art books Tag

Speaking at Rock the School Bells 17

I’m blessed that I get to speak to youth tomorrow at @rocktheschoolbells about one of my favorite things!!! Art Books and Education, specifically I’m going to converse with them about doorways to creative fields and what part inspiration can play in liberation.

If you’ve got kids going to the 17th annual “Rock The School Bells” a dope conference for youth about hip hop history, skills, workshops, performance, and knowledge send em my way 🙏🏾 check out my bro OG @dodatamen who will be rocking as well!!
@skyline_college in #SanBruno California.

For more information about location, time, and all the other speakers please go to Rock The School Bells

Dig this? Check out when I spoke at Modesto Junior College

VIDEO: My Fav Art Books 4

Somehow I forgot to post this video here last year. I think after Palestine and moving my brain went alesewhere but here is a video of some of my favorite art books. Check it out! Note: I define art books as mostly pictoral books exploring various generes of art such as photography, fashion design, illustration, animation, filmmaking, cooking, dance, public art, and more. its not everyone’s cup of tea as far as “art books” go, but its my absolute jam. A mix of styles, interests, and disciplies. Enjoy.

Dig this? Check out My Fav Art Books 3 or cop my first art book “Art of Rob”.

VIDEO: My Favorite Art Books 3

Hey everyone its been awhile since I did one of these and I’m excited to share it.  The aim of these is to inspire you, inspire artists, young readers, and more. Art books to me are books using visual art, photography, design, collage, and words to highlight a topic, art form, person, place, genre, discipline, or medium.
They are a great way to unplug when you’ve been staring at screens too long. They’re great for traveling, road trips, flights, etc. They’re great for getting inspired and they’re a great way to get young people reading; as long as its about a topic they LOVE. Please watch and share.

I discuss 13 books in the video including my own art book:
“The Art of Tekkenkinkreet / Black & White” – Shinji Kimura
“Supreme Glamour”- Mary Wilson
“The Art of Juanjo Guarnido” – Juanjo Guarnido
“Shelter in Place” – Avy Jetter
“Dinotopia” – James Gurney
“Painting The Streets-Oakland Uprising in the Time of Rebellion”- Nomadic Press
“Creations Vol. 1” – Derek Laufman
“Iguana Bay” – Claire Wendling
“Black Champions in Cycling” – Marlon Lee Moncrieffe
“Maestrapiece- San Francisco’s Monumental Feminist Mural” –Heyday Books
“Art of Rob” – Robert Liu-Trujillo
“Prince of Cats” – Ronald Wimberly 

Dig this? Check out “My Favorite Art Books 2” the second video in this series. And if your local bookstore or library doesn’t have any of the art books you’re looking for, politely request them 🙂
If you’d like to purchase some of them I suggest ordering them from your local bookstoreBookshop.org, or StuartNg Books in LA.

We Are Cocina -Talk w/ Inforum SF

 

I only know about La Cocina-the fabulous organization that incubates, lifts up, and supports great chefs and helps them thrive as entrepreneurs through my wife Joy who once dramed of starting a ramen shop and my friend Reem Assil who opened up Reem’s California in Oakland and SF. But, to hear three different chefs and the executive director talk about their new book and some of what makes them work as a community is just dope! 

Listen to the talk

Reem Assil, Veronica Salazar, Lamees Dabhour, Caleb Zigas w/ Justin Philipps

If you dig this, check out my video series called “My Favorite Art Books” where I talk about books like these HERE.

And please go get this book here and support the organization behind it. Shout out to Chronicle Books.

