that design is inherently political, but only when I started blurring the lines of my own disciplines that I started embodying that concept. I see the work I’m doing as a response to the current state of Design and World Politics, flowing from my #ObservedSF illustrated portraits to art directing photography that embraces the Bay Area Community in all states of unity and friction. The event is part of California College of the Arts Design Lecture Series this fall, and is free and open to all. / OCT 4th / 6-8pm / 1111 8th Street / Timken Lecture Hall / The accompanying piece was observed on June 17th 2017 at San Francisco City Hall. / Thank you to Michael Wertz and Owen Smith for asking me to participate in this series.
