COMING
SOON
Volume A The UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration encyclopediaofinspiration.com
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Dear Reader, Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort. That’s the secret to creative success. You just keep doing the thing. Over and over. Again and again. The process is iterative; it is a slow evolution of learning, adapting, regressing and progressing. Sometimes you feel like procrastinating. Sometimes it’s joyful satisfaction. Occasionally, there will be breakthrough moments when you take a leap forward or head off on an exciting, energizing tangent. But always: trying, doing, maintaining the effort. Being creative requires stamina. Curating, editing, designing and publishing a quarterly print publication requires stamina. Doing your art requires stamina. Making a quilt requires stamina. Showing up for yourself and your dreams requires stamina. And so, a note as much for me as it is for you: Keep going. Keep showing up.
Ja n i n e Vango ol P U B L I S H E R , E D I TO R , D ES I G N E R
Sign up for my newsletter for free content and an introductory subscription offer:
Measuring my progress in designing UPPERCASE magazine by tick marks in my Shorthand Task Pad is part of the process. A tick mark can represent a half hour of design time to as much as days spent fiddling on a page before it is marked as done!
uppercasemagazine.com/free
shopshorthand.com uppercasemagazine.com
|||
3
Contents An ideal (imagined) creative space Esther Nariyoshi EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN, USA
I moved to a new house this past summer, and for the first time ever I could claim a room for my creative projects. This image was illustrated while I was in the thick of packing moving boxes, and this vision got stuck in my mind like a carrot on a stick that motivated me when days were long. This vision is still not a reality yet, but I refer to it when I plan the new space. I rarely focus on one single project from the beginning to the end, so having multiple work-inprogress projects within reach is crucial for nurturing my creativity. I will have gouache paints, quilt blocks, colour swatches, books and the computer around me all at once. When a creative block hits in one project, there are always other options to pivot to. This illustration was done digitally with a brush that I made to mimic the texture of coloured pencils. To enhance the effect, I manually filled in the areas stroke by stroke instead of using the colour drop function. It is time consuming, yet oddly therapeutic. @esther.nariyoshi
4
|||
U P P E R C A S E
January February March 2022
Welcome
Art & Design
Editor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
TOG ETHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
STITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Illustrating Identity and Faith: Reflections from Muslim Illustrators Manal Mirza, Hatem Aly and Fahmida Azim by Joy Vanides Deneen
Kate Austin Designs: A World Full of Colour by Andrea Marván
Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Snippets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
BEING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A Story Is for Telling by Meera Lee Patel
FRESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Jennifer Reid & Nelly Edwards
Fine Print LIBRARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Recommended Reading
BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Preventing Procrastination by Arianne Foulks illustration by Andrea D’Aquino
BEG INNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Creative Rituals and Routines
MUSING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Slow Making of Your World by Cedric Victor
CREATIVE CAREER . . . . . . . . 28 Nancy Orlikow, Art Therapist
WORTHWHILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Our Planet Week by Amelia Woodbridge
NOTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Illustrator’s Accessories
EPHEMERA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Old-Fashioned Visual Learning by Mark E. Sackett and Melanie Roller
ABECEDARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Illustration in the Wild by Lydie Raschka
DISCOVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Visual Note-Taking by Kerrie More
PERSPECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Illustrators’ Perspectives Lisa Congdon, cover artist Chris Raschka Constanze Guhr Melissa Iwai Emily Balsley Amanda Schutz Andrea D’Aquino Kate Brennan Hall Linda Bleck Andrea Pippins
Q + A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Stuff that Matters with Sarah Millin
SKETCHBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Kristen Solecki
PARTICIPATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Imagine Something Better: Solutions and Problem-Solving Through Illustration by UPPERCASE readers
Craft
PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Procrastination as Creative Process by Molly Meng
Spaces RETREAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 The Illustration Institute by Claire Dibble
ESCAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Prairieside Cottage by Liz Logan
STUDIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Illustrator’s Studios and Creative Spaces
HOBBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Better Late Than Never by Brendan Harrison
Misc. Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
COVET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Tracing Lines by Andrea Jenkins
PRACTICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Slow Is Faster Than Stuck by Tom Froese
ASK LILLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Creative Foraging by Lilla Rogers
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
5
C O N T R I B U TO R
U P P E R CAS E 201B – 908, 17th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2T 0A3
Tom Froese is an illustrator and creatively empowering teacher and speaker. His clients include Airbnb, Nosy Crow Publishing and Canadian Tire. He lives just outside of Vancouver, BC, with his family. He is currently embracing his slow, working toward an entire book about his creative process. You can find his work and illustration classes at tomfroese.com.
Janine Vangool P U B L I S H E R , E D I TO R , D E S I G N E R
janine@uppercasemagazine.com C U STO M E R S E RV I C E
shop@uppercasemagazine.com
Correy Baldwin C O PY E D I TO R
Core Contributors Jane Audas Correy Baldwin Andrea D’Aquino Claire Dibble Arianne Foulks Joy Deneen Glen Dresser Brendan Harrison Andrea Jenkins Andrea Marván Kerrie More Emily Orpin Meera Lee Patel Lydie Raschka Christopher Rouleau P RI NTE D I N CA N A DA BY T H E P R O L I F I C G R O U P.
Interior pages are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled Rolland Enviro 100. Give this magazine a long life! The content is evergreen, so we hope you’ll revisit it over and over again. If you’re done with it, please pass it on to a friend or colleague who might enjoy our content, or cut up the pages and create some art.
We plant a tree with every subscription. treeera.com
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3) and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. 6
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Subscribe! This independent magazine thrives because of you— its loyal subscribers! shop.uppercasemagazine.com
Thank you to all of the talented writers, illustrators, creative collaborators and loyal readers who contributed their talents to this issue of UPPERCASE.
Thank you to everyone who submitted to the open calls for this issue. Even if you weren’t featured within these printed pages, your effort was noticed and appreciated!
SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIPTIONS This quarterly magazine is released in January, April, July and October. CANADA/USA
$ 80
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
$ 120
RENEWALS You will receive a notice by email when it is time to renew. Renew online anytime to add issues to your current subscription.
GIFTS Follow the directions on our website to purchase a gift subscription or gift card.
BACK ISSUES Get them while you can! Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Back issues will not be reprinted. uppercasemagazine.com
STOCKISTS To view our list of stockists or to carry UPPERCASE in your shop: uppercasemagazine.com/ stockists
QUESTIONS? Have a question about your subscription or a change of address? Email us: shop@uppercasemagazine.com
NEWSLETTER Sign up for the newsletter to receive free content and behind-the-scenes peeks at the making of the magazine—plus a welcome discount on your subscription! PUBLISHED I N D E P E N D E N T LY SINCE
2009
uppercasemagazine.com/free
PARTICIPATE Share your ideas and art and enter the open calls! uppercasemagazine.com/ participate
Snippets
G O O D A DV I C E
Procrastiworking Procrastiworking
Lettering artist artist Lettering Jessica Hische Hische Jessica noticed that that the the work work noticed she was was doing doing when when she she was was ignoring ignoring what what she she should should be be doing doing she offered some some good good offered insight into into where where her her insight interests lay. lay. “I “I always always interests try to pay attention try to pay attention to the the work work that that II do do to when I’m I’m putting putting off off when other work work and and II other even coined coined aa term term even to describe describe it: it: to procrastiworking.” procrastiworking.” jessicahische.shop jessicahische.shop
LO N G- L AST I N G
A Collection a Day From the UPPERCASE vault going back to 2011! Ever since she was a young girl, artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon has been obsessed with collecting. Having amassed a curious collection of objects, on January 1, 2010, she embarked on a year-long project: a daily documentation of arrangements of these items, posted online. The resulting brick-like book, designed and published by Janine Vangool at UPPERCASE, is housed in a vintage-inspired tin in which you can store your own collections day by day. uppercasemagazine.com
8
|||
U P P E R C A S E
A DV E N T U R E
Rise & Roar A Guided Journal for Outdoor Adventure Illustrator and graphic designer Sharisse Steber has combined two of her great passions—art and outdoor adventure—into a guided journal for women. “Not only did I write and illustrate the book, I also did the layout and prepress,” says Sharisse, who credits Lilla Rogers (art agent, educator and UPPERCASE columnist) for the creative push. “This journal was born out of a single sketch I did for Lilla Rogers on who my dream client would be. That single prompt from her class inspired me to fulfill the dream of illustrating my own book.”
