DrawTogether with WendyMac

*/ ?>

Latest Episodes:

Getting Grateful on the DT Pod Nov 18, 2022

Hellllooo Friends.

This week we revisit one of our earliest DT Podcast episodes: Gratitude. Drawing is a great way for kids (and all of us) to begin a gratitude practice. Kids can do this at home in their art studio (aka the kitchen table) or as a group in a class or after school program, or as a family. And if you/your kids listen to the DrawTogether podcast as a group, this is a great chance to draw and share out loud what you are grateful for.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

The Secret to Drawing People Nov 11, 2022

Why are people so hard to draw? Is it our wonky shoulders? She shape of our eyes? The funky curves of our ear? Or our weirdly formed hands and feet?! Answer: YES. Today on the pod, we try cartoonist's Lynda Barry and Ivan Brunetti's exercises from Lynda's book Making Comics and create some simple, squiggly wiggly human bodies, then transform them into characters. Grab some paper, pens, colors and young people, and let's DrawTogether.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Quilt Portraits inspired by Bisa Butler Nov 05, 2022

This week on the DT Podcast we learn about the fiber artist Bisa Butler and use collage and drawing to create Bisa-inspired paper portraits of people we admire. Check out the DT newsletter to see Bisa's quilts and watch a video of her talking about her artwork.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

DT x Dia de los Muertos featuring Yuyi Morales! Oct 28, 2022

Yuyi Morales is on the DT podcast!!

Hellloooo! This week on the DT pod we celebrate Día de los Muertos with special guest children’s book author and illustrator Yuyi Morales! Her might recognize her Caldecott-nominated Viva Frida, or her other award-winning books, including Niño Wrestles the World, Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, and Dreamers.

We spent some time talking about one of my favorite of Yuyi’s characters, Señor Calavera. He’s the trickster skeleton star of two of Yuyi’s books: Just a Minute and Just in Case. He even made an appearance during our interview!

On this special DrawTogether Podcast, Yuyi joins us from her art studio in Veracruz, Mexico for some Day of the Dead drawing, including a fun sugar skull warm-up and alter-drawing to celebrate someone we love who has passed.

Yuyi also plays us some original drawing music on her jarana. Grab some paper, pens, colors and press play above. Enjoying the DT Pod? Can you think of someone else who would love it, too? Please share with a friend!

AND! Does your kid want to be featured on the DrawTogether podcast? Call the DT Hotline and ask your kid to tell us about their FAVORITE FAMILY FOOD. Call 1-866-4-DRAWTOGETHER with your young person, leave a message after the beep and they just might end up on a future episode.

The GUT’s First Visiting Artist: Maira Kalman!

Ask and ye shall receive! This Sunday, Maira Kalman joins us at the Grown-Ups Table where she answers some of my most pressing drawing/life questions, shares a little about her new book “Women Holding Things”, and gives us an inspiring drawing assignment. We’ll be taking questions from the table, so start thinking what you’d like to ask her, too! If you haven’t joined the Grown-Ups table, subscribe for weekly creative wanderings, explorations and lessons, visiting artists, and drawing assignments - and most of all, a joyful, creative, supportive community of fellow drawers.

Thank you Yuyi for joining us on the pod this week, and producers Liz Scheltens and Arjuna Saeed, and editor Amy Standen for all your hard work to make this podcast so great. And thank YOU, DrawTogether Supporters and GUT members, for making this all possible.

See you next week!

xoxo

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

It's a Terrestrials Take-Over!! Oct 21, 2022

We interrupt our regularly scheduled DrawTogether Podcast to bring you an awesome episode from the new podcast from Radiolab and WNYC, Terrestrials! Every episode of Terrestrials explores the strangeness that exists right here on Earth (and maybe a little beyond.) What DrawTogether does with drawing, Terrestrials does with stories.We’re featuring their episode Gravitational Waves. You can listen to more episodes on their website. We love you sister-podcast, Terrestrials!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

The Spooky Shadows Episode Oct 14, 2022

It's Halloween at DrawTogether! In this extra spooky episode we start with a calming circle-drawing warm-up while we listen to a poem, then learn to draw drop shadows and turn our flat circles into 3D spheres. After a quick lesson on light and shadow, we turn our 3D spheres into spooky shadow monster heads! Then we go get some candy.

Warning: this episode is spooky. It contains spooky sounds and spooky voices and spooky drawings and… JUST KIDDING. It’s just silly. Appropriate for kids of ALL ages. Bwahahahaha!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Put a Stamp on it! Oct 07, 2022

Episode 3 is all about the USPS & STAMPS. After a relaxing drawing warm up, the DT Pod takes a field trip to the post office where DrawTogether Kids get their most pressing questions answered by Mekkah, an Oakland postal worker, and Bill Gicker, Director of Stamp Services for the USPS. Then we draw our own stamps featuring our favorite places, things, and people, including Mary Fields, the first African-American star mail carrier. Subscribe to the DrawTogether Newsletter for more on the USPS and Art, including what goes into making a stamp, and a look at some inspiring mail art. Everything is better when we DrawTogether!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

What happens when we look closely Sep 30, 2022

Wendy introduces us to one of her art she-roes: Sister Corita. Yes, she was a radical nun. Yes, she was a teacher and an artist. Yes, she was an absolute icon. Join Wendy for a Corita-inspired project that will help you look closely and see the world in a whole new way.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

The DT Podcast is back, baby! Sep 23, 2022

Drawing is a superpower that can help us make sense of our feelings. Join Wendy as we explore what it’s like to draw the storms and the sunshine we feel inside. Plus, we meet a weather-obsessed kid who grew up to name the clouds.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#26 Blind Contour: Looking & Loving Jun 03, 2022

Helloooooo DT fam.

As the school year is wrapping up, so is Season One of the DrawTogether Podcast! (Can you believe it?? 26 episodes!) As our Season One finale, we do a big-hearted DrawTogether classic: the blind contour portrait. This is a partner exercise, so grab a family member, friend or stranger, hit play above, and get ready to learn to LOOK in under a few minutes.

Because in addition to helping us imagine a world we want to see, drawing teaches us to LOOK at one another. To slow down and pay attention. I deeply believe drawing is one of the most accessible and immediate ways to create connection between people and open doors for deeper relationships. My TED talk features this drawing exercise, and goes deeper on how Drawing helps us slow down, look closely and connect with the world around us - and each other. That drawing is looking, and looking is loving. And that DrawTogether isn’t really about drawing. ;)

I hope you enjoy this episode, and continue to do this exercise anytime, anywhere, with anyone. I’ve done it in classrooms, workplaces, in hospitals - I even got a bar full of strangers to draw each other all at once. It’s the ultimate humanity ice-breaker/connection maker. I can’t wait to hear what you think (and see what you see.) Do let me know how it goes.

