"These drawings and clippings and pieces of paper are, or at least were, important to me. But will they be important to anyone else? My kids? No, I doubt it. So what to do with things like this? What to do with my boxes of sketches and drawings and books and notes? What does one do with the time capsules that we accidentally create as we live our lives?"
I say, it's time to start looking at comics and children's book collections at U's. Close to you, UPenn has started collecting. OSU is a maybe for your comics work, but might also be interested in the illustration morgue. I mailed them a box of what was left of Richard Thompson's years ago. AFAIK, these tools, and they are tools, weren't really saved anywhere as an example of how illustration work was actually done for about a century.
THIS!!! This is the history of a professional illustrator from college forward, through phases of a career. It’s a goldmine for archivists - find a place that wants to house it.
Mike, as you know, this post was your idea in the first place. And you've helped when I've wondered what to do with my piles of stuff in the recent past. I'll drop you an email.
I feel this. Many folders. Sorted into categories. That I rarely, if ever revisited after spending so much time clipping and sorting. In the meantime much of it has made its way to the recycling bin. Some remains. Either the folders I haven’t made time to revisit, or the handful of items that truly speak to me.
BB, i am so glad it is working out for you…i feel so honored, thank you. You are a hero of mine so i am really touched by the Holla.
As i am reading your post i am seeing it parallel “Interstellar” (McConaughey, Chastain, Caine) …and your drawings of astronauts and time-travel fit the your time capsule vibe. if this checks, i think You must be the 4th dimensional being that put it all in place for your past self and your then future self (the now You) to work together to eventually become that even further out future version of You. ha! That 4th dimension of You must be pretty flipping incredible…so keep up the good work. :b
Cooper(mcC): We've always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible. And we count these moments. These moments when we dare to aim higher, to break barriers, to reach for the stars, to make the unknown known. We count these moments as our proudest achievements. But we lost all that. Or perhaps we've just forgotten that we are still pioneers. And we've barely begun. And that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us, that our destiny lies above us.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your journey down memory lane. What an interesting life you have lived so far. It was like a virtual visit to an artist’s museum. We visited Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas’ museums in the UK in 2019, and I was fascinated. Seeing snippets of writing and or sketches of their early work was amazing. Your family may not find ticket stubs and postcards all that interesting but people like me do. I love seeing the different processes behind creative work. The tidbits of life that inspire, the glimpses into those flashes of inspiration, are endlessly fascinating to me. Thank you for sharing some of it with us.
I have a box too, weirdly enough starting from around the 1985-ish time filled with poetry I thought was good. Some was (published here and there), some stayed where it should - in a box. Some is just for me. There are things in there that are melancholy triggers of word blather on the page but no old sneakers (maybe a pen or two). Always enjoy what you bring to my brain ;)
thanks Wendy. It's funny, when I found the box I thought "this would be good to write about!" And then, yesterday, as I wrote, I found that melancholy side as well as just thinking "this means nothing to anyone but me." Forced me to judiciously pick out what to highlight. Also, I still owe you an envelope full of astronaut drawings! Stay tuned!
As an archivist, when you say:
"These drawings and clippings and pieces of paper are, or at least were, important to me. But will they be important to anyone else? My kids? No, I doubt it. So what to do with things like this? What to do with my boxes of sketches and drawings and books and notes? What does one do with the time capsules that we accidentally create as we live our lives?"
I say, it's time to start looking at comics and children's book collections at U's. Close to you, UPenn has started collecting. OSU is a maybe for your comics work, but might also be interested in the illustration morgue. I mailed them a box of what was left of Richard Thompson's years ago. AFAIK, these tools, and they are tools, weren't really saved anywhere as an example of how illustration work was actually done for about a century.
But you knew I'd say all that.
THIS!!! This is the history of a professional illustrator from college forward, through phases of a career. It’s a goldmine for archivists - find a place that wants to house it.
Mike, as you know, this post was your idea in the first place. And you've helped when I've wondered what to do with my piles of stuff in the recent past. I'll drop you an email.
Better cat content. More, please.
I feel this. Many folders. Sorted into categories. That I rarely, if ever revisited after spending so much time clipping and sorting. In the meantime much of it has made its way to the recycling bin. Some remains. Either the folders I haven’t made time to revisit, or the handful of items that truly speak to me.
Nice entry. Cat content is good too.
BB, i am so glad it is working out for you…i feel so honored, thank you. You are a hero of mine so i am really touched by the Holla.
As i am reading your post i am seeing it parallel “Interstellar” (McConaughey, Chastain, Caine) …and your drawings of astronauts and time-travel fit the your time capsule vibe. if this checks, i think You must be the 4th dimensional being that put it all in place for your past self and your then future self (the now You) to work together to eventually become that even further out future version of You. ha! That 4th dimension of You must be pretty flipping incredible…so keep up the good work. :b
Cooper(mcC): We've always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible. And we count these moments. These moments when we dare to aim higher, to break barriers, to reach for the stars, to make the unknown known. We count these moments as our proudest achievements. But we lost all that. Or perhaps we've just forgotten that we are still pioneers. And we've barely begun. And that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us, that our destiny lies above us.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your journey down memory lane. What an interesting life you have lived so far. It was like a virtual visit to an artist’s museum. We visited Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas’ museums in the UK in 2019, and I was fascinated. Seeing snippets of writing and or sketches of their early work was amazing. Your family may not find ticket stubs and postcards all that interesting but people like me do. I love seeing the different processes behind creative work. The tidbits of life that inspire, the glimpses into those flashes of inspiration, are endlessly fascinating to me. Thank you for sharing some of it with us.
I have a box too, weirdly enough starting from around the 1985-ish time filled with poetry I thought was good. Some was (published here and there), some stayed where it should - in a box. Some is just for me. There are things in there that are melancholy triggers of word blather on the page but no old sneakers (maybe a pen or two). Always enjoy what you bring to my brain ;)
thanks Wendy. It's funny, when I found the box I thought "this would be good to write about!" And then, yesterday, as I wrote, I found that melancholy side as well as just thinking "this means nothing to anyone but me." Forced me to judiciously pick out what to highlight. Also, I still owe you an envelope full of astronaut drawings! Stay tuned!