WE DID IT!
The past two months have been absolutely crazy. I haven't had much time to stop, but I've really been enjoying this. Being so busy means that I'm being seen, and being seen means more opportunity!
Firstly, thank you to EVERYONE who donated to and/or shared my Carefree, Like Me! - Chapter 2 project! I was honestly nervous that my project wouldn't reach its goal, but with your help and love this second book in the award-winning series is becoming a reality. It's currently slated for an October 2018 release, but I will keep you all posted as to any changes that may arise! I CANNOT wait to bring this book out to you all. :)
This past month was a really intense one between: running a Kickstarter, illustrating a full children's book for that Kickstarter, working a part-time job, teaching when I wasn't doing that and barely getting new artwork in between. If it sounds like a lot, IT IS! haha. What these past two months has taught me, however, is how to manage my time and expectations. As someone who goes with the flow, it's super unnatural for me admittedly. But I'm flexing my time muscle nonetheless.
Take a look at what's happened recently below!
Most recently, I finished up my classes at the Rutgers Zimmerli Museum! They contacted me some time ago with the opportunity to teach two classes, one in the morning and the other at night. I have to admit. It was one of the most vigorous yet rewarding teaching experiences I have ever had. The kids were bundles of energy and produced some amazing work, and it was definitely an exercise in classroom management and how to organize children over a longer span of time. The kids learned caricatures, comics, character design and the importance of the doodle in developing larger ideas along with so much more. Despite how demanding it was, it was so rewarding when we put up all of their work on the walls and the kids lit up when their parents came and marveled at their art. Thank you so much to the Zimmerli Museum for this opportunity, and I can't wait to come back and meet some more students next summer!
I finished up my classes at the end of May with the students at Artworks for a class called "Imagine This! The Art of Storytelling". I always have an incredible time with the students and staff at Artworks, and this was no exception!
I had the opportunity to write an article that has been shared with the world! It's a piece on the healing power of art that I really enjoyed diving deep into. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it! You can read the article in its entirety here.
I interviewed with the incredible Jacque Howard of Trenton 365 Radio and had a phenomenal time. You can listen here.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to share my book and teaching with the children of Harlem! Thanks to Maisie Padmore, I had the opportunity to do a workshop and reading in the space. It was a wonderful, albeit HOT, day! Special thanks to my Mom and Aunt, cousin and his husband, my incredibly talented artsy cousin, and my dear friend Loey for stopping by!
As you can see, things have been jam-packed! In all of the best ways, of course. I hope that this finds you all amazingly well, and I can't wait to share what happens next!
Lots of love,
Rashad Davis