Looking back on the DT Pod for a minute:

When we started this podcast 26 episodes ago, we never thought we would come so far. With the help of phenomenal editor Amy Standen, we learned about artists Alma Thomas, Agnes Martin and Ruth Asawa. We talked about the war in Ukraine and drew sunflowers to process our feelings and show our support. We drew the shape of sound with musician Colin Meloy, and visited with children’s book author/illustrator Carson Ellis. We moved our feelings through our bodies and onto the page with five finger drawings and silly emotional fruit, and made a bunch of fun imaginary animals - because why not. We drew SO. MUCH. All these DT podcasts and more are here on Substack and on Apple Podcasts.

If you or your kids missed any, they are here for you over the summer.

Speaking of Summer: next week I’ll share deets on what’s coming next, what subscribers will be receiving in their inboxes, all that fun stuff. Plus a recap on everything DrawTogether has done in our classrooms program (SO MUCH STUFF) and some pretty awesome partnerships we’ll finally be able to share.

For now, a huge thank you so much for being part of DrawTogether. There is no DT without YOU.

And as we say at the end of every class, show, podcast episode, and first podcast season (!): Drawing is Looking and Looking is Loving.

Also,

Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

See you soon!

xoxo

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#25 Transmundane Tuesdays with Carson Ellis May 22, 2022

Hellllooooo! This week on the DT Podcast, the phenomenal, Caldecott-honor winning children’s book illustrator/author, artist, mom, partner, friend, gardener, and llama-mama Carson Ellis joins us to talk about her art and teach us her favorite drawing game: Transmundane Tuesdays. Let’s call it TT for short. TT is a super fun drawing game anyone, any age, can play. It works like this: Carson pulls three prompts from three jars. Then she reads them to us. Then we combine all three prompts into a wacky, wonderful character drawing. Easy right? Totally. And super fun.

And that’s exactly what we do on the podcast. With some chit chat and drawing music.

Here’s the drawing Carson did on the episode.

And here’s mine:

Okay, so now it’s your turn. JOIN US. Grab your supplies, press play above or over on Apple Podcast, and see what you come up with. Be sure to post your artwork on Instagram and including the hashtag #TransmundaneTuesdays and tag us at @DrawTogether.Studio so we can see it share it with everyone else, too!

You can also look at the hashtag #TransmundaneTuesdays on Instagram to see THOUSANDS of people’s TT drawings Carson and her fellow TT drawers have created over the years. It’s astounding to see how everyone’s imagination works so differently, all the different approaches to drawing, and all the effort people put into something that is purely for the joy of it. She’s really created something so special.

When Carson posts them on her Instagram and Substack they look like this: (Note this is not the DT pod prompt!)

So fun.

And! Be sure you subscribe to Carson’s substack “Slowpoke” for more Transmundane Tuesdays and general art and drawing goodness. She is one of my favorite artists and one of the best human beings I know and I promise you will be delighted and inspired. She also has a show in SF at Gallery 16 (June 3-July 31) with another favorite artist, Nathaniel Russell coming up soon!

Can’t wait to see your Transmundane Tuesday drawings. See you next week, all. Everything is Better When We DrawTogether.

xoxo

ps - thank you Kate Levitt for jumping in and helping Amy and I with a last minute edit on this week’s episode! Yes, we had some tech issues this week. Happens. Life!

DrawTogether with WendyMac is reader-supported. If you value this podcast, publication and any/all things DrawTogether, please subscribe to keep it going and growing.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#24 Emotional Fruit May 13, 2022

Hello! This week on the DT Pod we’re drawing EMOTIONAL FRUIT! Timid tomato. Angry apple. Silly Strawberry! If you can feel it and eat it, you can draw it! Grab your kids, your supplies, press play and DRAW.

I’d LOVE to see your emo eggplants. Post your excellent food-feeling artwork on instagram, tag @Drawtogether.studio and we’ll share them out so others can see them, too.

DrawTogether Podcast & Newsletter is made possible by folks like you. Subscribe to support!

For subscribers this week: we’ll dive into the creative (and often beautiful) world of emotional charts and diagrams. We’ll look at some of the more visual, thoughtful and unique ones, and learn why they are so helpful. Spoiler alert: When we can identify our emotions, we can decide what we want to do (or not do) about them. And by kids, I mean all of us.

Now go grab your drawing supplies and press play - can’t wait to see your EMOTIONAL FRUIT.

Spread the word about the DrawTogether Podcast & Newsletter - share with a friend!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#23 Body's Choice May 06, 2022

Hello DT fam!

This week on the DT Podcast we’re making a drawing based on an old surrealist drawing practice: Automatic Drawing. Popularized in the early 1900’s automatic drawing by famous artists like Andre Breton and Joan Miro, this exercise helps us get out of our busy brains into our instinctual bodies. When we let our bodies take the lead, it’s surprising what reveals itself on the page.

I’ll share more about the history of Automatic Drawing and body/subconcious-focused art in next week’s subscriber news letter.

While the surrealists called this Automatic Drawing, I’m renaming it, and calling our drawing today “Body’s Choice". I’m stealing this phrase from my dear friend, the writer Courtney Martin. (If you don’t subscribe to her newsletter The Examined Family you’re missing out.) I heard Courtney use that terms when talking to her eldest daughter Maya. Maya was maybe 5 or 6 at the time, and Courtney was giving Maya a couple options. Instead of asking her, “What do you think?” she offered, “Body’s Choice!” and Maya knew immediately which direction she wanted to pursue. It completely blew me away.

So many of us are trained to default to our rational brain for decision making. In turn, we lose touch with those first, most essential feelings - the ones that occur in our bodies. By practicing listening to the body, trusting it, and leading with it, we develop a deeper understanding of who we are and what is right for us. And while we practice noticing that what is right for OUR bodies, we also notice that it’s often different than what’s right for OTHER people’s bodies. And we can develop a strong respect for that, too. By having awareness and boundaries around our own bodies, not only do we respect ourselves but we respect other people, too.

My body, my choice. Your body, your choice.

Hope you enjoy today’s DT Podcast. I’d love to see what you draw. Share it out on Instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio so we can share it there, too - or email us a photo here and we’ll share it in next week’s email. Speaking of, check out 8 year old Cole’s awesome Doodle Game Drawing. SO MUCH FUN.

