I'm a few years older than you. I remember what it was like when I turned 40. I'm now almost 53, and the good news is that from now on, you're going to feel more and more secure in your decisions, options and choices. You're also going to have more confidence in your work and care less and less about other people's opinions. You have plenty of time to achieve major goals.
Do you remember when you started blogging? Think how far you've come!
Ok! I really try to avoid Amazon. I never thought of asking my local bookshop, which is stupid, because come to think of it they already managed to get me a lot of hard to get stuff. 😂
“In those rare moments when a piece of art arrives fully formed, I feel like I’m not working hard enough.
How does this instantaneous creativity happen? Why can’t my process be this easy all the time?”
My theory is that those fully formed pieces simply arrive from somewhere else, and the reason they seem easy is simply because you are, in that moment, more receptive! What do you think??
As always, love your work, and from this recent post, “Infinite Breakfast” was my favorite! 😂 (There must be an unwritten law somewhere: cereal and milk must NOT come out evenly!)
One person's blatant rip-off is another's homage 😁
To be fair, I ripped off Rage Against the Machine riffing off Robert Indiana's LOVE print on their Renegades album, my first exposure to the image. And parody is fair use, but I suppose it would be kind to the artist to include "After Robert Indiana" on the byline.
Agreed, on the attribution. And it’s not that your version is anything but very attractive and tempting, but poor Mr. Indiana! Has any other 20th century artwork been imitated quite as much? Maybe Saul Steinberg’s famous New Yorker cover.( And I had to modify “artwork” because the Mona Lisa and The Scream are in strong competition with it. )
Your art never fails to delight! It has a unique and just-right way of capturing wonder. I'll be ordering your Libraries poster and Read poster for my local library soon, the posters are delightful and wonderful!
Happy birthday, Grant! From what I know of you, I'm impressed with BOTH of your careers. I appreciate that you are driven to want more, and I have no doubt that you will do more, but you are at a place where you can look back and feel like you've accomplished some great things. Remember to enjoy and appreciate what you have while looking ahead to the next great thing.
I agree with you on the phenomenon of a poem coming too easy. It seems like I must have overlooked something essential and if I just spend the time ripping apart and dissecting what I just wrote I’ll spot the problem.
And usually I find that the problem is me.
(Fortunately I keep copies of my rough drafts. You never know when you’ll need to amputate the leg of a stillborn poem to graft on to another, better one.
How do you do this? In nearly every comic your draw I find something that I can totally relate to! In this case the feeling of cheating and the things that are not so much fun anymore when you grow older....And of course climbing the ladder while ignoring the warning signs. Thank you for letting me start my day smiling slightly and nodding wisefully. And by the way: Happy Birthday! 🎂🎈
When your art seems to arrive easily and instantaneously, I believe you've actually worked hard and earned it. Most likely you have struggled and sweated and agonized over art projects in the past, and that labor paved the road for your later, easier art to travel on.
Dear Grant,
Beautiful as always!
Love "Infinite Breakfast"!
Thank you for sharing!
Love
Myq
Thank you, Myq! That's the most realistic of all of these drawings :)
Hi Grant,
I'm a few years older than you. I remember what it was like when I turned 40. I'm now almost 53, and the good news is that from now on, you're going to feel more and more secure in your decisions, options and choices. You're also going to have more confidence in your work and care less and less about other people's opinions. You have plenty of time to achieve major goals.
Do you remember when you started blogging? Think how far you've come!
Feliz cumpleaños desde España.
Great to hear that, I'll keep your message in mind over the next decade! Really appreciate the note.
Loved the 40’s list.
Do you know of a place we can purchase your work in Europe? 🙏
Try Amazon or the European equivalent (or ask your local bookshop), my publishers Abrams and Chronicle are distributed in Europe!
Ok! I really try to avoid Amazon. I never thought of asking my local bookshop, which is stupid, because come to think of it they already managed to get me a lot of hard to get stuff. 😂
The cereal struggle is real
“In those rare moments when a piece of art arrives fully formed, I feel like I’m not working hard enough.
How does this instantaneous creativity happen? Why can’t my process be this easy all the time?”
My theory is that those fully formed pieces simply arrive from somewhere else, and the reason they seem easy is simply because you are, in that moment, more receptive! What do you think??
As always, love your work, and from this recent post, “Infinite Breakfast” was my favorite! 😂 (There must be an unwritten law somewhere: cereal and milk must NOT come out evenly!)
I like that idea! And I think you're on to something with the cereal theory: "Kellogg's Law," perhaps?
I appreciate your work and comments so much! Thank you.
It's not a question of more. The question is how long can you continue doing what you're doing?
I enjoy your art and poetry, but I’m disappointed that you blatantly ripped off Robert Indiana’s LOVE print and sculpture for your READ print.
One person's blatant rip-off is another's homage 😁
To be fair, I ripped off Rage Against the Machine riffing off Robert Indiana's LOVE print on their Renegades album, my first exposure to the image. And parody is fair use, but I suppose it would be kind to the artist to include "After Robert Indiana" on the byline.
Agreed, on the attribution. And it’s not that your version is anything but very attractive and tempting, but poor Mr. Indiana! Has any other 20th century artwork been imitated quite as much? Maybe Saul Steinberg’s famous New Yorker cover.( And I had to modify “artwork” because the Mona Lisa and The Scream are in strong competition with it. )
Your art never fails to delight! It has a unique and just-right way of capturing wonder. I'll be ordering your Libraries poster and Read poster for my local library soon, the posters are delightful and wonderful!
Thank you! Cheers to local libraries!
Happy birthday, Grant! From what I know of you, I'm impressed with BOTH of your careers. I appreciate that you are driven to want more, and I have no doubt that you will do more, but you are at a place where you can look back and feel like you've accomplished some great things. Remember to enjoy and appreciate what you have while looking ahead to the next great thing.
Thanks for all you do!
David
I agree with you on the phenomenon of a poem coming too easy. It seems like I must have overlooked something essential and if I just spend the time ripping apart and dissecting what I just wrote I’ll spot the problem.
And usually I find that the problem is me.
(Fortunately I keep copies of my rough drafts. You never know when you’ll need to amputate the leg of a stillborn poem to graft on to another, better one.
What treat this post is!
Dear Grant!
How do you do this? In nearly every comic your draw I find something that I can totally relate to! In this case the feeling of cheating and the things that are not so much fun anymore when you grow older....And of course climbing the ladder while ignoring the warning signs. Thank you for letting me start my day smiling slightly and nodding wisefully. And by the way: Happy Birthday! 🎂🎈
When your art seems to arrive easily and instantaneously, I believe you've actually worked hard and earned it. Most likely you have struggled and sweated and agonized over art projects in the past, and that labor paved the road for your later, easier art to travel on.
Happy birthday!