"I Don't Know How to Draw a Tree," is a Beautiful and Introspective Comic

"I Don't Know How to Draw a Tree," is a new graphic novel by Carmen José. Published by the good folks over at Rotopol, it is as gorgeous as it is thoughtful. Soft, gentle watercolor illustrations of trees intermingle with stark and sharp line art of humans and other objects in a delicate dance with poetic text complimenting everything. José ponders life, how we connect with others, and how we represent the World in a variety of ways--with trees serving as a spectacular metaphor. As José observes in one of my favorite passages that I'll share in the formatting she uses:

our branches

our arms

our body trunks

our limbs

and our roots

our differences

our connections

we can learn

to let us be and live

in our complexities 

so we can grow

in all directions and forms

It's a beautiful book visually and in its text. We can learn a lot from trees, as José thoughtfully imparts. I really enjoyed how the watercolors washed over me (no pun intended) and the words stuck in my mind.

"I Don't Know How to Draw a Tree," is a fantastic comic and I would highly recommend anyone who enjoys gorgeous art and/or insightful poetry check it out. Rotopol and the authors who publish through it always put out spectacular works and this is yet another stellar comic!

5 out of 5 Stars.

My Letter Was Published in the, "Missouri Conservationist," June Issue!

A recent issue of the, "Missouri Conservationist," discussed how if you see what seems to be an abandoned baby animal or injured adult one the best thing you can do is leave it alone. Messing with wildlife, no matter how good your intentions, is generally a bad idea as these creatures are rarely truly, "Alone," despite how things may appear. I enjoyed the article and it got me thinking about another time when people unfortunately can bug wildlife--when they want to take a picture for social media. It seems too often folks will think it is a good idea to walk up to a wild animal that could be hurt by them (or even attack them) for the sake of a good picture. I wrote to the magazine and they published my letter in the most recent June 2024 issue! Take a look:

You can read all issues of the, "Missouri Conservationist," for free online if you would like. I always enjoy the fun articles and great pictures. Plus, free virtual or in-person classes are always listed. I attended one via the internet previously about identifying wild mushrooms so you know which are safe to eat or not--it was fun! I am excited my letter is in this latest issue and thank the, "Missouri Conservationist," for publishing the thoughts I shared with them!