The Little Yellow Envelope
Just after Christmas a little bulging yellow envelope found its way into my postbox.
Origin Post: US Postal Service
Category of Item: Other: Merchandise
Detailed descriptions of contents: Blank book, 5 Art supplies + Pouch
From: Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn NY 11211
This was my Christmas present from my sister. A blank sketchbook that you can fill out with whatever you want, send it back to the States, it is scanned, catalogued and then placed on the shelves in the Brooklyn Art library. A project called the “The Sketchbook Project.”
A scene from the film “The Intouchables” comes to mind
*“Tell me, Driss, why do you think people are interested in art?”
*
*“I don’t know, it’s a business?”
*
*“No. That’s because it’s the only thing one leaves behind”
*
With the weight of leaving something behind for the rest of eternity on my shoulders (hopefully something that doesn’t look like I painted a chicken’s feet and let it run across the paper) I promptly pushed it aside as something I will do “later.” As with all things that are left in the later pile, I soon forgot all about it.
It wasn’t until the Coronavirus started to ravage the world and I found myself locked indoors alone with a 4 year old monster that I looked for things to try and keep my sanity. Cue the “later” pile. I re-opened the Manila envelope and took the sketchbook out. While looking everything over again I noticed a deadline
.
August 15th 2020…. SHIT
I only had a few months to come up with a concept, figure out a style and get this made and sent off.
I thumbed through the pages: 32 sides.. FUCK
I started to try and figure out something that I could use to fill the pages…
*DADDY…
*
I leave my scribbled notes to tend to my little boy who wants to make water experiments in the bathroom. After a while I return and try and rack my head around it again… (5 minutes later)
DADDY… THERE'S WATER EVERYWHERE”
I slowly exhale and leave the Sketchbook as something to do while he is asleep. As I leave the table again it comes to mind that I have all the content I need right there, the life and struggle of a single father.
And so it begins…
⇨ The Sketchbook Series: Snapshots of a Single Father Pt 1
⇨ The Sketchbook Series: Snapshots of a Single Father Pt 2