Normally, the term “illustrations” makes me feel mildly ill. The word seems to mean “redundant pictures.” So I don’t usually do them. People will often call my drawings, especially those that accompany my prose, “illustrations,” but-at the risk of coming off as a pretentious prick-I don’t think the term is accurate. My drawings are meant to do something different than the words. Augment, not repeat, or even interpret. They develop together as a single piece, not with one subservient to the other (and to me, “illustration” implies images in service of text). Many writers have asked me to illustrate their work, and I’ve always refused. But collaborations, collaborations involving image and text, is a different story. This is where the drawings and text grow from and build upon each other. I’m not so interested in taking someone” manuscript and adding some drawings. It’s most exciting when anyone involved can introduce anything – sometimes I’m writing, sometimes drawing, sometimes both. That’s some of my favorite work. The first time I did this was when Kristen Iskandrian and I created our comic “5 Cats.” Johannes G. and I have been chipping away at a project like this for years (that will realistically continue for years more). Tim Wood and I do all kinds of stuff like this, with absolutely no strict definition of medium. Catherine Kasper and I created a book this way. Working with J.A. Tyler for the last few months has been a real headspin, sending my drawing off into some truly ugly places (we’re in the homestretch on this project that we’re calling Glimpse, and we’re pretty excited to show it off).

But some people, other than me, can illustrate. And do it well. Really well. Like the refined and talented Joshua Korenblatt. So when he asked me to illustrate Elyse Lightman’s essay “The Birdhouses” for his journal /One/, it was a challenge I couldn’t refuse. And Elyse’s images are so crisp and vivid, it was a comfortable place for an illustration hack like me to start. Check out her words (and my pictures, in service to those words) here.

Last weekend, Josh Korenblatt showed me these layered “paintings” he’s been doing on his iPhone with just his fingers. This convinced me a I needed an iPhone. Then my old phone died the next day and I went and got one. I downloaded Brushes, the app that Josh uses, and now I realize that it’s going to take a lot of practice to do anything close to what he does. Here are some thumbnails of his work:

The cool thing about sketching on your iPhone, Josh pointed out, is that nobody knows you’re sketching them, and they don’t get self-conscious like when your sketchbook and pen is in full view. They think you’re just checking your Facebook page for the third time that hour or IM’ing your buddy who “works” in marketing in midtown.

Anyway, if you have Facebook, check out these painting that Josh has created with his phone.

Really good to be back in the Charm City. Seems the same in a lot of ways – but better. It’s always had an active arts scene, but things are blowing up down there, especially in the words-on-paper world.

Here’s how it went (click pictures for details):

Went down Friday, and hit this place I used to call home. We talked to some of the current MFA students, who were very cool.

Then this guy seared us some amazing scallops for dinner.

These two friends dating back to my JHU days made it down from New England.

Our other dear friend from our writing group made the trip too.

Finally, met this guy who I’ve known over email for a long while.

He “paints” these images on his iPhone. With his fingers! (My phone died at the end of the weekend, and, inspired, I replaced it with an iPhone. I don’t think downloading a simple app will help me create things of such beauty.)

Met this excellent poet who uncovered the secret of free beer and food, and who also creates beautiful art.

Read with an old friend at the Baltimore Book Festival.

It rained the whole time, but our friends stuck out the whole reading (all eight readers).

The reading was hosted by these two generous human beings (and writers).

This is their series.

Also read with this guy, whose book (and presumably forthcoming book) can only be described as ‘important.’ This stuff has the power to change thinking (more on this later).

This guy published the other guy’s book, and a bunch of other amazing literature.

He invited us to see his band play. Awesome. He was good enough to take off his shirt (and join us for karaoke). This kid is tireless. Keep track of the things he touches.

Most of us finished the weekend at a Mexican buffet in the north of the city. Not as good as we remembered, but good enough. Hope all my readings are this much fun.