Everything is better when we draw together, xoxo,

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

World's Best Drawing Game is Back Apr 29, 2022

This week on the DT Podcast: The World’s Best Drawing Game is back! Grab a pencil, paper, press play above and get ready to surprise yourself. It’s fun to play on your own, and way more fun with two people. If you want to share your favorite doodle drawing on instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio, we’d love to see and share.

AND! A call for kid storytellers from our friends at Radiolab! Terrestrials, a new podcast for kids from Radiolab, is looking for a youth storyteller for their first season. Could it be YOU? They’re looking for stories about “trash mammals.” That’s right. Mammals that are not considered cute or cuddly, but deserve some recognition. Some examples are skunks, rats, porcupines, opossums, bats, stray dogs, street cats, raccoons, coyotes, hyena, ferrets… stuff like that.

Tell them a TRUE STORY about an experience you’ve had with a trash mammal that surprised you or changed you or your understanding of the world in some way. Make it fit in 5-7 sentences or a 30-60 second audio or video clip. Send your stories BY MONDAY to Ana at agonzalez@nypublicradio.org

Also! Our homebase is here in the DT newsletter, but if you’re listen to the DT Podcast on Apple Podcasts could you take a moment and give us a rating and review over there? It makes a real difference and is a great way to support DT. Thank you!

Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xoxo,

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#21 Getting Griddy with Agnes Martin Apr 22, 2022

DrawTogether hereby officially proclaims the 3rd week of April “Agnes Martin Week!”And to celebrate, in the podcast we explore of the work of this legendary artist and draw with a similar technique she used in many of her paintings. Press play and let me know how you grid goes.

Agnes Martin’s large, square abstract paintings (which are often drawings) appear simple and clean. I mean really, they’re just criss crossing lines on a canvas, right? They don’t LOOK like anything. But somehow they hold our attention and vibrate with a calm energy. They are filled with beauty and joy. And while they might not be a drawing OF something, they FEEL like something. Her painting “Summer” feels like summer. Her painting “Mountain” feels like a mountain. How is that possible?

Perhaps what goes into a painting determines what comes out… (Yup, we talk about this in the podcast.)

Agnes Martin said “There’s not such thing as a perfect painting.” And while we might be tempted to try to “get it right” when drawing straight lines, grids and dots, perhaps what makes her work - and our drawing exercise this week - so satisfying is the impossibility of perfection, and the way each of our drawings end up becoming uniquely our own.

If you’re doing this exercise with kids or a classroom, this is a great opportunity to refute fussiness and embrace mistakes. The imperfections are truly what makes this simple drawing special. Also, deep breathes, shaking out extra energy and sound effects never hurt.

When we learn about an artists life, we unlock a whole new dimension to their art - we get to see it in a whole new way. This is doubly true with Agnes Martin. While I talk a bit about Agnes’ life in the podcast while we’re drawing, I’ll share more in the subscriber email in the coming days, along with the transcript of the podcast.

(If you would like a transcript of the DT podcast and aren’t able to make it happen right now, write us and we’ll comp you. No barriers to art!)

Alright, grab your pencil, maybe a ruler, and I can’t wait to hear how it goes.

Pencils up, friends! Everything is better when we DrawTogether,

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#20 "What Does Sound Look Like?" With Special Guest Colin Meloy Apr 15, 2022

Hellllooo!

Today on the DT Podcast we continue our sound theme with a visit from one of my all-time favorite musicians: Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. Using a variety of sophisticated sound-making tools (aka: instruments) Colin helps us explore the question “What does sound look like?” He plays six of his favorite sounds for us, and we use our sophisticated mark-making tools (aka: pencils) to DRAW our visual interpretation of the sound, and create an abstract musical score. No rules! Use different mediums and marks. Get messy.

Colin is not only a literal rock star, but he’s also a phenomenal writer (hello Wildwood Chronicles made with fave human/illustrator/kids book author Carson Ellis. They also happen to be married.) Colin recently launched a substack to share the BTS of his songwriting process, old tracks, lessons - def worth a subscribe. (Carson just launched an amazing art one, too!)

I’ve heard from a lot of you that you miss the DrawTogether shows. I know. I do, too. Friends, they are coming… It’s just takes so darn long. YOU will be the first to know what’s next, I promise. Meanwhile, if you like, maybe I’ll pull back the curtain a little on what’s going on with the show, with DT Classrooms, the art kits and more for subscribers… Yes? No? Let me know if you’d like to hear more about that (or anything else) in the comments.

Also, with all this talk of sound on the podcast this week and last, I’m mortified I haven’t been creating transcripts for DT folks who are deaf or hard of hearing. My deep apologies. I’m learning. As of this week, paying subscribers will receive a transcript of the DT Podcast along with behind-the-scenes notes, exercises and reading suggestions. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and can’t afford a subscription right now, write me and of course we’ll give you free access.

Can’t wait to see your Cabinet of Sound! Post them on Instagram, tag @DrawTogether.Studio and we’ll share some of them here. Maybe we can even convince a rock star to play some of the abstract scores you create. :)

Pencils up, friends.

Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xoxo

Episode 20 Credits:

Drawer-in-Chief: WendyMac

Editor Supreme: Amy Standen

DT Drawing Music: Chris Colin

DT Theme Song: Thao Nguyen

Special guest: Colin Meloy

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#19 Draw with Your Ears Apr 08, 2022

Helllloooo! This new DrawTogether Podcast episode might be my favorite yet. Today, we swap out our Art Eyes for Art Ears, head outside and draw a Sound Map.

In DrawTogether we often focus on sight - as in, “Drawing is Looking, and Looking is Loving.” But when we slow down, pay attention and truly SEE, we don’t just use our eyes. We use ALL our senses when see, and in turn, when we draw. So today, we focus on a new sense: our hearing. We take our drawing supplies outside and we LISTEN to the world around us, and draw what we hear. A Sound Map is a visual story of a time and place. It’s also a wonderful listening exercise for kids, a great mindfulness exercise for adults, and just a fun way way to connect with the world around us.

Drawing a Sound Map is a great solo, family, or group activity for the weekend or after school - and a wonderful exercise for classrooms. All you need is 10 minutes, a safe, comfortable place to sit outside, a sketchbook (or “mobile studio’’ as I call it - the podcast will explain), a pencil and maybe some colors. And most of all, you’ll need your Art Ears. The rest will come to you.

