Houston Sketchbook Project 2011
Black Sheep rockstar graphic designer, Amy Willis took it upon herself to instigate one of the most compelling, collaborative art projects ever seen in the Houston community – The Houston Sketchbook Project. This is the story, as told by her.
As a graphic designer, you can probably guess that I spend most of my time glued to a computer. Sure, I grace the occasional event and social media has kept me “in the loop” (a big deal for someone who lives 30 minutes outside the loop), but up until recently, I’ve lacked human interaction, creative connection and just plain ol’ good conversation.
One afternoon, I saw an Internet ad promoting the Sketchbook Project. Normally, I overlook such annoyances, but the designer in me was drawn to the pretty picture. It was a simple concept: Buy a sketchbook from the organization, draw in it and then turn it back in. Then, the final book would go on tour around the United States and find its permanent resting place at the Brooklyn Art Library. Having my artwork housed in an art library in New York sounded like a cool opportunity, so I bought the book.
A friend of mine, Jessica Hampson, immediately wanted in – she too heard about the project and was excited to contribute. But there were 100 pages and only two working hands, so we decided to call for entries. While I was excited about collaborating, I didn’t realize the treasure this book would become.
I set up a Facebook event, and invited all of the artists and art lovers I knew. Slowly, we started a chain of drawing and passing. The book passed through the hands of photographers, designers, street artists, illustrators and many other creative types able to produce a finished product within 48 hours. We all worked together to get the book to as many people as we could. After lots of driving, scheduling and coffee meet-ups, we went all-in and finalized it with a big sketching party. We had to finish the book, and the deadline was fast approaching. So we gathered at Culture Pilot, where we sat, drew, ate pizza and shared stories. We even incorporated live sketching, projected onto the street for onlookers to admire the magic taking place inside.
In the end, the Houston Sketchbook Project turned out to be a genuine masterpiece. Together, we created something one-of-a-kind. Numerous Houston artists bonded through hard work, community effort, and paper, and I think the most compelling result is the relationships that formed because of it – perhaps even more lasting than our place in the Brooklyn Art Library.
Before joining The Black Sheep Agency last spring, I saw my career as a graphic designer from a very narrow perspective. I worked alone, ate meals at my desk and thought this was the best life for me. I’d find clients, quietly design in my office, sell my work and move on. It was quite a lonely lifestyle. Black Sheep opened a whole new world of business, art, collaboration, and community – and taught me new ways to look at competition. I’ve learned that in working together, we can do bigger things, help our city and grow our skills grow in unison, and there is nothing more important to me.
I am also grateful that, in addition to bringing local artisans together, we have shared Houston’s talent with the world. No longer just a corporate, conservative landscape, we’ve proven this city has one of the most tight-knit collections of artists anywhere. I’m so happy to be here, and I know this sketchbook is only the beginning of big things to come.
To all the people who generously shared their art with this project, I am truly honored to know every single one of you and look forward to creating with you again.