Julie and I don’t have kids of our own, but we do have lots of former students that keep in touch. Spring is always fun because there’s at least one graduation we attend, and usually it’s several. But this one is extra-special. I’ll tell you about it.
Lynn was one of our kids back when I was teaching cartooning at Aki Kurose Middle School. She was a factory, and she was good.
These are from Emerald City Comic-Con, about a decade ago.
Here is Lynn today. She still likes to be silly for the camera, ten years later.
But this is what tickles me. She is about to graduate from Cornish College For The Arts, which is the high-end art school here in town (Ellen Forney teaches comics there) and that goofy picture is part of her official profile. Her senior project, as it happens, is a comic.
Although I suppose her professors refer to it as a graphic novel. But we are bursting with pride in any case. It’s all about the culture clash between her Vietnamese heritage and her efforts to fit in here in the USA as she was growing up.
Anyway, she is rolling out her book as part of the big BFA Exhibition at Cornish, and opening night is this Friday, the 28th. If you are anywhere in the Seattle area, you should come check it out. She’ll be happy to hook you up with one of her books, and there will be lots of other things too. Admission is FREE and doors open at 5 PM. Details here. We’ll be there, beaming and proud and taking pictures, and probably embarrassing Lynn no end. But we knew her Way Back When and are totally prepared to brag about it. If you don’t live anywhere around here but you still want a copy of the book, let me know and I imagine we can hook you up.
Back next week with something cool.
Always enjoy hearing about your classes and students. It’s what I wish I had when I was young and the kind of thing I would love to be doing.
Here’s Julie and Lynn at the opening with her zine. There is nothing about this picture I don’t love.