(Meet-ing): Creative people
Real life meetups - hello, Anna Petry
After a few years (including a pandemic, a bit of depression, and piles of work which I’m thankful for), it’s really time to feel more like myself. Besides the pillars I’ve been clinging to this last year - sleep/nutrition/exercise (necessary if I don’t want to feel like crud), I’ve really missed PEOPLE.
Especially creative people who, just being themselves, are reminders of the good stuff in the world and how we with our thoughts and hands and seemingly from thin air, create this ribbon of loveliness/joy/play/reflection that can literally change hearts and minds.
While I probably can’t visit a different person every month as I’d originally wished, my thought is to connect with as many creative people who’ve been a part of my life (or I wish they were), and I’ll share the experience here. We’ll see how it unfolds. I’m probably going to cheat and use the Bologna Book Fair for three months worth of highlights (going in April! Haven’t been since 2020??)
Cologne is a short train ride from Aachen, and such a cool vibe of a city. I’ve still never been in their world famous cathedral, and until then, will keep saying ours is nicer (seriously, stunning). I met up with Anna Petry! She and I took an online class together a few years ago (it was probably the children’s book course), and she had time, so on a very cold January day we met at the Ludwig Museum.
The collection is impressive. Apparently it was started with a gift of 350 modern art pieces donated by the Ludwig family. There’s a large assortment of Picasso pieces as well, I’ll have to come back to see them. This piece like a giant paint-by-number was amazing (would be such a cool mural).
There was a lot of work labeled expressionism, which made me question, what’s really the difference between expressionism and impressionism? My uncle was an impressionist I thought, but after seeing the pieces at the Ludwig, I’m not sure anymore.
Anna and I toured and chatted, catching up on what we’ve been doing the last years and what we’re focusing on now. We took a cafe break and checked out the gift shop (mandatory, am I right?). She showed me one of her handmade sketchbooks, a collection of different papers and surfaces to create on.
And then I was out of time and had to catch my train. By then it was also raining (and being the hardy/hearty lady she is, Anna biked home!
It’s not goodbye for long - Anna has a SOLO SHOW (!) coming up in April which I’ll definitely be back for (and maybe beforehand to help set up if she wants extra hands).
The name of Anna’s show is “Zwischen Welten”, meaning “between worlds” or “the worlds between”. Anna’s work is clever and funny and crosses multiple mediums including stop-motion, collage, cloth, and ceramics.
Looking at the world through her lens is delightful!
You can see more of Anna Petry’s work here.
Thanks, Anna, for the fun day!
Have you had creative meet-ups lately? Did you attend the recent SCBWI conference? Do you have a recurring sketch brunch? A walking buddy? I’d love to know! I’m so thankful for my book club friends, my bi-weekly online meet-ups with illustrator friends, and my wonderful family…getting through winter (and the daily news) is made much better with people who fill you up.
Here are other things bringing sunshine on dreary February days:
I’ve been dipping into fermentation as part of my Sunday week ahead prep. So far I’ve made fermented beets, lightly fermented oats (my breakfast all week) via Kirsty Kaminski as well as her wild fermented apple soda. I also made a wonderfully delicious fermented orange soda via The Happy Pear
I turned in final art for the next book I’m making with Shannon Stocker and Dial Publishing (from LISTEN, How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Change Percussion). It’s called YOU ARE MY WHY and the art is made with ink, gouache, and cut paper. Publishing next year, cause the process is long!
After seeing garden cold frames in videos, I finally ordered one, spent 2 hours putting it together, and just in time got it over my swiss chard in the raised bed before temps dropped. Happy to report the veg has been surviving this super cold winter! I have lots of plans for the garden this year, and it’s a mental boost that my greens didn’t die off. Also, the tulips are coming up!
What a joy to see you and Anna spending a fun day together!! Both, Anna and her art, are amazing❤️
I am beginning to sketch more in Cafés and outside the house and combining that with meeting creative friends to hang out together, chat and draw.
Also, can’t wait to see you in Bologna 🥳