What It Is

a page from "What It Is" by Lynda Barry

One of my favorite artists and free thinkers is Lynda Barry. There is a wonderful interview with her in the New York Times. It includes a really wonderful slide show where you can hear her voice and look at pages from her upcoming book What It Is, which will be released May 13th.

The book highlights the workshops she offers (which I have heard from someone who has experienced them first-hand, that they are not to be missed!). The new book is laid out like a wild and free "activity book." It reminds me of Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal, in which she asks us to do all kinds of fun things like tear pages out of the book and rub dirt on the pages.

Here is a quote from the article:

What It Is...could be considered a picture book for grown-ups. Using ink brush, pen and pencil drawings as well as collages and luminous watercolors, many of them on lined
yellow legal paper, it explores deep philosophical questions like “What Is an Image?” (The answer, Ms. Barry says, is something “at the center of everything we call the arts.”) It also includes an activity book, instructions, assignments and several passages of purely autobiographical writing and drawing in which Ms. Barry recounts her own journey to making art.

I have always loved how raw and honest Lynda's comics are. Her artistic process completely fascinates me. She is one of those creators that has to create, no matter what. In the article, Lynda says, “I think of images as an immune system and a transit system." I cannot wait for this book to come out! I am always searching for new inspiration and connection with other artists that do not fit into the usual boxes and Lynda Barry is most definitely one of them!

For more great reading, check out the Tin House interview with Lynda here:
http://www.rit.edu/~cwg/media/pdfs/LBarry-TinHouse-Interview.pdf
http://www.rit.edu/~cwg/media/pdfs/LBarry-TinHouse-Novel.pdf