DrawTogether with WendyMac

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!

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 [email protected] and we’ll send you some super awesome DT pencils. <3

Enjoy the soundscape, y’all!

Everything is better when we DrawTogether. xoxo,

w

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.

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,

w

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

w

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,

w