Hey fam, I will be at this years “Fairyland Children’s Book Fair” supporting the Youth Writers Workshop. This past Spring I had the distinct pleasure of working with artist Michaela Ellis to design and plan an awesome series of workshops incorporating team building, games, writing, and drawing exercises, and time to work on their own stories. Some of those stories have been completed and will be published in a journal which you can get that supports young writers. At this years Fest Whitley Gilbert and I will be introducing some of these young creators to you and tabling with them where you can come get your book signed by them 🙂
Ok, come check us out and meet one or two of the 30+ authors who will be there such as Nidhi Chanani, Natasha Triplett, Laura Atkins, Bo Lu, Eugenia Yoh, Malick Sickstein, Charlotte Cheng, Angela Dalton, and more.
Hey fam, I have the pleausre of speaking on a panel for the Story Sunbirds, a new children’s book organization. This is their mission:
At Story Sunbirds, our mission is to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive children’s literature community rooted in justice and anti-racism and anti-colonialism. As a collective of writers, illustrators, and publishing professionals, we prioritize the holistic growth and needs of all children, ensuring their voices and experiences are at the forefront of our creative work.
I will be on a panel called “Finding a Unique Path That’s True to You” which will be about getting into making children’s books by any means necessary, with Intisar Khanani, Navjot Kaur, Zetta Elliott, and moderated by Danielle Davis.
This was an excellent video about a little known fact about US and White history here in America. Apartheid. Jim Crow. Basically separate worlds and laws for White Americans and everyone else, especially Black Americans. And this was not that long ago, 50 maybe 60 years ago. For context, I am 46 years old. My mother is 65.
I did two versions of this and scrapped the first one in favor of this. Its hand writing. instead of painting and I like how it came out. Its a gentle reminder to warm up before you get to business creatively. Maybe you’re a singer, a sculptor, designers, dancer, athlete, coder, organizer, painter, photographer, whatever. It helps to warm up or practice first.
I just took a Loish class online which was inspired by Eliza Ivanova and a few others and tried out what they do using pencil and smudging or shading and it came out dope. Using her reference I made this and thought of sister opening a portal.
Yo, I’ve been going to SJ Made since 2019 as a visitor and I’ve been a vendor off and on since 2021. This is one of the most professional craft fairs in the Bay Area. Period. I plan to start posting more about shows I’ve done and sharing my set up and realized I had this one in the chamber still.
Ok, when I pull up, they have a taped off section for vendors and they’ve already sent a message containing the info about when to set up, support such as tables, portable walls, etc and where I will be. This is how I pull up with my rolling cart and a few boxes. The first boxes usually contain my kids books, stickers, postcards, bookmarks, and prints.
It takes several trips to bring all the gear from my car to my spot or number.
Next I start to pull up with the pieces I need for my display. I usually start with putting up my foldable table first which will hold my books and smaller items.
When I started out I used to have my art prints sitting flat but through experimentation, research, and advice I started displaying them larger, higher up, and at eye level so passerbys will see them. If they can’t see it, they’re not going to buy it. I built these displays by hand with wood, glue, screws, and picture frame magnets from a hardware store. Each is meant to display four 11″ x 14″ art prints.
Next up are the kids booksand the displays. I have written and or illustrated over 10 kids books that are out. Mostly picture books for ages 4-8, but I’ve done some middle grade for ages 8-12 as well. At this stage I usually place the display for stickers or postcards in the middle for symmetry. I then put two levels of books. One directly on the table and one a little bit higher up. Recently I’ve experimented with having a cardboard display with a darker contrasting color behind the books.
After I’m done with that I start to put up my art prints, usually in sets of four that can be purchased for a discount as a set. The prints were a game changer in terms of revenue I make at a show. Before it was just young people who’d buy one sticker. Or a parent or auntie who’d buy 1-2 books. But once I started to display my prints more prominently they sold. I come with display copies and I bring a box of prints that have a plastic sleeve, a note about the artwork with a link to my work, and a cardboard backing to keep it from getting damaged.