E D U CAT I O N
Redrawing Black History
L
ed by brilliant children’s book illustrator and educator Tamisha Anthony, along with innovative art agent and beloved teacher Lilla Rogers, Redrawing Black History is an inspiring four-week-long online course loaded with tons of incredible images in four weekly videos that will energize you, provide you with a broader visual vocabulary of contemporary and historical Black American culture, give you another tool in your illustration toolkit and help you to be more diverse in your art. Each week for four weeks, you’ll enjoy a lively and visually rich PowerPoint presentation about one of four eras from course leader Tamisha, followed by a lively chat between Tamisha and Lilla, and then that week’s assignment, which will be suitable for all levels. Tamisha will also dress in the most gorgeous period clothing as she presents each era. By the end of the course, you’ll have four beautiful portfolio pieces, and a better appreciation of the wealth and beauty of Black American history. Tamisha says: “Redrawing Black History is a great way to get a
snapshot of Black history, to see the creativity and resilience of African Americans, our incredible artistry in creating something out of nothing and how we always endured despite our struggles. We found a way to connect and find joy and love and celebration in the most ugly of times, and I think that’s amazing.” Lilla adds: “This course is a celebration of Black American history that acknowledges the struggles of the past, but also showcases the beauty. As an agent, I want to see diversity in an artist’s portfolio. I promise you that you’ll be inspired.”
Lushly illustrated throughout, the guide builds on her own experience: Sharisse has hiked to Everest Base Camp, summited Kilimanjaro, backpacked on the Lares Inca Trail in Peru, caved and camped solo on Easter Island and experienced winter camp training on frozen Minnesota lakes. However, you don’t have to be so geographically ambitious, super fit or have a lot of money to have a good adventure. “You have the right to live your own idea of outdoor adventure. This journal encourages women of all shapes, sizes and colours to overcome their fears, head outside and begin.” sharissedesign.com
The course is scheduled for January 2022, immediately before Black History Month in the USA, and, in order to make it available to as many people as possible, it will be completely free to take part in it. Make Art That Sells, the organizer of the course, is also running a book donation program: for every 100 students who register for the live class, they will buy a book illustrated by a Black artist, which will then be donated to schools chosen by Tamisha. makeartthatsells.com
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
9
B E I N G
a story is for telling ||| A R T I C L E A N D I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y
m e era le e p atel
My compulsion tells me I have abandoned myself. I feel lost, unable to give all of my identities the nourishment they deserve—am I a mother first? A partner? A daughter, a sister, a friend? Am I an artist if I am not constantly creating? Uncertainty fills me to the brim. I don’t fully understand how one person can be so many things; I only know that I am and that I want to be. I want to be more. I want to make more. The desire rumbles in my lungs. It wants more air, it wants more light. More, more, more. |||
|||
I. It’s a Wednesday afternoon in September and the leaves rustle but refuse to fall. The air is hot, damp with perspiration, hung like a wet cloth wrung out to dry. I’ve been instructed to write a piece on illustration, which is what I do for a living. I am an illustrator; some days I believe it, others I have to convince myself it’s true. Somehow I have nothing to say, no words for the vocation that has occupied my mind for my entire life and threatens to stay until my mind itself decides to leave. When I think about a single moment, I consider all I don’t know: the other perspective, the years that led up to a particular interaction, the emotions that haven’t been expressed—the existence of everything I haven’t seen. When I write about a single moment, I think about all of the words left unsaid. This is where illustration arrives, lending its presence to the butter knife abandoned in the dish, the clothes heaped on the floor, the head cradled between two hands in front of an office window. Illustration is storytelling. It is the pencil’s way of illuminating a path hidden in the shadows, hoping to eventually catch light. |||
II. The compulsion to create follows me around. Last week I illustrated a comic that explains this desire in detail: the way it climbs out of my mouth each morning and accompanies me throughout the day. It gnaws at me while I do the dishes and pokes at me while I clean up alphabet blocks in my daughter’s room. I try not to acknowledge it, hoping that it will go away if I ignore it long enough. A story won’t clean my house or pay the bills, and besides, I don’t have any ideas. What would I draw if I had the time? What moment do I have to share? What moments are worth sharing? 10
|||
U P P E R C A S E
III. Lately, I’ve been trying to draw my daughter. I’ve never drawn people before, worried they will look too scratchy and stick-like, unsure of how to make work that is endearing and honest and that feels like me. What does it mean when your work feels like someone else? What does it mean when everything you make feels like an afterthought? I wonder if I think too much and make too little. I read interviews with artists and wonder what the secret is to drawing well. The secret to drawing well is drawing often, I read. I listen to creative podcasts and wonder what the secret is to making work that looks like me. In order to find your voice, you must create a lot of bad work, I hear. It’s October now and I haven’t made a thing. My compulsion—my creativity—which is my voice and my mind and also my hands, continues to shadow me. It quietly reminds me that it is there. You have many stories to tell, it says, but you have stopped searching for them. I consider this idea. Perhaps there are many truths that exist independent of my chosen beliefs. I decide to jilt my mind and listen to my compulsion, the part of me that continues to exist simply because it has a purpose; it has stories to tell. I draw my daughter carefully and then again without thought, this time directed only by emotion. My scrawls fill the page and each line tells a story. This is how her face looks before she wakes. This is the determination in each step. The coloured pencil scratches but feels soft, earnest. This is the colour of her laugh. I make marks that I don’t understand. Drawing is like learning a foreign language—it feels distracted and clumsy until it doesn’t. Value lies in the attempt. Proof of a life that carried on: that’s what illustration is—a story that invites you to first look and then listen. A token from my shoddy memory bank, a whisper, a dream I once carried and forgot to hold onto. An anger that will never fade, scribbles that were once a conversation or words I forgot to say, the changing leaves, a tiny hand in mine. meeralee.com
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
11
F R E S H
fresh talent “The earth laughs in flowers.” — R A L P H WA L D O E M E R S O N
Jennifer Reid C O B B I T T Y, N S W, A U S T R A L I A
I believe the earth truly does laugh in flowers, and I think that’s why I have a floral obsession when it comes to creating art! I’m an artist and graphic designer based in beautiful Cobbitty, NSW. Art has been a healing balm almost my whole life, for as long as I can remember. It has been especially therapeutic through life’s most difficult challenges, so when faced with the fear of Covid and lockdowns, I turn to art for therapy. Through art, I connect with the inner parts of myself, to others and to the world around me. Art has a spiritual energy that somehow manages to shift my mindset towards positivity and hope. It helps me to see things more clearly and to focus on the good in my life. In the presence of art and creativity, I am inspired, my imagination soars, joy is sparked and my soul is free. My dream is to create surface pattern designs all day for fabrics and home furnishings all over the world. jenniferreid.com.au @jenniferreidart
W H ET H E R YO U ’ R E A F R E S H G R A D UAT E O R M AT U R E A RT I ST, I T I S O F T E N A D R E A M TO B E P U B L I S H E D F O R T H E F I RST T I M E !