I’d love to see your Sound Map. Take a photo, post it on Instagram and tag @DrawTogether.Studio. We’ll share some of them out here in the newsletter.

Next week is our 20th episode, and to celebrate we have another sound-focused DT episode featuring super special guest musician and writer Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. (!!!) Set your Friday drawing alarm clock.

Finally, ODE TO PENCIL follow up! Turns out DT peeps love: Ticonderoga, Blackwings, Colored pencils and Microns the most. The WINNER of the DrawTogether ODE TO PENCIL is…. Patricia Chavez! Patricia, email me at submissions@drawtogether.studio and we’ll send you some super awesome DT pencils.

Enjoy the soundscape, y’all!

Everything is better when we DrawTogether. xoxo,

This week DT Podcast credits:

Editor supreme: Amy Standen

Drawing Music: Chris Colin

Theme Song: Thao Nguyen

Recording Assist: Courtney Martin and John Cary

Sound effects courtesy of: Ohrwurm, Urupin, Murkertrer, Yacou, Woodylein, Apolloaiello, Biawinter, Julien-matthey, Steffcaffrey, Simon-spiers and Patchytherat.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#18 Super Surreal Silly Monster Mar 25, 2022

A quick thank you to our paying subscribers. Without you, there is no DT Podcast (or anything really!) If you want to see DrawTogether continue to grow, please subscribe to this DT newsletter for just $6/month. It helps us keep the lights on as we work on more shows, DT Classrooms, partnerships and projects, and continue to grow hearts with art. Thank you!

It’s Friday! That means a NEW DrawTogether Podcast episode! We take a special DT kid request (yes, we take requests!) and the result is a super fun family or classroom drawing adventure filled with animals, monsters, superheroes and SURREALISM. While it’s only a few minutes longer than than our typical 5-10 minutes - it will provide hours of fun for a kid, family or classroom.

Supplies: For this drawing, kids will need 3 pieces of paper, a pencil, maybe some colors, and scissors. For the littler kids who aren’t using scissors on their own yet, they will also need a grown up.

FLIP BOOK IT: If you/kids are working in sketchbooks, try not removing the paper. Instead, keep the paper INSIDE the notebook while drawing and cutting. You’ll end up with a super fun surreal FLIP BOOK of silly monster combinations.

Group Sport: This is a twist on the surrealist game Exquisite Corpse, in which two or more people pass a folded piece of paper around and create a mish-mash drawing together. If you want to to try that, my pal Austin Kleon (who has an awesome new Substack) did a wonderful post on it not so long ago.

Can’t wait to see your silly surreal monster drawing! If you’d like to share your kid’s drawings with the DT Community, take a photo of your Silly Monster and send it to submissions@DrawTogether.studio, or post a pic on instagram and tag us at @drawtogether.studio - we’ll share it out on our instagram account and maybe feature your kid’s drawing in a special newsletter (include first name and age, please!)

Have fun!

Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xoxo

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#17 Mystery Animal! Mar 19, 2022

Hellooooo! Pardon our delay, we wanted to get this one just right. Because this is a whole new kind of drawing podcast… this is an experiment, a risk, a graphic hurdle into the great unknown. This week we draw a…..

That’s right. In this podcast episode, I take you through drawing an animal step by step, but I’m not going to tell you what we are drawing. WHAT?! HOW?!

Grab a pencil and a piece of paper and press play above and let’s see how it goes.

Remember: there’s no such thing as a wrong animal drawing. We’ll all end up with a fun, funny looking something - and everyone’s will be wonderful. What’s important is that we slow down, listen closely, and in just a few minutes you will have drawn A MYSTERY ANIMAL. Again, I’m not going to tell you what that animal is. But I will say it’s made exclusively of circles and ovals.

We can draw almost any animal with circles and ovals. Try it! Try and find an animal you can’t draw with just circles and ovals. I dare you.

For DT subscribers (we love you, subscribers!): Tomorrow I’m going send a VIDEO of me drawing the mystery animal along with the audio of the podcast. If you want to send us your drawings, I’ll include YOUR animal drawing, too. Let’s see how our animals are all different, similar, and all equally mysterious!

Send your drawings to submissions@drawtogether.studio

Educators: this podcast is extra good for focus and listening skills. Love to hear how this experiment works in your classroom.

Alright, happy mysterious-circle-oval-animal drawing, everyone. Can’t wait to see what you create.

Everything is better when we DrawTogether,

ps - Listening to the DT Podcast on Apple Podcasts? Rad. Please give us a review and a rating on the platform. It really helps us get the word out.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#16 Sunflowers for Ukraine Mar 04, 2022

Hi, DT friends.

Today’s DrawTogether Podcast is special.

Today we take a special request from 8-year-old DrawTogether Kid Keira and her mom, Dasha. Dasha is Ukrainian and lives in SF with her family. They asked if we could make a drawing to show the people of Ukraine our support. And that’s exactly what we do on today’s podcast. Hit play above, or listen on Apple Podcast.

In the 10-minute episode, we talk a little about the war and feelings kids might be having, and what we can do with those feelings (acknowledge them, ask caregivers and teachers questions, look at a map, draw.) Then we draw a big bright sunflower to hang in our window. Maybe other kids in our neighborhood will see it and feel inspired to draw a sunflower for their window, too. Maybe we can take photos and post them on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter (tag us so we can share it, too!) and maybe kids in Ukraine will see them, too.

We might be far away from each other, but we are all neighbors.

For subscribers this week, i’ll be sharing some great resources for parents and educators about talking to kids about Ukraine and war in general (and some Ukrainian art you can share with your kids, too.) Honestly, the info is great for grown-ups, too. We all have feelings and questions, and doomscrolling on twitter probably isn’t the best way to maintain our mental health. There will be tips. :)

If you are enjoying these podcasts, another way way to support is to leave us a review over on Apple Podcasts. It makes a big difference in getting the word out. Thank you.

Pencils UP. Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xoxo,

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#15 Bring on the Funky Robot! Feb 25, 2022

Hellllooo! It’s a tough week around the world, so here’s an 8 minute fun, silly DrawTogether Podcast to help take a breath. I promise your drawing will be unexpected, ridiculous, and full of joy. I think we could all use that right now. Click play above, and you can always find us (and give us some stars!) on Apple Podcasts.

Sometimes we know what we want our drawing to look like, and our hands just won’t do what we want them to do. When we’re trying to “get things right” or have strict expectations, unanticipated warbley lines and sudden zig-zags can be frustrating. But! If we take a deep breath and roll with it, these wild marks offer new, fun creative directions. Unintentional funky lines can transform a drawing into something even more exciting than we imagined.

