I Illustrated Portraits Of Inventors, Influencers and Innovators In The Food Industry For 31 Days
In 2024, I participated in the Theydrawtober online event from the creators of the Instagram account @TheyDrawAndCook. Instead of illustrated translations of listed subjects I choose to render the inventors, influencers, and innovators. I posted these portraits on Instagram. For example, “cookies” was the prompt on the first day so I illustrated the cookie baker and maker Famous Amos. The philanthropist Charles Pack who created the War Garden movement during World War I (WWI) came from the prompt “veggie garden.”
List of prompts from the creators of They Draw And Cook
History is complex or ambiguous or both. Conducting research and looking for reference photos was the easier part of this personal project. My greatest challenge was showing up every day to complete an illustration. Once I settled on a subject and confirmed the information was accurate as best as I could I began a portrait. In October 2024 I finished 31 portraits of inventors, influencers and innovators. I uncovered more information than I expected about every subject on the list. So, thank you HB Reese, Willoughby McCormick, George Speck, Liza Minnelli and so many more people for your inventions, innovations and influential ideas that impacted our American lives.