You’re welcome to submit your work for consideration. uppercasemagazine.com/participate
12
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Nelly Edwards N E W B U R Y, B E R K S H I R E , UNITED KINGDOM
I’m an illustrator based in the Berkshire countryside in the UK. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to write and illustrate children’s books. As a child I poured over the children’s books that had belonged to my parents. I was captivated by their wild 1950s and 1960s aesthetic. I believe that nothing transports you to other worlds of imagination and adventure quite like a beautifully illustrated book when you are a child! This is always in the back of my mind when I start to draw. I like to make sure every picture tells an engaging story. This piece is the story of myself and a character I created for the #coloricombo challenge, which was hosted on Instagram by Esté MacLeod and Lori Siebert. This character is called Wormy. During the challenge, Wormy went on many adventures that each told a story in some way. This image depicts me and Wormy marching towards the future, with hope and promise ahead of us! My goal is to find a wonderful agent who sees the potential in me and who can hopefully open doors for me and my work! My ultimate goal would be to write and illustrate my own books and to hear that one day my book inspired someone else to go on their own creative adventure. thenellyedwards.co.uk @the.nelly.edwards
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
13
the time we have
RECOMMENDED READING BY
j a n i n e va ng o o l
14
|||
U P P E R C A S E
L I B R A R Y
PA I N T I N G
P L AY I N G
S K ETC H I N G
THINKING
The Art of Gouache
Sunday Suns
Sketchbook Challenge
V I KTO R I JA S E M J O N OVA
TA D CA R P E N T E R
M O L LY EG A N
Viktorija Semjonova is an illustrator who loves painting and collaging. In her new book, The Art of Gouache, Viktorija provides the foundation for using gouache successfully and even combining it with collage techniques.
“Sunday Suns is an experiment. It is play. It is half therapy and half visual journalism—a small way to inject our world with some much needed positivity and light,” writes designer/illustrator Tad Carpenter.
A completely blank sketchbook can be really daunting! Sometimes, it’s tough to get started. Fortunately, Molly Egan’s new book is here to help, with over 250 drawing exercises to get you going with carefree style.
“Gouache is an incredibly versatile water-based medium, which will enable you to produce beautiful results even if you have no prior experience of painting.” If you’ve been thinking about learning to paint, why wait? Published by Hardie Grant.
PH HO OT TO O B BY Y D D II A AN NA A S ST TA A II N NT TO ON N P
viktorijaillustration.com
A study of dedication to a theme and the passage of time, Sunday Suns began over six years ago as a weekly creative exercise: to take the concept of a sun and interpret it through design, illustration, sculpture and other visual experimentation. Tad describes the project as a form of therapy. “No client, no agenda, no real goal, just play. The act of making and getting lost in that process has always been very therapeutic for me.” Over time, this weekly diversion became immersive. “I injected this act into my life, it made me feel a little bit better about myself and my craft. … It has thoroughly given me a sense of clarity. However, maybe the most important and unexpected aspect of this selfreflective experiment is how these little suns have provided hope to others.” The project is commemorated in a hardcover book published by Counter-Print. sunday-suns.com counter-print.co.uk
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
Sketchbooks are an important part of many illustrators’ process. For Molly, her sketchbooks were integral to her development as an artist: “a place to experiment, to learn, and to find the style I wanted to use as a professional illustrator.” Sketchbook Challenge is split into three sections: Warm Up, for 5- to 10-minute exercises designed to stretch your muscles; Weekday, for guided creative drawing prompts for limited time; and Weekend, for open-ended, in-depth creative explorations. Among the many prompts are blank dresses, sofas and teacups needing surface patterns, houses needing doors and windows, and people without hairdos or missing expressions. Molly gets you started and you fill in the blanks— as you make your way through the book you’ll gain confidence and momentum, and soon you’ll welcome a blank sketchbook within which you can start fresh with your own ideas. molly-egan.com welbeckpublishing.com
OLIVER BURKEMAN
“The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short. Assuming you live to be eighty, you’ll have had just over four thousand weeks.” Written in a curmudgeonly yet goodnatured style, the premise of Oliver Burkeman’s so-called time management book is that our focus on productivity is really a race against our own mortality. Through philosophy, spirituality and practicality, the author makes a great case for re-examining our obsession with getting things done. What does it matter if you’re going to die someday? What really matters if you’re going to die someday? What do you want to do with the time that you have? Our “cosmic insignificance” encourages us to embrace the idea that being unremarkable (i.e., just a caring human being living in the moment) is often more than enough. By constantly desiring more, we become paralyzed with not ever being enough… Now. In the present. “If you can face the truth about time in this way—if you can step more fully into the condition of being a limited human—you will reach the greatest heights of productivity, accomplishment, service and fulfillment that were ever in the cards for you to begin with.” A must-read for both chronic procrastinators and productivity nerds. oliverburkeman.com
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
15
B U S I N E S S
STO RY BY
a ria n n e fou l ks
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y
a n d re a d’aqu i n o
P
rocrastination is particularly challenging when you are your own boss. As a business owner for over 17 years, I have some methods of keeping myself on task that I’d love to share. Here are some things that trip me up: •
Finding time to work on the business, rather than in it. Being busy with clients or customers can make it feel like there’s no room in my schedule for internal work.
•
New responsibilities—something out of the ordinary that doesn’t yet have a process to follow.
•
Areas of non-expertise. It can seem like a lot of hard work to get to the point of competency.
•
Big projects—figuring out how much time to set aside, then making time for it.
Figure out what slows you down, so you can plan better for these types of tasks in the future. |||
Ideas to control procrastination Start with the difficult task
Beat procrastination by doing your least favourite task first. It feels great to have finished that task you wanted to put off. The momentum from getting it over with can motivate you to zip through the rest of the day’s tasks.
preventing procrastination 16
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Break the project up
Make a project more manageable by breaking it into tasks that can each be completed in one sitting. You can decide what a “sitting” is to you. For example, “photograph products” may be too hard, whereas “list product shots” may be an easier entry point. It’s a good idea to overestimate how long each task will take, so you don’t get discouraged or run out of time.
S T O C K I S T
Institute rewards
Give yourself rewards based on your progress. Rewards can be anything that won’t derail you. For example, a stretch break, snack or walk around the block should make it pretty easy to return to work. Sometimes you’ll find yourself enjoying the project and won’t need the reward at all. Create a space and time to focus
ress. You can do this by asking someone else to help keep you in line. Another accountability option is to announce your goal and deadline publicly—for instance, in a newsletter, on social media or some other place where you check in frequently. You can create a situation in which you will feel compelled to keep your promise.
Remove distractions from reach and view, set your devices to “do not disturb” mode and create a space to focus. If you need to use your phone or your computer, it helps to close all apps and tabs except the ones you are working with. You could go full screen to display only the work you’re doing.
Schedule work and manage your time
Block off chunks of time for deep concentration. I like to use the Pomodoro Technique for this (Google it, if you’re interested). This method has you set a timer for 25 minutes, with five minute breaks. Only having to commit to the task for 25 minutes can make it easier to start, and the timer creates a helpful urgency.
Your schedule in general should be achievable and help prevent burnout. Falling behind is never comfortable, and it makes it much more tempting to delay the things we need to get done. Leave yourself some breathing room to cover for surprises, to allow for breaks and to tackle difficult tasks.
|||
Ideas to prevent procrastination Fit tasks to your abilities
If what you need to work on doesn’t align with what you like to do, you may be able to find a way to make it a better fit for you. If you want to create social media posts, but you aren’t great at photography, you could design hand-lettered graphics instead. Or if you don’t feel comfortable writing, switch to video. You might be better off delegating certain types of tasks to someone else. For anything you’re procrastinating on, consider whether it needs to be done at all. If so, are you the best one to do it? There may be a creative solution that gets you back to your happy place of doing the type of work you enjoy. Create accountability
Some people are great at holding themselves accountable. For many people, it helps if someone else knows what you’re working on and can check in on your prog
SHOP INDIE
Highlighting independent brickand-mortar shops who stock UPPERCASE magazines, books, fabric and other lovely things.
If the task you’re putting off doesn’t have a motivational deadline, build it into your schedule. Make appointments with yourself. Block time off on your calendar for the work and protect it as you would for a meeting with anyone else. @_t h ewor k ro om TORONTO, CANADA
|||
Doesn’t it feel great to cross a tricky task off your to-do list and have a fresh achievement under your belt? Find and use the tools that work for you to keep procrastination at bay. You will find yourself getting more done with less struggle, which can create more balance in your life.
@ m a g a z i n e br i g h ton BRIGHTON, UNITED KINGDOM
aeolidia.com
@t h e i n k p ad nyc N E W Y O R K , U N I T E D S TAT E S
Small retail outlets need us more than ever. Find an UPPERCASE stockist near you and support a local business. uppercasemagazine.com/ stockists
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
17
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
Apron On! Erin Duncan QUEENSLAND, AUSTR ALIA
When I arrive in the studio, I am bringing all of my life with me. I have thoughts, plans and a million “to do’s” running around in my head, so I find that it’s best not to try and draw something right away. These sticky things need to be let go of first, and I have rituals for that. First, I put on my painting apron. This is the signal that it’s time to get to it. I always have some stones to keep me company. My current favourite is a green calcite, which I might slip into my apron pocket. I like to clear and cleanse the room with incense or smudge bundles. Scent is especially conducive to getting in the zone. Then I take a moment. To breathe. To release. I come down out of my relentlessly noisy head and into my heart. I think this is really the single most important step. I just quiet down and listen for a while. At this point it’s good to remind myself that it is a huge privilege to be here—to be safe and making art. I’m so grateful to be an artist! And then I scribble! With a pencil, a paintbrush or a crayon. Mess up the page a little and we are good to go! My rituals for showing up to the canvas are simple but they set the tone and the mood. They get me grounded and they raise my energy, like all good rituals do. @erinduncancreative
Word Excursions Thandiwe Shiphrah NASHVILLE , TENNESSEE , USA
I make word portraits, visual affirmations, sound and stage performances, and immersive mixed-media workshops and installations. My practice includes taking long walks in nature, art journaling, generative writing exercises and applying literary techniques to art-making across several disciplines. Music and inquiry are essential to getting into a creative zone. My favourite routine begins with listening to jazz. Then, with my eyes closed, I pick one letter from a bowl of letters that I keep on a shelf. My prompt: any word that begins with the letter I picked (today it was the letter K, so I’m working with “kaleidoscope”). This is when my curiosity kicks in. I want to find out what I already know about the word, so I do 10 minutes of freewriting on an oversized sheet of paper taped to the wall. Using coloured markers, I let my hands move to the rhythm of the music and capture ideas, memories and visual associations as they arise. Next, I consult my dictionary, trusting that I will discover something I didn’t know about the word’s meaning, history, usage or relationship to other words. I follow wherever this new information leads me. Afterwards, I write in silence for another 20 to 30 minutes and soon I will have gotten my wish. The beginning of a story. An intriguing idea for a poem. A spark to my visual imagination. thandiweshiphrah.com
20
|||
U P P E R C A S E
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
Morning Pages Jean Staral MADISON, WI, USA
Morning pages are the three pages of streamof-thought journaling described in The Artist’s Way. I’ve been doing them off and on for almost 25 years. I find they make me do two things. The first is to dump out all of my anxiety so that I can stay focused on what I can control. You can imagine what the last few years have been like in that area. The second, because you can only listen to yourself whine for so long, is that they make me think of everything I want to do for the day. Morning pages leave me excited and optimistic about the day. @staral_ink
Low stakes, high rewards Heather Moore CAPE TOWN , SOUTH AFRICA
For years, I’ve had a “date” with my studio every Friday, which I call “Making Friday,” which I use to keep alive the creative energy behind my business. When it works, this practice is so rewarding, but often there are long gaps between visits to my studio, and neglecting my Making Friday practice causes me both regret and shame. Recently, I wondered if I might benefit from reducing the pressure to spend a whole day at my studio, and instead to aim for a shorter, more regular habit. So I set myself a challenge to create a pattern every day for 100 days, and to post whatever I made on my “studio” Instagram account @makingfriday with the tag #100daysofpattern. I kept the pressure off by creating limitations: I could only use cheap erasers to carve and print with, and I had to share what I made, even if I wasn’t that happy with it. At first, 100 days seemed like a crazy goal, but thanks to the encouragement from people following my challenge, I kept it up, not only building up a wonderful bank of patterns, but also renewing my enjoyment of Instagram, as a really generous, friendly conversation started happening. Now my challenge is done, but I’m still making sure I start my mornings with a quick pattern. @makingfriday
22
|||
U P P E R C A S E
My Three Commitments Sandra Fitzpatrick GEELONG , AUSTR ALIA
In 2004 I read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and was drawn to her simple processes for building and maintaining a creative practice. I especially love that her processes don’t involve a “start your art” command. Rather, Julia tells me to record my early morning thoughts in three pages of long-hand writing… the emphasis being not on what I write, but rather on the discipline of filling those three pages each and every day. Doing this awakens my intuition and helps me to prioritize my life tasks and my creative tasks. It requires a lot of writing. Sometimes it’s a challenge; other times I can sense myself “getting in the flow.” I do it regardless. Walking daily for at least 20 minutes alone—not with a friend, not with the dog—is another of Julia’s rituals. This is when I process my thoughts and ideas, and do my problem solving. It’s meditative, puts me out in nature to witness seasonal changes in vegetation and weather, and it connects me with my local community. I also arrange a weekly solo visit to a garden or a gallery to enhance my sense of belonging in the art world and to gain inspiration. Julia calls this “my artist date,” and I always feel it’s an important and very rewarding ritual.
Spirit care Ina Kadisi LINZ , AUSTRIA
I get into my creative flow by writing morning pages. Every day after getting up the first thing I do is write without thinking about what is moving me. This clears my mind and at the same time creates space for new ideas. I am also a great fan of meditation. It’s like coming back to yourself. Letting go helps me, rather than thinking. I am turning off my head and listening to my gut feeling. @thiscollagelife
Banish the ego Darcy Falk F L A G S TA F F , A R I Z O N A , U S A
Over the door into my studio there’s a Mexican folk art coconut head that depicts the devil. I’m not a particularly religious person; rather, my idea in hanging it there was to banish unhealthy ego from my studio. The devil reminds me to leave my ego behind when I enter my studio. I’m more interested in being curious in the studio: what is the creative outcome if I take this action or set of actions? When I am feeling particularly unengaged, I pull the devil off the wall and polish him up, which can also polish up my creative engagement. darcyfalk.com
24
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Making Connections Kirsten Chursinoff VA N C O U V E R , B C , CA N A DA
Having a passion for art does not automatically mean that it’s easy to get started. To get into the creative zone, and knock down any sneaky creative blocks, I need to trick myself. One routine that helps to ignite my creative mojo is this: I tidy my threads and fabric, and organize the colours. This does not mean that I clean my workspace—it can still be messy—but I rearrange materials in that special way that only makes sense to me. The act of touching the colourful fabrics and threads is powerful. It jump-starts my brain and I start making connections. I see colour combinations to use in my next project, find textured fibres for my current piece or think of a solution to help complete a dormant project. There’s always a chance that it can lead to distraction, but it’s more likely to propel me forward and I can put that momentum to good use. @kirsten_chursinoff
M U S I N G
the slow making of your world
here’s a thing I do when I’ve been working on a painting for a few hours nonstop, especially in the summer. At about 2:30am, I’ll wash my hands, put on some shoes and head out for a walk. The walk will last about 20 minutes and on my way back I’ll pick up a Reuben sandwich with two pickles. There are about 20 to 25 varieties of sandwich and other things I could have at the Korean deli down the block, but I’ve found it’s not a good idea to change it up when I still have work to get done. So I pick up the same sandwich and eventually head home. This is one of my rules for when I’m painting.
drying time makes it easy to leave for a while, come back to, and erase or cover up later. For artists like me, that kind of break is good to let the mind wander and consider taking some risks—I’m able to explore things without too much commitment or deliberation, trying some new things that might work. But over time I have also come to know myself: after long hours of painting, I’ll be a little fatigued, and this opens up a possibility to avoidable mistakes. So this rule and its ritual gets my eyes a little rest, while my mind gets away from the work temporarily. It also gets me much needed fuel in the tank, after which I can come back afresh, clock in about three more hours and then call it a night with some confidence about the work I’ve completed. I have seen what happens without the ritual: things have slipped, and months later I’ve come to decide that the work is less than optimal. So this rule is mine alone, specific to my own proclivities and standards. It is not something I’d prescribe to any other artist. It is one among many I have made after observing patterns in myself across a span of a few years.
The sandwich-and-walk rule happens to be one I invented for myself, and it is one of many I follow. For me, rules tend to become “soft mandates.” In this case, if I ignore this rule I’m opening myself up to some variables at a time when I need as few as possible. For example, painting in oil on wood is forgiving—its long
A creative professional typically begins their journey in a protected space—a bubble—where they can develop a visual language with little distraction. This bubble has a semi-porous membrane, with access to peers, mentors, teachers and the occasional visits from lecturing artists and leading thinkers. Included within this world
Your life moves in patterns toward things, and things that we achieve finally are part of this mosaic. I just think that we create our own fate. —A R N E G L I M C H E R
TEXT AND ART BY
ce d r ic vic tor
26
|||
T
U P P E R C A S E
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
E P H E M E R A
I
f you asked the person on the street, a majority would consider themselves a visual learner—UPPERCASE readers may especially see themselves this way. Images convey a meaning which words alone cannot. Illustration tends to tell a story and often elicits an emotional reaction. From an early age, we are taught much about our world through visual mediums, and major industries have sprung up over the last two centuries to facilitate this teaching.
old-fashioned visual learning C O L L ECT I O N BY
m a r k e. sacke tt
TEXT BY
m ela n ie roller
As the people of the 19th and 20th centuries pushed for a rise in literacy, and more children began attending primary school, new educational resources became increasingly available. The ephemera of these times reflect this investment in children. Books, pamphlets, cards and toys, among other things, were produced for the school room and home classroom, most relying heavily on illustration as a teaching method. Images of big, bold letters in rainbow colours; small, smiling children; and anthropomorphic animals danced across these pieces, encouraging interest and engagement. The alphabet, shapes, vocabulary, household tasks, art and even basic citizenship skills were taught through brightly coloured graphics designed to attract and hold attention. Children could learn the names and traits of animals from far-off places while simultaneously practising their spelling and reading comprehension. The same could be said for older children and teenagers who were taught to grasp complicated scientific concepts and significant historical events while reading educational comic books or illustrated guides. Whether simple or elaborate, these teaching visuals found a place in the long-term memory of a child and could be recalled much more easily than any facts or statistics ever could. Illustration introduced an element of fun into learning and had the power to transform a subject that could be considered dry and dull into something exciting and magical. This tradition has continued into the modern day through the use of television, computers and technology—allowing every conceivable type of learning to be facilitated through the use of visuals. theBoxSF.com
32
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Art & Design
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E A N C E S T RY,
M O D E R N D AY R O YA L Z BY
m a n a l mi r za
34
|||
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE U P P E R C A S E
A B E C E D A R Y
illustration in the wild TEXT BY
lyd ie ra sch ka
Bazooka Joe comics Mini comics brought out by the Topps Company in 1953, typically found in a jumble of thrift store ephemera.
Alphabet wall cards
Choking first aid poster
A kindergarten classroom staple— cards that pair illustrations with ABCs to assist kids with reading.
A potential lifesaver for diners and a memento mori for us all.
Dummy for a children’s book A handmade mock-up of a book, typically a wilder, sketchier version than the final.
Exhibit labels Signs at a zoo or museum that name an animal or object, and display a few facts, usually accompanied by a photo, diagram or illustration.
Food cart menus A genre all its own, ranging from overexposed hot dog photos to minimal line drawings of espresso drinks.
Infographics A chart, diagram or illustration is 30 times more likely to be read than simple text.
Histogram A type of graph that shows data in the form of a picture, similar to a bar graph.
Greenmarket signs
Knitting diagrams Knitting illustrations appeal because of their precision, but also for their potential in taming wild wool.
I N T E R W E AV E
The market is fertile ground for illustration in the wild.
Jigsaw puzzle A cardboard illustration cut into many pieces, only to be put back together again.
42
|||
U P P E R C A S E
S O S .WA . G O V
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
46
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Chris Raschka N E W YO R K C I T Y, N E W YO R K , U S A
I
became an illustrator because I knew I wanted a life in art, and because pairing drawings with words made some kind of sense to me, as I had been raised in a bookish family—by my father, a historian, and my mother, an archivist. Books were always about. When my brother, an architecture student, began passing along his painting supplies, the ingredients were all there. After college, I worked in many an odd job, as a playground supervisor, a personal attorney’s personal assistant and a part-time symphony musician. In 1991, mixed together with what my family gave me, it all somehow made my first major work of illustration, a children’s picture book about jazz. How has illustration as a profession changed over the course of your career? I began working as an illustrator at the cusp of the digital age. In 1987, the studio I freelanced for was changing over from paper to screen. An Adobe representative spent a morning explaining the first Illustrator program to us. Immediately, I made a couple of pieces using vectors and inflection points—one, the headlights of an onrushing car; the other, a character logo for a taco restaurant. Over the next years, though, I decided to go in another direction, leaving the ever-quicker, smart, but also more expensive, screen behind. When I saw the Chinese calligraphy show The Embodied Image, at the Metropolitan Museum in 2000, I left the pencil behind, too. Now most of my work is in children’s book illustration. Naturally, the finished art, which is the book itself, has been created completely from digital files, my original art having been scanned, sometimes stretched or compressed, but always tweaked in myriad ways somewhere along the way, just as art has always been changed by the reproduction processes of its day. So for me, finally, not much has changed; I have come full circle back to the creative joy I find in dipping a brush in paint. How has illustration changed you? I see the world very much in words and pictures. I am uncomfortable if I spend too much time away from drawing. I can imagine myself no longer writing things down, but never not drawing. Is this just an attempt to hold onto a fleeting world? Perhaps. But I would not want to live somewhere where I could not look at what others have drawn before me, so I am happy to fit myself into the long line of toilers who have simply desired to see. @chris.raschka
54
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Andrea D’Aquino N E W YO R K C I T Y, N E W YO R K , U S A
I
got my first official illustration assignment in 2011. Before that, I was an art director in ad agencies. For a few years, these two lives overlapped. For the last five or so, I have worked exclusively as an illustrator. I am most comfortable in an indefinable place, where I’m free to work on any type of project. I also work in three distinct methods: photo-based graphic collage, editorial illustration and picture book illustration (this last being the most handmade and non-digital). I see myself continuing to move towards more personal, gallery-aimed work—but overlapping with what I do now, no rigid boundaries. How has illustration as a profession changed over the course of your career? I don’t think the changes are very dramatic over that time, but that said, the nature of illustration is cyclical, with short life spans of what is trendy or popular. That’s always been the case. For that reason, it’s best to stick with your natural strengths rather than jump on a bandwagon, because the bandwagon’s wheels will eventually fall off. I gravitate towards picture books because I see it as a more permanent, long-lived medium. Procreate has made some illustration process quicker (for me, particularly the sketch stage). I notice a glut of hard-edged, playful, colourful figures that are very corporate friendly, quick to execute without being too specific, and strictly digital—too much of it, and too much of it looks generic. The same for overly cute, decorative, “pretty” work, which has also become quite generic. That said, there are always a few who do either in a distinctive and fresh way and rise above the visual onslaught. I make an effort not to take too much of that in my visual field. It’s important to not allow everything into your eyeballs, if you are an artist—so edit well! Limit your visual diet as much as possible to what is honest and high quality. How has illustration changed you? It keeps me on my toes, all five senses included. It’s made me appreciate the importance of protecting and appreciating my own sensibilities. Both energies and slow/busy times ebb and flow, which is natural. Don’t fight it. Appreciating that I am indeed fortunate to have a deep interest in this life, and following atypical directions or experiments without clear knowledge of whether they will work out or not, takes courage. Ups and downs are normal, don’t expect either to go on forever. Ride the waves! Sometimes you’re on top, sometimes you’re lost in the undertow. Come up for air. I hope my work speaks for me. andreadaquino.com @andreadaquino_art
60
|||
U P P E R C A S E
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
Alphamis: A French Language Education Game Danielle Ridolfi S T. LO U I S , M I S S O U R I , U SA
During the pandemic, many of my educator friends were struggling to find ways to make online content engaging for their students, particularly their younger students. I partnered with a French language teacher to create some illustrations that we applied to various digital and physical assets that can transition from virtual to in-person classes. Each illustration depicts a phonetic syllable via a quirky scene or scenario. We took great care to include depictions of people who would be relatable for her class, which was composed primarily of immigrants and refugees living in Paris who were learning French for the first time. @dani_ridolfi
78
|||
U P P E R C A S E
How to raise an environmentally conscious kid
MyZones
Serineh Eliasian
Tori English
Y E R E VA N , A R M E N I A
C A L G A R Y, A L B E R TA , C A N A D A
I believe that it’s important to teach kids about climate change in fun and creative ways. I created this illustration and included some small but effective ways to be the change in our world. serineheliasian.com
The problem: One in five Canadian elementary students experience mental health challenges. Initiatives for mental health education are often surface-level, and only offer an introduction. The solution: What students need is a solution that is accessible (no technology needed!) and robust enough to lead to real change, while encouraging lifelong learning. The project: I created MyZones, an illustrated resource used to help children identify and manage their emotions. This project includes a sliding “feelings scale” and a physical deck of cards with instructions and tips for getting back to the “green zone.” I made sure the characters were friendly, inviting and universal, something that kids would be drawn to. torienglish.com
Craft
88
|||
U P P E R C A S E
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
THIS IS A LOW RES PREVIEW OF A HIGH QUALITY Q U A R T E R LY P R I N T M A G A Z I N E PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
“What we’ve discovered is that we’re all working pretty damn hard,” Scott says. “Illustrators are not only illustrating but marketing, producing and shipping, often with no support staff whatsoever.” For many, it’s a recipe for eventual, if temporary, burnout. This realization made providing a space to rest and recharge paramount, along with finding ways for artists to interact with the public. “Part of our mission is to increase awareness of illustration amongst the public, from young people to elderly people,” Nancy says. “It’s really helpful for them to hear directly from artists about the craft and it gives them a greater appreciation of what they’re seeing every day in a children’s book or an editorial in a magazine.” The duo believes strongly in the power of informal education, despite long-standing engagement with the more formal type. Throughout his career, Scott has worked at a number of art schools and even founded the illustration department at Maine College of Art. “I’ve become sort of critical of how we teach art—there’s a certain institutional aspect to whatever we do in that environment,” he says. In thinking about their own experiences as artists, Scott and Nancy recognized the important role that informal education plays in developing a practice and a career. “Meeting with artists, whether for a few min104
|||
U P P E R C A S E
106
|||
U P P E R C A S E
breastfeeding at the time. “My family, we travel as an art tribe. I want to make the art world more accommodating to families and women.” She notes that at the Kansas City Art Institute, she is only the third female faculty member with a family in the school’s history, which goes back more than 130 years. Blake and Hannah March Sanders are two artists who have taken advantage of the residency’s family-friendly approach. They are a print and curatorial team, calling themselves Orange Barrel Industries, and they both teach at Southeast Missouri State University. They brought along their seven-month-old son, Levee. “We spent the week reading, drawing, crocheting and taking lots of long walks to see the countryside,” they wrote in a report on their time. Blake’s crocheting became part of a site-responsive installation, “Gargantua,” which was composed of repurposed materials and illustrated the outsized ecological impact of their son. Clare Doveton, who lives in Lawrence, Kansas, spent a lot of her time at the cottage in 2018 making large drawings of thistles. “Thistle has been a source of strength for me during my stay,” she wrote. “I even looked up the symbolism of this wildflower: Strength. Fights off melancholy. Protection. Healing. Thistle shows up when 112
|||
U P P E R C A S E
the earth needs healing. When animals have overgrazed or the soil has been overworked, thistle comes in with its deep taproot and bring nutrients up from the deep.” Doveton took an extended native plant conservation course the week before her trip, and spent some time documenting monarch activity on native tall thistle for the conservation group the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Jillian Youngbird, who is based in Kansas City, spent part of her time finishing a bison head mask made from cardboard, sheep’s wool and fabric. She wrote, “I did some bird watching on the back deck one evening and saw what looked like a black iridescent bird with a white chest. One of the native Kansas bird books told me it was a magpie. I wrote short stories about the magpie and did a couple of paintings of them. Artistically, the environment the cottage provided was electric and cozy all at once. When I wasn’t working on art, I was reading, watching the grasses playfully sway out of the dining room window, and having lovely meals for one.” Kim Eichler-Messmer worked on paintings—not typically part of her practice, which is fibre-focused— which she exhibited later that year at the Bank Art Space in Matfield Green, in a two-person exhibition with Laura. She wrote, “A six-mile hike to the scenic
Jennifer Goldfinger PORTLAND, MAINE
My studio is in an 800-square-foot new space built last year specifically for mid-career artists. It’s in an industrial side of Portland, surrounded by ocean, coal storage, trains and an airport. I am a children’s book illustrator, an author and a fine artist. Because the building only has artists, we can have random quick critiques if needed, and we’re all open to lending a hand to help carry art or give suggestions on any other issues we all share. @jengoldfinger
118
|||
U P P E R C A S E
122
|||
U P P E R C A S E
Ana Bianchi WA L N U T C R E E K , CA L I FO R N I A , U SA
After years of working off a tiny desk in NYC, I finally have a proper studio, with tall walls for art: art I made as a kid and recent illustrations, and art by my daughter and by my mother, and even by my great-grandfather and greatgreat-great-uncle. I have a thing for drawers with little compartments inside for art materials and to archive artwork and ephemera. As an artist friend told me, “The life of an artist is measured by how many flat file cabinets you have.” I like old things—both trinkets and furniture—so my worktable is made out of four old tables bought in flea markets. I always thought worktables are like purses: if you have a little one you fill it up and if you have a big one you also fill it up. Periodically, it gets covered with paper and materials; every so often I have to reorganize all to have a tabula rasa and start again. I am a messy artist and an art material junkie—paints, paper, fabric. I like to work surrounded by a variety of art materials which I may or may not combine in each illustration. The queens of my art materials are my watercolours, which I store in a lovely mid-century sewing cabinet. I have books and magazines, a garden outside and more books in another room. I am happy to be in here for hours, days or, as it has been, through almost two years in the house. @analovescolor
John Sandford CH ICAGO, I LLI NOIS, USA
I work in children’s books. Over the years, I’ve worked in a large attic, a small sunroom, on a table in the kitchen and in a hotel room on vacation, making emergency changes. The room shown in these photos has tolerated me for 15 years of paint-on-paper and digital work. When I begin a project, I start with a clean workspace. All materials and reference are ready to go, and there’s good light for all hours of a day. After a few hours, however, chaos reigns: table, floor and all flat space has been filled with tubes, paper towels and swatches—I’m inundated by cascading roughs, tissues, notes and bits of redrawn details. Tunnel vision confines me inside the edges of the working surface, so I’m not aware of anything more. If I don’t clean this up now, it will overwhelm everything. (Clean up? Those best intentions never quite happen.) @mr.sandford
Gabriele Carasusán KÖRBA , B R AN DE N B U RG , G E RMANY
Sophie Dufresne S T U D I O C I T Y, CA L I F O R N I A , U S A
I felt very lucky when I found the little bungalow which has been my home for several years now. It made having a room for an office and art studio finally possible after years of dreaming. Even though the room is fairly small I did everything to maximize the space and make it functional. The first thing was to paint a couple walls yellow, since it’s tucked behind a larger house and doesn’t get a ton of light, except for an hour or two before 10 in the morning. I installed wall shelves and cabinets from IKEA, which, amazingly, happen to fit the width of the wall perfectly, and put up sliding curtain panels for when I want to hide the clutter. In the cabinets I keep heavy and bulky things, like reference books, files, tools and large paper pads. It’s also great to store my scanner so it doesn’t take up desk space permanently. And because the cabinets are right behind my desk I just have to swivel my chair to reach for my paints, brushes and pens. I like that the bungalow is hidden from the street and very quiet, except that the window views are limited, so I have a hummingbird feeder and fountain, which brings some life to my surroundings. And when I want visual stimulation other than squirrels and hummingbirds, walks in the neighbourhood are always available and only a few steps away. @sophiequi
124
|||
U P P E R C A S E
I am a designer and illustrator living in a very small village with my family, and my cats Milo and Suse. My studio is in the former cowshed of our 19th-century farmhouse, which we have converted into a cozy home over the last 10 years. Before, we lived in the centre of Berlin—space was always a problem and nature was quite far away. Now I have the great fortune to be directly surrounded by nature and my garden while working. Through large windows I can look out from my desk at anytime and dream. When I need inspiration, I wander through the garden or sit down to draw in the bee house I share with five bee colonies. What inspires me most in my work are symmetries and patterns, both of which I find in nature in incredible variety. Our large garden also gives me enough space for my other projects. From old concrete railroad ties, from the time of the GDR, which were lying around on our property in heaps, I create sculptures, with shards of tiles, dishes and whimsical found objects from my garden. I place them like stelae hidden in my beds, so that the viewer can always find new surprises. @carasusan.art
Michael Wertz OAKL AN D, CALI FORN IA , USA
Hello there. I’m Michael, and I’m an illustrator and an educator. I am the assistant chair of illustration at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. I have two worktables that I cram with objects, scraps of paper and colour swatches. A constant: pencil, paper and sketchbooks. I’ve covered the wall next to the table with a wallpaper I designed and keep a few of my framed prints hanging around. The wallpaper serves as a great backdrop for Zoom meetings, and it serves to remind me that our work sometimes repeats itself, and is always scalable. My studiomates are books, disco music and a metal flat file that I got at an army surplus place; that thing could withstand a bomb blast! @wertzateria
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
125
H O B B Y
too embarrassed to admit it. Instead, I ignore the email and head online to read everything that I can find related to the topic. This type of research, to be clear, is also a form of procrastination.
better late than never
STO RY BY
brenda n h ar r i son
T
his year I turned 40 and celebrated 20 years of writing professionally. While I try not to spend too much time reflecting on the passage of time, these double milestones spurred me to take stock of how far I’d come (and how far I still have to go). At the onset of my career, I assumed that the anxiety of a blank page and a looming deadline would eventually lessen, that with time, I’d become more disciplined in my approach and less inclined to let every assignment become a crisis. And yet, here I am with an article that is weeks overdue, trying desperately to write about my creative process while my daughter is at Brownies.
With two decades of experience behind me, there’s only one conclusion I can draw: procrastination is my creative process. This is a humiliating admission for a so-called professional to make, but the proof ’s in my inbox: hundreds of increasingly stern reminders from my editors met with meek extension requests and excuse-laden late submissions. And all for projects that I had months to complete. This is how it typically goes: my editor will send me a request asking for an article on a theme or topic, due on a specific date. My mind goes blank. I’m certain that I have no original thoughts or insights to share, but I’m 126
|||
U P P E R C A S E
To make it feel more like work, I make cryptic notes as I read. These will make sense at the moment but will be impossible to decipher when I finally start writing. Once I’ve filled a page or two, I reward my hard work with an indefinite break to “let the ideas marinate.” This pause will last until I get a reminder email from the editor asking me what I’m going to write about. In a panic, I hurriedly reply with a vague description of what I intend to write, along with a firm commitment to a deadline that I know I’ll miss. The next phase is active avoidance. While I typically have a high tolerance for clutter, when it comes time to write, suddenly I need a pristine workspace. Once my desk is clean, I’ll inevitably decide that I need to go on a long walk to get the mental juices flowing. By the time I get back, I’ll realize that I don’t have enough time to make a real dent in the article, so I’ll watch a little TV and go to bed so I can wake up early the next morning to work on it. The great thing about being a 40-year-old father with a full-time job is that there’s always something I could be doing instead of writing. So I keep doing that until I get the email from my editor telling me my article is overdue. I know what you’re thinking: this will be the spur that gets him writing. But no. This is where I feel so overwhelmed by how much I have to do that I shut down. Paralysis sets in. The sense of dread I feel about my undone to-do list makes it impossible for me to enjoy other activities, but instead of doing anything about it, I will spend hours joylessly scrolling my social media feeds as that gnawing sense of self-loathing builds within me. Late at night on the day before my article is due, I will pour myself a bath and stare into the middle distance wondering how I’ll ever get it done. And that’s when the first paragraph will come into my mind, suggesting to me a path forward for the rest of the article. The next morning, I’ll drink a pot of coffee and write a reasonable draft of the article that my wife will make infinitely better with her thoughtful edits and suggestions. I’ll take one more pass later that afternoon, then sit on it until the following morning, when I’ll print it off and do one last edit before sending it in with a grovelling email thanking my editor for their patience. I wish it could be otherwise, but it seems that this is how it must be. In Karl Ove Knausgaard’s memoir Autumn, he writes, “To turn 40 is to realize that one’s limitations will last one’s whole life through.” While I wish I had gotten better over the past 20 years of writing professionally, perhaps it’s enough to have gotten better at accepting my limitations.
C I R C L E
looking forward Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter for behind-the-scenes updates and the latest on open calls for submission. UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration Volume A: Art Supplies
Circle
Volume A: Art Supplies will be released in June 2022! Get on my newsletter list for the latest announcements and place your preorder now to help crowdfund the book. UPPERCASE magazine #53 April-May-June 2022 #54 July-August-September 2022 #55 October-November-December 2022 #56 January-February-March 2023
Make connections, nurture your creative spirit and grow your business!
Pitch your article ideas and theme suggestions anytime by emailing submissions@uppercasemagazine.com. uppercasemagazine.com
The UPPERCASE Circle is a vibrant community hub, one that is a valuable source of motivation, inspiration and encouragement for like-minded and kind-hearted creative people from around the world. Although the community is initially brought together by its support for and appreciation of UPPERCASE magazine, the Circle will enhance your experience of all things UPPERCASE while providing additional value to your creative life through conversation and the sharing of knowledge.
The content of Little U is always cute and cuddly! Get your copy today.
•
Connect with members of the UPPERCASE community— both near and far—who share your interests.
•
Share your work with your peers, mentors and potential customers.
•
Find inspiration, motivation and new perspectives.
•
Move your creative business forward with tips, tools and support from peers and guest experts.
•
Live video conferences and video chats.
Access to this community is FREE when you subscribe to UPPERCASE magazine! uppercasecircle.com
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
127
S H A R E S
128
|||
U P P E R C A S E
reader shares P O STCA R D A RT BY
j u lie liger- belair @ j u l ie.l i ger.b ela i r
W
ith each issue of UPPERCASE magazine, readers will typically find two postcards: one is a subscription postcard and the other is an advertisement for an upcoming or recent publication. Artist Julie Liger-Belair has been saving these postcards and created this amazing series! With paint, drawing and collage, she has elevated them from ephemera to art, with the UPPERCASE pattern designs shining through the background. Please share your pictures and stories of my books, magazines and fabric on Instagram @uppercasemag with your friends, family and colleagues. It means a lot to me! #uppercaselove for all things UPPERCASE #uppercasemag for the magazine #uppercasekraft for art made with subscribers’ kraft envelopes #uppercasereader to share what you make #encyclopediaofinspiration for the books #uppercasefabric for my fabric @windhamfabrics collections #littleumag for my little magazine for the young at heart
@sew. m i s s .v iv
@a m p ersa n d s t u d i o
@a n n i ka .c l en n a n
@ m e l i s sa b l a i rc a r ter
@c a r m en b o h n _ f i bre a r t
@c h er t h ef i re
@ l c l a r ke 52 2
@em i ly va n h off
uppercasemagazine.com
|||
129
C O V E T
tracing lines
STO RY A N D P H OTO BY
a n dre a j en ki ns
T
here is, somewhere in my house, a small box of old books from my childhood. They sit untouched most of the time, until I need them, which is usually when I’m feeling a little wobbly, a little disconnected. I go looking for them when I miss home. And by home, I don’t mean where I live now, but the home I knew before I made my own—the home where I grew up, where my only real responsibilities were to go to school and learn things and maybe clean my room and help with dinner. Mostly, I was free to play and draw and dance and dream and spend hours on the floor with a pile of favourite books. To be clear, I am still free to do these things, but adulthood is a hindrance. Adulthood is a heavy suit I wish I could slip in and out of at will, maybe hang in the back of the closet for a few hours while I revisit childhood. Somehow these books survived decades of familial chaos—multiple garage sales, moves across state lines and exactly one house fire. My mom set them all aside, save for one, which I eventually replaced myself. I stumbled onto it at a flea market years ago, saw the familiar drawing of Swedish triplets Flicka, Ricka and Dicka on the cover, felt at once the soft edges of nostalgia and immediately paid the vendor her asking price—a steal at 11 dollars, considering the personal treasure it was, how the story inside helped shape the way I saw the world as a child. I would have easily paid double, triple the price.
130
|||
U P P E R C A S E
The thing is, when I pull these books out, I rarely read the words. Instead, I pore over the pictures. I trace the detailed pencil drawings in the book about dancer Maria Tallchief just like I did when I was a kid and remember how earnestly I hoped my tiny arms and legs might someday make the same stunning shapes, that I might someday fly wild across a floodlit stage like Maria. A magic tablecloth that fed a starving family, a kitten rescued from a candy shop, the perfect pair of tasselled majorette boots, a red and white polka dot dress bought for the girl who lived in the woods and had nothing— the drawings and paintings from these books, abstract as they may seem now, were gradually folded into one grand budding idea of what I wanted my present (and future) life to look like, an amalgamation of child-like ideals that quietly tumbled with me as I moved through the years. Some lines are more faint than others but I can trace my desire to study dance in college back to the drawings of Maria Tallchief just as surely as I can physically trace the drawings on the pages themselves. And while the words held just as much relevance, if you ask me about the books of my childhood, if you ask me about my earliest dreams, I’ll tell you about the pictures. And I’ll pull out the box of books to show you. Because the words won’t be enough.
F RO NT C OVE R
lisa congdon BAC K C OVE R
ka te a u s t i n $ 1 8 CA D/ U S D P R I N T E D I N CA N A DA
uppercasemagazine.com