VIDEO: My fav art bks 2

Hey fam, I just finished the second “Art Books” video. In it I share a little bit of 15 books and magazines ranging from Art of animation, to artist sketchbooks, and photography books. The point of these is to share cool books, show you some ways to get kids off screens, inspire young artists, and hopefully get some kids reading. Some of these books would appeal to elementary aged kids and some are for older teens.
If you missed the last Art Books video check it out here
These are the books in the video:
  • “Afros” by Michael July
  • “Journey for Justice” by Dr Dawn Mabalon, Gayle Romansanta, and Andre Sibayan
  • “We Are the Ship” by Kadir Nelson
  • “Mexican Muralists” by Desmond Rochfort
  •  “The Art of Moana” by Disney
  • “Dailies” by Bobby Pontillas
  • “Girls Garage” by Emily Pilloton
  • “Harlem of the West” by Elizabeth Pepin Silva & Lewis Watts
  • “Stranger Danger” by Clio Chiang
  • “Printing the Revolution” by Claudia Zapata, Tatiana Reinoza, and Terecita Romo
  • “The Art of Hung Liu-Summoning Ghosts” by Hung Liu
  • “Picturing The Promise (Scurlocks)” Edited by Paul Gardullo
  • “The New Bohemians” by Justina Blakeney
  • “Waxpoetics Magazine” 2008/ 2021
  • “Umber Magazine”
If you’d like to purchase some of them I suggest ordering them from your local bookstore, Bookshop.org, or StuartNg Books in LA.

20 Hours left! – Art of Rob Kickstarter!

 

In case u were holding out until the last minute, I just wanted to let you know that you have 20 hours left to back the “ART of ROB” Kickstarter campaign before it ends tonight. So please go throw down if you were meaning to. Not sure if we’ll hit the third stretch goal, but we hit two already!
These two goals remain:

Podcast interview: w/NOT REAL ART

 

Whats up fam, I got a chance to be a guest on the “Not Real Art” podcast w/ my TYS sister Erin Yoshi. I wish I could embed it directly here, but please check out this LINK to listen
This show was recorded last month and I talk a bit about kids books, illustration, of course the “Art of Rob” campaign on kickstarter, and our crew “Trust Your Struggle”. If you’re not up on this podcast please give them a listen, Man One and Sourdough have been doing it for a minute and they just brought Erin Yoshi on as an official co-host. Here are some of the folks she’s interviewed that I admire!
If you would like to hear or see more media features please check out my press page here.

Kickstarter Update – Lemme tell you about this picture

 

Let me tell you about this picture. This was in Nicole Martinez’s class at Cesar Chavez Elementary in Sacramento (2015) and it was taken shortly after the release of “I am Sausal Creek/ Yo Soy el Arroyo Sausal” written by author, healer, and former educator Melissa Reyes ( translated by Cinthya Munoz, pub by Nomadic Press). Melissa was and is awesome with kids. She wrote a story that told ecological and local history through the voice of a creek because it didn’t exist. And she did it so it could be read in English or Spanish. Her story has captivated many children and families. Matter of fact, people still tell me that they love the story.

What does this have to do with “Art of Rob” or art books? When we (authors/illustrators) were invited to read I asked Melissa and Ms Martinez if I could share some of my artwork process with the kids and I’ve been doing that since then. The kids responded to it and after the initial ego boost of children saying wow to my drawings I thought of how important it is to see Black and Brown authors or illustrators come to your school and talk about their create paths. I thought about how important it is to encourage them to be creative by showing them our process. This book is about representation and encouragement.

Ever since then I have shared my sketchbook, picture books, and some process paintings and more often than not the kids are super juiced to see them. I always wanted a way to take some of that excitement and give it to them so they could take it home. If you’ve supported this campaign you are fulfilling that dream for me and helping to encourage new artists; I hope. Fingers crossed.

Whether you get Art of Rob or not, please invite BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) creatives to speak to kids in schools and libraries. That way children of color can see a reflection of themselves and other kids can see just how many types of people make stories. Also, please encourage children of all kinds, but especially children of color to explore the arts. I started doing children’s books to make stories that reflected the world I see, my family, friends, and neighborhood. I didn’t realize just how welcoming the teachers, librarians, bookstore owners, literacy workers, and children would be. That’s it.

If you want to see an interview I did this past month with the Nerds of Color, go here. And if you haven’t shared this campaign with someone yet please do. We’re close to unlocking a new stretch goal, which means more pgs of art added to the book!

Previous post about Stretch Goals!

Kickstarter Update: Stretch Goals

 

If you’re interested, I just made some stretch goals for this Art of Rob book campaign. One of which has already been unlocked. Check the rest out and spread the word if you want to make the book bigger. THANK YOU in advance and stay tuned.