How We Draw Ourselves

When the thing said is personal and universal

I talked with Bisakh Som

On Friday, The Washington Post published an article I wrote about cartoon artists and gender, called How We Draw Ourselves. Here is a link.

I interviewed seven of my collegues: Amy Hwang, Alison Bechdel, Mads Horwath, Sara Lautman, Bishakh Som, Sarah Akinterinwa, Roz Chast. In addition to the interviews and my commentary, I drew comics to depict our conversations.

Here is one I did about my converstaion with Roz Chast.

The idea for this article sprang during the writing of my history, Very Funny Ladies, wherein I interviewed a lot more women. Over the course of writing that book, I became fascinated by the variety of experiences of the women as they interacted with their work, society and the creative process. It all depended on their unique perspectives, but also I think the variation came from their age and gender identity—it told me a lot about how things for women have changed—and not— over the course of my adulthood.

I also did portraits of the women. It was a joy to speak with them, their thoughtfulness and honesty was incredible.

One thing I learned is how rarely—if at all—I put myself in my cartoons, whereas other artists do so more often. On one level, it could be said that you are always in your art, in some fashion. But for me, it is more guised; I rarely openly draw about my experiences with me as the protagonist. But what’s fascinating in each of these women is how the back and forth happens, how the artist considers personal experience and uses it to say something.

Sometimes that “thing said,” is personal, yet universal. That’s the best.

We need to hear more about women’s lives.