Life metaphor, anyone? As we say in DrawTogether: In drawing, as in life.

Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever said that before in DT. Now we do!

On today’s DrawTogether Podcast - which comes at the end of a hard week in the world - we practice letting go of control and create funky lines by drawing with our dominant and non-dominant hands. And yes, we draw some fun, funky ROBOTS. So grab your pencil and paper and hit play on the podcast.

If you’re enjoying the DT podcast, please share them with a friend, and leave a review on Apple Podcast, it really helps us out.

Two more important things: there are a lot of hard things happening in the world right now. Russia invaded Ukraine. Our hearts are with the Ukrainian citizens. If you would like to support children in Ukraine affected by war, Voices is an org working on the front lines offering psychological and psychosocial support to children, including crucial art therapy.

In Texas, the governor and attorney general are trying to criminalize caring for trans children by threatening families who affirm a transgender young person’s gender identity by charging them with “child abuse.” At DT we are furious and outraged. To the trans and non-binary kids in the DT community and their families: we stand with you. If you would like to help protect trans kids and their families in Texas, TENT is a great org to support.

If you donate, please leave a note below so I can personally thank you!

Everything is better when we draw together. (In drawing, as in life.)

xoxo

ps - we’re coming up on a year here on the DT Art Club, can you believe it??
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#14 Drawing Energy with Alma Thomas Feb 18, 2022

“Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.” - Alma Thomas (1891-1978)

This weeks DrawTogether Podcast is a special one: we learn about the painter Alma Thomas and draw ourselves some ENERGY. Grab your paper and some colors and hit play above. Good news for subscribers: a special interview with the award-winning illustrator LoveIs Wise who illustrated the forthcoming children’s book “Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas” will land in your inbox early next week. And! One DT subscriber will win a copy of the book. Random selection, of course. I’ll include a little DT swag, too.

I’m going share a little about Alma here, and there’s a lot more in the DrawTogether Podcast. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts. Please leave us a review. It really helps us out.

Alma Thomas is just THE BEST. A constant creator, she taught art to kids in Washington DC for 35 years. Only after retiring at 60 did she start seriously painting. Her large, colorful, abstract paintings were inspired by nature, and she was obsessed with space. At 75, she became the first African American woman to have a solo show at the Whitney, and she was the first African American woman to have her work acquired by the White House.

Alma’s creative influence is unparalleled, and her impact profound. While other American artists around her at the time were all hung up on tight lines, she explored the space and light created by nature and process. She let her pencil lines SHOW!

Make no mistake, she was rigorous. She painstakingly planned her composition, and her vibrant color choices were all informed by color theory. But there was a human, experiential influence in her work. You can see and feel her hands. And unlike so many artists of her time - and artists today - she reveled in the experience of beauty, and, considered the creation of beauty a profound (and perhaps political?) act.

Alma said, “I looked at the tree in the window, and that became my inspiration.” I hope today’s podcast and learning a little about Alma Thomas’ beautiful work - her technique and considerations and a little more about her life - encourages us all to look at nature, notice what we see, and create something full of energy.

Don’t forget to subscribe if you want more Alma Thomas and an interview with illustrator LoveIs Wise on her forthcoming kids book about Alma: "Ablaze with Color.”

Pencils Up! Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xoxo

ps - an extra big shout out to our DT Podcast editor Amy Standen. Thanks for making every episode shine. Three cheers for Amy!!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#13 "What Should I Draw?" Feb 04, 2022

Hellloooo! It’s another DrawTogether Podcast episode.

Subscribers received a special letter yesterday: notes from a conversation with Ruth Asawa’s son, Paul Lanier, about cultivating creativity in young humans. If you’d like to get special treats like this that dig deeper into things we explore in the podcast, please subscribe. You’re also helping DrawTogether continue to make fun, educational, creative stuff for kids of all ages. Thank you.

On to the podcast! This week we answer that age old question: How do you figure out what to draw when you don’t know what to draw?? Turns out, the answer is right in front of you. When you look closely, the most ordinary object becomes extraordinary (and makes an extra-extra ordinary drawing.)

We practice our skills of observation by learning how to do a blind contour drawing (aka drawing without looking at your paper.) This practice helps us look closely and pay attention to the shapes and edges of an object, how it twists and turns. Then we do a little coloring and shading to help us notice texture and light. 3 months of art school into an 8 minute podcast! Hit the play button above or LISTEN ON iTUNES.

Thanks for drawing together, y'all! Post your blind contour drawings of your extraordinary objects on instagram and tag @DrawTogether.Studio to share them out.

Pencils up ,friends! See you next week.

xo, w

DT PODCAST CREDITS: Drawer: WendyMac, Editor: Amy Standen, Drawing Music: Cheeky CP, DT Theme Music: Thao Nguyen, Hold Music: Jay You

PS! DrawTogether got some BIG LOVE in New York Magazine this week! Thank you Liz Weil who wrote an amazing profile, and Damien Maloney who took the funnest photos. A reminder: even though it’s my silly face in the profile, there’s a whole group of kind, creative, hard-working folks who make DrawTogether happen. It’s not called DrawAlone, right?? Big love and shout out to everyone who contributes to DT.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#12 Drawing in the Air with Ruth Asawa Jan 28, 2022

Hellllloooo! Happy Friday. It’s been less than a week since DrawTogether was featured on PBS NewsHour, and boy did we get a great response. A big welcome to all the new folks joining us! And to our longtime DT peeps: thanks for continuing to draw, look and love with us as the DT family grows. Onwards!

Our podcast drawing today is based the work of one of my favorite artists, Ruth Asawa. We explore her magnificent light-as-air wire sculptures using shape & line/pencil & paper. (Hit that play button above - or listen on iTunes or Spotify!)

I discuss a bit of Ruth’s work and life in the podcast, but her are a few more fun facts: Ruth Asawa was the quintessential maker. She used her HANDS and whatever materials were available. She focused as much on the process of making art as the outcome. And through all the changes and chapters in her life, she kept making art.

Ruth and her family were unjustly placed in a Japanese American internment camp during World War 2, and she kept on creating. She went on to study at the experimental Black Mountain College in North Carolina, and travelled to Mexico to see Diego Rivera’s murals and painting first hand. There, a local artisan taught her a basket weaving technique that became the basis for her wire sculptures.

Here are some traditional weaving techniques that look similar to Ruth’s wire work, and the drawing we do on today’s podcast.

