OKAY - Virtual Gallery Tour!
(if viewed on desktop, you can easily navigate through this tour using the table of contents feature on the left!)
My first art show opened on Saturday, at Lucky’s Books and Comics!
It was a beautiful time and a full house! So many friends, loved ones and strangers, surprise family coming in from out of town, just incredible vibes. I am still processing it!
I’m particularly grateful to Jacob Samuel for his thoughtful, hilarious questions…
…and to my husband for his endless support and infinite patience for measuring and hanging perfectly straight rows of frames.
It’s on view until mid-January, but since I expect a lot of you aren’t in Vancouver, I have put together a little
Virtual Gallery Tour!
Background
I came up with the name of the show after the presidential elections, when I drew this cartoon in preparation to face the weekend and the rest of my life:
I realized (once again) that so much of what I draw is in the pursuit of feeling okay, and I tried to choose pieces that would evoke this feeling in viewers.
Left Side:
A. Signage
I made this by printing out huge letters on letter-sized printer paper, gluing it to posterboard, cutting it out and painting it black. I am the craft queen!!!
B. Just a little guy
My truest form. Painted freehand on big watercolour paper, cut out and taped to the wall.
1. The Outs and Ins of Self-Care (16x20 print)
An online comic for the New Yorker, reformatted for display.
2. The Pickleball Gangs of New York (18x24 print)
An online comic for the New Yorker, reformatted for display. I had SO MUCH fun illustrating all of the different characters and facial expressions.
3. Reasons Why I’m Crying On Vacation
An online comic for the New Yorker, reformatted for display. The truest to life.
4. Prosperous All The Way
The April 10, 2023 issue of New Yorker magazine (online version here) - my first ever print comic feature, and it was a full spread! I found out it had been published while in line at the Louvre in Paris. I had to cut a custom mat out of foamboard to contain the magazine in the frame, and it took me many hours but I didn’t cut any of my fingers off.
5. Happy Hour
In the December 25, 2023 issue of New Yorker magazine (online version here)
I got the idea for this while in New York in the summer of 2023 - it popped into my head almost fully formed. Here is the rough sketch from my sketchbook.
6. A Runner’s Fancy
In the October 30, 2023 issue of New Yorker magazine. Online version here. What can I say, I love to wish I was doing other things while running (and vice versa).
7. New Yorker Cartoons (Giclée Prints)
From right to left, and top to bottom:
He Continues To Taunt Me (February 13, 2023) - featuring my little childhood dog, Maggie.
Yes You Do (November 3, 2023) - second cartoon featuring Maggie, who had less-than-perfect kidneys in old age.
A Little Needy (February 17, 2020) - this is the first New Yorker cartoon I ever sold. It’s based on a friend’s dog who we looked after for weekend and was extremely sad a lot of the time.
Admire The Ball (July 10, 2023) - one of my favourites.
Within Your Price Range (December 21, 2020) - fun fact: I live in the mouse house now.
Support The Head (March 6, 2023) -
Fantastic Indoor Facilities (December 6, 2021) - watch the digital drawing here.
New Year Skin-Care (January 2, 2023)
Can I Borrow This? (December 7, 2021)
No Screens (September 2, 2021) - a daily cartoon, published the day after the passing of the Texas Heartbeat Act after efforts to block it in the Supreme Court failed. Applicable to many present situations.
All Booked Up (December 6, 2021)
Breaking News (May 11, 2022)
Together We Forge (October 9, 2023)
The Family That Stares Together (September 13, 2021)
Blanket Forts From Office (October 19, 2021)
Untitled (May 25, 2022) - daily cartoon published after the Uvalde mass shooting
See more of my New Yorker work here and here.
Right side:
This is the wall of mostly original art!
A. My Dog
In IKEA the day before the show, I saw that they sold mirrors in 8x10 frames and got the idea of putting a “window” on the wall, and a large cartoon of my dog under it, who loves staring out the window. By delightful happenstance, the potlights shining on the wall create a reflection that looks like sunight streaming through the “window,” and it also creates a silhouette of the bird against the wall. Just magical.
B. “There I Am 2.0” (2024), ink, paper, plastic bag on mirror
One of my favourite things I’ve ever made, completely on a whim 2 days before the show. I love how in photos it looks like a tired cartoon version of myself has accidentally walked into the frame and is trying to escape as fast as she can. Haha!
I sized it so it is exactly my height when I stand a few feet away and I can creep out from behind it like i’m leaving my own body.
1. Dog cartoons
Top cartoon: “Another Perfect Day” - a rejected daily cartoon to the New Yorker for the day after the presidential election.
Bottom cartoon: “Family Expectations,” June 26, 2023 (New Yorker)
2. “January Firs” (2024), pencil crayon
Very serendipitous placement in the slanting shadow of the window :’) Drew this mostly with a magic pencil, which is one of those pencils that have 4 colours in one.
3. Illustrations!
a. “Treehouse” (2020), ink and watercolour on paper. Drew this for a CBC video in the first WEEKS of quarantine. Amazing how quickly we moved back then.
b. “Madam, La Baguette” (2023), ink on paper. See the full comic and backstory at the end of this post :)
c. “There I Am” (2024), ink on paper. See it in full here.
d. “Mouthguard” (2021) - ink on paper. One of many long lost, amazing journal comics from the covid era (see this and more here!)
e. “Year Of The Dragon” (2024) - giclée print (an ink drawing coloured digitally). A fave! See it here.
f. “Contentment At Last” (2024) I love pottery. See full comic here.
g. “Fear (Of Santa) Is The Mind Killer” (2023), ink on paper. The New Yorker rejected this as a daily cartoon. I can’t imagine why! (see it here.)
h. “New Year’s Day” (2024), ink and watercolour on paper. (See it here)
i. “Stay In The Moment” (2024), ink and watercolour on paper. From last month’s trip to New York. See the painting process here.
4. Assorted sketchbook cartoons (2017-2024)
I just love these.
5. “Feast” (2024), ink, watercolour and pencil crayon on paper
I drew this on Instagram Live during the presidential elections and it turned out really good, actually!
6. “Q Train” (2024), ink and watercolour on paper
This (rejected New Yorker cover submission) was inspired by a ride on the Brooklyn-bound Q train during last month’s NY trip. The sun was setting and streaming into the car, and there was a stunning view of the bridge over the river, and everyone was dozing off because it was 5pm and they were commuting home. I absolutely love this image and I’m glad I have somewhere to put it, even if not in the New Yorker.
Here’s the rough pen sketch I did on the plane, and the digital cover sketch I submitted to the New Yorker. I opted to just use blue and orange in the final painting.
7. “Kitchen Party” (2024), ink, watercolour and pencil crayon on paper
This was a painting I made as a gift to my fellow residents after the life-changing French residency of 2023. We had a lot of kitchen dance parties. Can you spot me? ;)
8. “We Made It” (2021), ink and watercolour on paper.
Sketchbook painting from the first outdoor picnic of 2021, post-Covid winter.
9. “How To Survive” (2019), ink on paper
Tacked to my bulletin board - this motto has gotten me through the past five years.
That’s all, folks! Thank you so much for your continued support.
xo Zoe
and as always -
Congrats! This is amazing, I love your style.
Super Congratulations and thank you for the wonderfully detailed virtual show! This actually did help me feel more “okay” thank you!