Drawing uncharted territory

5 questions for illustrator, artist Wendy MacNaughton

Remember when a Monday was different than a Friday? Wasn’t that kind of comforting?

Since this pandemic moment kicked in, all the days have run together in our household. I never fell for the hardcore homeschool scheduling propaganda, but I noticed that having one little anchor to our day makes all the difference: that’s my dear friend and collaborator, Wendy MacNaughton’s, 10am PST drawing class. It’s live on Instagram (and posted later on YouTube). It’s 30 minutes. And it’s the closest thing I’ve seen to the reincarnation of Mr. Rogers’ vibes since Daniel Tiger.

Which is funny, because Wendy has never even watched Daniel Tiger. She’s not a mom (at least to humans…her pets are another story). She’s not one of those annoying people who talks in a funny, high voice when they get around children.

She’s an artist and respects kids as artists. She’s an emotional creature and she respects kids as emotional creatures. It’s pretty straight-forward and beautiful. She helps us look differently, and then that helps us draw differently, and then that helps us feel differently. (Turns out the kids who love her show are also grown-ups.)

I asked her some questions about this weird new Mr. Rogers-type journey she’s on in the time of COVID-19…

Courtney: How did you all come up with the idea of creating the show in the first place?

Wendy: My mom suggested it. Caroline (my wife, and the other half of Draw Together) and I were talking with my parents on the phone a few weekends back. The Bay Area had just announced that schools were closing and the four of us were talking about what parents and kids would go through - the sudden full-time parenting responsibility on top of full-time work, the loss of structure and schedule, and the stress everyone was (is) experiencing - and what we could do to support. My mom said, “You could teach kids drawing.” The next day I posted a few pics on instagram asking if families would be interested. There was a lot of yeses, so we started the next morning.

Courtney: You’re teaching kids to draw, but you're all providing this emotional anchor to the day for a lot of families. You talk about feelings on the show a lot. What inspired you to do that? 

Wendy: It wasn’t intentional. When Caroline first said, “We’re live,” I remember I was scared, it was all new. I had no idea what I was doing, but nobody else does either right now! No kids, no parents, nobody. So it felt important to acknowledge those feelings in the room (or respective rooms, since everyone is in their own home). This is an unusual situation. Everyone is going through something new. We’ll move through it together.

So I guess we started from a place of openness and “we-ness.” Later in class when we were slowly drawing hair on the back of dog we’d just created, I noticed I felt calmer than I had in a few days, so I shared that, and how drawing is a way of calming ourselves down, how we can focus and get centered through making marks on a page, work through thoughts and feelings. Drawing is a powerful processing tool - it’s like a meditation - and I share that.

Look, I talk about feelings a lot anyway. You know that—it’s one of the reasons we’re friends. 

Courtney: How do you think your training as a social worker prepared you for this new creative adventure? Your training in art school? 

Wendy: Social work school taught this mouthy only child to LISTEN - for strengths, to identity and articulate feelings, to reflect feelings back… I might do most of the talking in Draw Together, but I’m trying to create a supportive, creative space where kids feel heard and seen. When Caroline and I see the videos and photos of kids talking back to me on screen and showing me their drawings it melts our hearts. I think the social work training is in everything I do. It’s part of who I am; same with art school.

Rejecting a lot of what art school taught me is helpful, too. Honestly the best training for this might just be being an only child who grew up talking to herself. Who knew.

 Courtney: What's one of the most surprising things about doing it? 

Wendy: A few months ago I was drawing 9-11 court proceedings in Guantanamo Bay. Today I’m drawing dinosaurs with kids. That’s pretty darn surprising! BUT. They aren’t that far off in a way… both are about using drawing as a tool to encourage people to look closer at the world - to engender empathy (which is a kind of imagination) and connect people to one another. I deeply, deeply believe drawing does this like nothing else can. 

And honestly, I’m surprised by how much I enjoy it. We’re all just doing what we can with our restrictions right now. Who knew I’d stumble onto something that fits so well?

Courtney: How do you guess this adventure might influence your "adult-focused" work? 

Wendy: My friend, I have no f-ing clue. A few days ago I was offered a dream gig: to do a little drawn journalism piece for The New Yorker around Covid. I turned it down because I think this work is more helpful right now. Also, let’s be real, it’s more fun. None of us know what will happen next. This is unchartered territory. We are all just doing our best and taking it one day at a time. I just feel so lucky Art Assistant Caroline, Suso, and I get to hang out with the kids (of all ages) every school day for a bit, have some fun and draw together. It’s an honor and a gift.

Isn’t she a beauty? Tune in at 10am PST on Instagram, Monday thru Friday, or check it out later on YouTube. For more on Wendy’s work, generally, go here.