And here’s a photo of Ruth weaving a wire sculpture based on technique she learned in Mexico. Or rather, here’s a photo of Ruth drawing in the air:

Ruth worked constantly. She was always folding paper, drawing on scratch paper, or looping wire… so you can imagine what life was like given she had six kids (!) always hoping for her attention. BIG NEWS: I’m interviewing Ruth Asawa’s son, Paul Lanier (a teaching artist himself) about growing up in a creative home and cultivating creativity in young people. I’ll share conversation with subscribers in the days ahead. If you’d like access to features like this, please support/subscribe here:

“An artist is not special. An artist is an ordinary person who can take ordinary things and make them special.” Ruth Asawa wove different techniques, cultures, identities and experiences into a tremendous life and body of work that continues to contribute so much to our creative humanity. She made, taught and tirelessly advocated for arts education. She drew in the air. Thank you Ruth Asawa.

I’d love to see your Ruth Asawa inspired drawings. After you listen to the podcast, take a photo and post it on instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio, and we’ll share it with the community.

Pencils up, friends. Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xo,w

ps - You can now listen to the DrawTogether Podcast on iTunes and Spotify! Please subscribe over there and share it out with your friends. We appreciate it.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#11 The Big Warm Up Jan 21, 2022

Big news: You can now listen to the DrawTogether Podcast on iTunes and Spotify! We’ll continue to share the podcast here in our DT Club Newsletter, and paying subscribers get additional behind the scenes tips, interviews, and inspiration. We count on your support to keep going, so please and thank you for your support!

And without further ado… Hit the play button above for the new podcast ep! We call it, “The Big Warm Up.”

Athletes warm up before a game. Musicians warm up before a performance. Should artists warm up before drawing? HECK YES WE SHOULD. On today’s DT podcast, we learn a quick warm up exercise to loosen the muscles and mind, get our blood flowing and heart pumping, and help us draw with our whole bodies.

Whether it’s making a cup of tea, putting on some music or doing some stretches, many artists do some kind of warm up to switch into making mode. The British painter Chris Ofili starts every day in his studio by creating a few abstract pencil drawings and loose watercolor portraits.

The American painter Wayne Thiebaud (who passed away a month ago at the age of 101) started his days with a game of tennis before heading to his studio to paint.

How about you? What gets you into the making mood? Share your warm up routine in the comments!

And PRIZES: Thanks to everyone who told us how you listen to the podcast. So happy to hear you’re all digging it. And our three winners are… Anna David, Linh Nguyen, and Cherylann Ganci! Congrats and please email WendyMac@DrawTogether.Studio to claim your prize. Everyone else: more chances for DT Swag coming soon.

And as we say at the end of everything, including Friday newsletters: Everything is better when we DrawTogether. See you soon.

xo,w

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#10 Thanks, Don't Mondrian if I Do! Jan 14, 2022

Hey, friends. A new DrawTogether Podcast episode is here!!

And! A twist: in some upcoming episodes we’ll look to artists working in different mediums to inspire our drawing. We’ll learn a little about their artwork, how they make it and why, and then we’ll explore their work through drawing. Cool? Cool. Let’s go.

First up: Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. Like most artists, Mondrian’s work changed drastically over his lifetime. He explored different styles and for a long time he actually made a living by painting copies of other artists artworks. After decades of effort and experimentation, he arrived at the signature abstract style he is most known for (seen above.) In today’s episode we learn a little about why Mondrian painted like he did and the basic elements involved, then we use these elements to make a drawing of our own.

All you need is a piece of paper, a pen or pencil and three colors. (No worries if you don’t have colors, all good.) I’d **love** to see the composition you create. If you and your kids would like to share your drawings with the DT Community you can take a photo and post it on instagram and tag @DrawTogether.Studio. I’ll see it and share it out!

And! Let me know what you think of this direction in the comments. As always, if you/your kids/classrooms/families are digging this drawing podcast, please support by subscribing (just $60/year is a huge support!) and sharing this post and newsletter with your friends. It makes a giant difference. Thank you.

And as we say at the end of, well, everything: Everything is better when we DrawTogether.

xo,w

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#9 Chill out drawing for a stressed out time Jan 07, 2022

Happy new year, friends.

Despite being a stressful time with the uncertainties around Covid, so many people getting sick, the constant calculations we’re doing to keep ourselves and others safe, and the roller coaster with schools, I’m still planting a flag in the ground that reads: there is so much to be grateful for, and so much to feel hopeful about. That includes this wonderful DrawTogether family. You know what you all did?? You raised over 70k to send 2,000 DT kids vital art supplies. YOU DID THAT. You know what else you did? You opened this email, and we are going to DrawTogether right now. YES WE ARE.

Why? Because in the middle of mayhem inside and/or out, we can always find a some peace and a moment of calm using just a piece of paper and a pencil.

Today’s podcast is a short and sweet drawing exercise based on neurologist Dr. Jud Brewer’s Five Finger Breathing technique, which a 6 year old taught me. Let’s call him Rafael. PBS Newshour was recently here shooting a feature on DrawTogether (!) and we visited a DrawTogether Classroom in at Cesar Chavez Elementary in SF’s Mission District. I was speaking with the first graders about drawing and managing big feelings. Rafael got so excited by the mention of deep breathing that he jumped up, ran to the front of the class and taught us all how to focus our breath using this awesome technique. Turns out it was the practice popularized by Dr. Brewer. I’ve modified it slightly to become a drawing exercise: Five Finger Drawing.

Grab a pencil, piece of paper and maybe some colors and press play. Can’t wait to hear how it works for you.

xo,

If you value this podcast, please subscribe to support! A few bucks a month goes a long way. Thank you.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#8 Out the Window Dec 17, 2021

Helllllooo. New Friday, new DT Podcast episode!

We’re trying something new. Today we take a kid request (thanks DT Kid Rosa!) and then head out on an art adventure together... to our windows! We learn about perspective and scale and a bit about composition. And most of all, we slow down, look closely and see/draw at all the magical things we often overlook.

This episode is a fun, easy little drawing meditation with some learning tucked inside. It’s about 10 minutes, and is fun to do alone or with a family member. So grab a pencil or pen, paper, and maybe a book if you need a surface to draw on, and press play above.

I’d love to see DT peeps window views from around the world and I bet everyone else would, too - so if you want, you can post your drawing on Instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio and we’ll share it out. And if YOU have a kid who has a drawing request, you can send a voice memo (ask them to include first name, age, and request) to submissions@drawtogether.studio and maybe we’ll draw your kid’s request!