Next up after prints and books is my wooden display where I put vinyl stickers, sticker packs, sticker sheets, postcards, bookmarks, and sometimes a mini comic. ALSO, i put out a form for my email newsletter. Its great to guide folks to your social media, website, and store. But having a Substack, email newsletter, or something like it is a great way to reach your supporters and future customers directly!
After that, I put up my “Art of Rob” sign, get my tea, snack, a paper to write notes about the event, cash, square reader, and I’m ready to go. One day I’ll do a post on how to talk to folks. But this is how I set up my table. Photo by Rachel Kenney aka REK inc.
Pretty cool to have my book “Fresh Juice” added to the California Dept of Education’s recommended list! Check it out from your local public library or request it at your local independent bookstore. Via Lee & Low Books.
Dig this? Check out this reading of the book by Storyline Online feat Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Ey, heres an OG picture book I used to read to my son. Gathering the sun written by Alma Flor Ada and illustrated by Simón Silva. Check out the video and share with anyone who’d be interested. You can request this book at your local library or cop it from here.
Thanks to the organizing and kindness of Aspire Education in Oakland who provide tutoring, mentoring, and support to public school students in the Bay Area I was able to read to Lincoln Elementary. All photos by Beau Tindle.
Lincoln is smack dab in the middle of Oakland’s Chinatown and has a predominantly AAPI student body, but a lot of families from different backgrounds are mixed in there.
Staff from Community Reading Buddies and Aspire provided information and resources for the family, pizza, salad, cookies, and snacks, and free books!
As families started to pour in and get ready for me to read I began getting my daughter and my presentation set up.
I began reading “Fresh juice” published by Lee & Low Books to the little kids, tweens, and parents and found everyone super engaged, responsive, and curious.
There were several copies of the book given away that evening and many folks followed along with me as I read the story. I’ve read a hundred times but its still fun to engage the audience with details from their life experience like taking public transportation, going to farmer’s markets, or the kinds of fruits and veggies we eat at home or school.
After I read the book I got to share a little bit of the art process as I often do. I walked around showing my sketchbook as well. While it is nice to get ooh’s and ahhh’s from young people seeing your drawings, I don’t remember ever meeting an author or illustrator in school as a shorty. The work organizations like Aspire Education do is vital, for inspiration and academic success. So, I hope that some of them will be inspired to draw or write for books.
If you haven’t read “Fresh Juice” you can watch and listen to a reading HERE by actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph courtesy of StorylineOnline and SAG Aftra Foundation.
One of the coolest things about my job by far is meeting young people who are not just artists, writers, change makers, etc but literally the future. This one was super fun too. If you’d like to invite me to come visit your school or library, check my contact page and hit me up.
Dig this? Check out these other school or library visits:
This was a great show from Amanda Seales (Journalist, Comedian, former emcee). What critics of her don’t get is that she is not falling for the bullshit and if half of them really supported icons like Fannie Lou Hamer, Baldwin, Malcolm, etc they would be listening instead of trying to get click bate.
Anyways, I loive how she not only does her own research and analysis for us but she invites others own with knowledge to game us up as well. Case in point, today she had on two Korean American organizers on from Nodutdol an organization whos purpose is:
“We are diasporic Koreans and comrades based in occupied Indigenous lands known as the United States and Canada. We organize for a world free of imperialism, and for Korea’s re/unification and national liberation.“
Nodutdol organizers Jamie and Heath talk about the history of US imperialism in Korea, how South Korea is still occupied by the US, how North Korea is propagandized, and how this relates to Gaza, Guam, India, Puerto Rico and so much untold history. I learned a lot as someone with a parent born in Korea! Starting at the 2:12:00 mark, listen to this interview and get you some game.
Dig this? Check out this short story about Haenyeo or this illustration of a Jeju diver .