If you like the DT podcast and want to support more audio art adventures in the new year, please share this newsletter with a friend, and consider becoming a paid subscriber or giving the gift of a subscription to a friend this holiday. We are because of you!

Keep drawing, looking, and loving.

xo,w

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#7 Most Fun Drawing Exercise Ever: The Blindfold! Dec 10, 2021

Hello! NEW DRAWTOGETHER PODCAST IS HERE. This is perhaps the silliest drawing exercise to have ever appeared on any drawing podcast, ever. (Yes, I know, the DT podcast is the *only* drawing podcast. Still.) I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so if you’re playing the audio for a kid/family/classroom, keep this on the DL...

We’re doing Blindfold Drawing. It’s fun, magical, and hilarious - and contains serious art lessons. All you need is paper, a pencil, and a mask - and then press PLAY above.

Blindfold drawing makes us rely on our minds and movement to create an image. It removes the option to “get it right” or “do a good drawing” based on our limited visual expectations. I have a hunch you’ll be surprised by how specific your memories/mind-images are when you use your hands to imagine and remember. (Remember, not everyone thinks in pictures. There’s no “right” or “better” way for our minds to work.) And, when we do them multiple times, our drawings evolve. We slow down. Let go of expectations. Our hand/mind coordination improve.

Here are my blindfolded drawn snow people:

Look at the change from Number 1 to Number 4!!! Okay, maybe i’m the only one who gets giddy about this stuff, but it’s such a great example of how we build muscles through removing limiting expectations, slowing down, and practicing. The podcast is short today with some bonus drawing suggestions at the end. Have fun!

And! A reminder that we’re doing a GoFundMe to send DrawTogether Art Kits to kids around the US who don’t have quality art supplies in their classrooms. We’re half way to our goal, so if you can contribute a few bucks to support a kid, please do! AND! If you want to support THIS podcast/newsletter - AKA world’s first and only drawing podcast - please subscribe:

Number Four thanks you.

xoxo,

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#6 Emotional Doodles, part 3: Slow & Steady Dec 03, 2021

Hey there!

This is our third and final episode in our series “Emotional Doodles” - drawing to alleviate anxiety. Reminder: UCSF Pediatrician and friend of DrawTogether, Dr. Lee Atkinson-McEvoy, shared that she’s seeing unprecedented levels of anxiety in kids and asked if DrawTogether could help. So we’re doing a few short, simple, fun drawing podcast exercises here on the podcast that can help reduce anxiety in a big way. You can do them on your own, with family members or friends, or with an entire classroom.

The first episode explored how drawing varying types of abstract marks can help us identify feelings, and scribble them out of our bodies and onto the page. The second episode used drawing to focus our attention on things we’re grateful for, which studies show helps reduce anxiety and depression. And TODAY, we do a simple and powerful doodling exercise that I do all the time. Let’s call it LINES. It’s simple, powerful meditative drawing exercise. After a few minutes you feel more calm, less anxious, and you end up with a pretty cool drawing.

So grab a pen and a piece of paper and press play. It’s less than 10 minutes. :)

And COMMENTS! Friends! I heart feedback! Your input helps me know what is and isn’t working. Are these too long? Too short? Too literal? Too abstract? Easy to follow? This is one big experiment, so please take a moment and leave a comment or shoot me a message. I so, so appreciate it. Thank you!

And thanks Chris Colin for the DT Podcast drawing music, Amy Standen for the edit, and Thao Nguyen for the DT theme song.

See you next week with a very different kind of drawing direction.

xoxo,w

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#5 Emotional Doodles, part 2: Gratitude Nov 28, 2021

Hey hey! Belated happy day of thankfulness. Our regular Friday email got bumped for our fundraiser to give DT art kits to kids*, so I’m extra happy to DrawTogether with you on a Sunday. Feels like a special occasion.

Today we’re continuing with our 3 part series “Emotional Doodles” - drawing to reduce anxiety in kids (of all ages.) Last week, we used drawing to help identify feelings and move them out of our bodies and onto the page. This week, in the timely spirit of giving thanks, we use drawing to identify and focus on things we’re grateful for. Press PLAY above for an 8 minute drawing that will change your perspective.

Studies show a “gratitude practice” reduces anxiety and depression, strengthens relationships, improves mental health and minimizes stress in the short and long term. Regularly focusing on what we’re grateful for literally changes the way we experience the world. Drawing is an easy and fun way for kids (of all ages) to begin a practice. You can do today’s DT podcast on your own, like visual journaling - or together as a family or classroom. And as always, drawing like this is a great starting point for a deeper conversation.

After you’re done, if your kiddo wants to share their drawings, I’d love to see it. Post a photo of it Instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio. Also, I’d love to hear from you: How are these podcasts are working for you? What do you want more or less of? Longer or shorter? We’re only 5 episodes in, and have some fun ideas and plans, and I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts - please post in the comments below.

Grateful for you.

xo,w

*Thank you so so much to everyone generously supporting this effort to give life-changing art kits to kids in classrooms across the USA! We are so excited and proud to be in such good cahoots with YOU!
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#4 Emotional Doodles, part 1: Scribble it out Nov 19, 2021

Helloooo!! It’s Friday! I highly recommend at some point today that you stop whatever you are doing, stand and/or stretch, shake the fingers, shake the arms, and do The Friday Dance. I feel like we all could use it, right?? Well, I hope this newsletter also helps inspire and excite: we have a new super important DrawTogether Podcast episode for you, and a very special DrawTogether group effort. Let’s go!

* NEW DT PODCAST EPISODE. (Hit that big play button above to listen!) Last week I got a call from Special DT Guest and pediatrician Dr. Lee Atkinson-McEvoy. She said she’s witnessing higher levels of anxiety amongst her young patients than ever before. Dr. Lee asked if DrawTogether would consider dedicating an episode to helping kids of all ages process feelings. Of course we said YES.

For the next few weeks, the DT Podcast will focus on drawing to help identify, clarify and process emotions. Let’s call them “Emotional Doodles.” Like everything DrawTogether, these exercises are intended for kids, but growns might find them helpful, too. We’ve heard the DT Podcast is also excellent family dinner table material, and awesome to use in the classroom. Remember, these podcasts are a quick bites - starting points for exploration. Keep drawing on your own and see where it leads. Please share thoughts, suggestions or requests you for future DT podcasts with a comment. DrawTogether is a big community endeavor, and we want to hear from you.

* LET’S DO THIS: Help Boost Kids Creativity with Art Supplies! I know from personal experience how much having quality art supplies as a kid cultivates creativity and confidence. Unfortunately, many schools don’t have visual art classes, let alone any decent art supplies. DrawTogether’s non-profit “DrawTogether Classrooms” just launched our pilot program: we’re delivering FREE social-emotional art programming to 100 classrooms in 30 states. (Woot Woot!) Now, with you, we want to make sure those kids have the art supplies they need.

We just kicked off a Go Fund Me campaign to deliver 2,000 beautifully designed, high quality DrawTogether art supply kits directly to emerging kid artists in classrooms around the country. We need your help. Just $30 will give a kid a life-changing art kit. For $300 bucks, you’re supporting ten small artists. And for $1,000, you’ll stock an entire classroom with supplies for a year, and change these kids lives forever - and we’ll send you a kit of your own. :)

Every dollar makes a difference, as do tweets and posts - please kick in if you can, and please help us spread the word. Hit the button below to share this email with a friend. Pass it on! Thank you so, so much.

It’s an exciting time for DrawTogether. I have a little DT insider info I’ll share on Sunday - subscribe to support DT and get the inside scoop.... Meanwhile, thank you for being part of this incredible growing community. Pencils up, friends. Everything is better…

xo, w

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#3 Spiral in, Spiral out with Louis Bourgeois Nov 05, 2021

Hi, it’s me, WendyMac. It’s episode 3 of the DrawTogether Podcast! It’s also my birthday week. To celebrate, I wanted to do one of my favorite drawing exercises with you, which also happens to be a DrawTogether classic: the world famous Heart Spiral. But let’s do it with a twist…

If you’ve watched DrawTogether, you probably know the Heart Spiral was inspired by cartoonist, writer and educator (and DT patron saint) Lynda Barry. Lynda believes drawing spirals helps people get out of their head and into their bodies. (We strongly agree!) In this episode, we meet another artist with a spiral drawing practice: Louise Bourgeois.

Louise made drawings constantly from her home in New York (and before that France) until she passed away at 98. Best known for her large scale installation and sculptures, she also drew, carved, printed and painted spirals using all sorts of materials She even created spirals using text. She said, “I love the spiral. It represents control and freedom.” Louise believed the direction in which you draw a spiral changes how you feel: when you draw outside in, you feel in control. Draw inside out, you feel a sense of freedom.

In today’s DrawTogether podcast, we explore Louise’s hypothesis. I’d love to know - did drawing a heart spiral change the way you feel? Did you notice a difference between the two? Let me know in the comments below. And I’d also love to see your finished drawings. Post them on instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio to share them with the DT community.

Happy Diwali!

Later this weekend, subscribers will receive a special post celebrating Diwali by illustrator Ishita Jain. Become a subscriber-supporter to get more cool stuff like this, and help DrawTogether keep going and growing.

Thanks to Chris Colin for the music, Thao Nguyen for the DrawTogether theme song, and Amy Standen for the mix. Everything is better when we Draw (all sorts of spirals) Together!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#2 The Doodle Game (No Rules in Art!) Oct 29, 2021

Hi DT friends and welcome new folks - Wendy here. So happy to see you.

Our little experiment creating the world’s first audio-drawing-show seems to have been a hit! So let’s keep going. Welcome to the second episode of what we’re calling the "DrawTogether Podcast.” (Until we think up a catchier name.) Grab a pencil and a piece of paper, and press play above.

Our first episode was a calming, centering drawing exercise. This one is different: it’s about imagination. In this episode I teach you my favorite drawing game… a game with NO RULES. It’s called The Doodle Game.

Many artists I know play this game. And I was delighted to learn that psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott - the same guy behind the theory of transitional objects (like blankets and stuffies) and the “good enough” mother - used a version of the doodle game with young children to help them communicate ideas and feelings. But he called it "The Squiggle Game.”

But this isn’t therapy. The Doodle Game is a simple drawing game for kids of ALL ages you can do anywhere, anytime, on your own or with a friend, to loosen up your creative brain and jumpstart your imagination.

I’d love to see what you do, and I’m sure others would too. If you want, please share your drawing on Instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio so everyone can see each other’s doodle-drawings. Here’s mine, based on my doodle above.

Also, a little note: usually I’d be encouraging you/kids to go your own way, and not be too influenced by my silly looking dog with a monkey’s tail. But part of the magic of The Doodle Game is you can’t help but move in your own, unique direction. No rules. No expectations. You’ll see. :)

Okay, let me know what you think in the comments below - about this episode and any suggestions or requests you have about this new audio-drawing-class-show format. The request/feedback line is open.

And if you’d like to support this new audio-cast (and DrawTogether in general), you can become a paid subscriber. Thanks so much for being part of the DT fam.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

#1 DrawTogether Podcast Begins: Calming Fireworks in the Sky Oct 15, 2021

Hey it’s Wendy! We have a special DT treat for you today - it’s a fun art experiment:

A DrawTogether Podcast! (Sort of.) But really, when we say listen up, we mean it literally. Grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY on the audio above.

A little backstory: when my TED talk came out, it was released only via video, and not via audio on TED's iTunes podcast. Some folks didn’t think that such a visual talk would translate to audio. The wonderful Helen Walters, head of curation, advocated for the talk to be on iTunes. People agreed, and up it went. Since then, so many people have responded positively to the audio-only version. Like, big, big feelings. Seems that listening to a talk about looking works. So I thought… what if we created an audio-only DrawTogether?? A drawing podcast. Would it even make sense? Would it be relaxing? Confusing? Calming? Frustrating? Fun? Answer: I DON’T KNOW. So, in true DT spirit: let’s try! It’s just a short 5-minute drawing exercise, and it’s powerful for focusing and centering. If you haven’t already, grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY at the top.

How was it? Tell us in the comments below. If it’s clear and relaxing and fun to do, maybe we’ll try more.

Thanks Chris Colin for the awesome background music, Kate Levitt for the mix (Kate is not only lead of the DT Classrooms project, she is also a DJ!), Hrishikesh Hirway for the audio advice (his TED talk on listening was my fave of the conference), and writer Jon Mooallem who has been working with me on DT ideas since the jump and suggested doing something with audio ages ago. If this doesn’t work, blame him! :)

P.S. - Educators and community leaders! This is THE LAST CHANCE to apply for the FREE DrawTogether Classroom program!! APPLY HERE. Deadline is this Sunday. If you already applied, you’ll hear from us next week.

P.P.S. - DrawTogether was featured in the LA Times!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

DrawTogether with WendyMac

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected