Happy to announce that I'm now being repped in the UK by the outstanding illustration agents at Snyder New York. I've been repped in North America by Snyder since 2015, and am looking forward to more fun projects with them abroad (and excuses to travel to London, always).
Cheers!
Attention stripe fans! The Art of Stripes, the latest book in my Art of series with Hardie Grant UK, is out! As a total stripe junky (I have SO MANY STRIPES IN MY LIFE), this book is near and dear to me. Tops to bottoms, scarves to socks, this handy little lookbook is full of inspiration for how to wear all your favorite stripey pieces, plus profiles of some of the women who've made this pattern a style classic. It's available now on Amazon and in fine book shops.
If you're in Austin this month, make a point to check out all of the amazing SaveArtSpace billboards that are up around the city! I'm honored to have my Vote Vote Vote artwork included as part of their #whatwillyoudo exhibition, in conjunction with Tumblr. You can find the Vote Vote Vote billboard on the North side at 3810 Medical Parkway.
From SaveArtSpace:
“SaveArtSpace has partnered with Tumblr to bring Public Art to Austin, Tx. for SXSW.
2018 promises to be a historic year. The midterm election will be a referendum on countless issues central to the our communities: Racial justice, immigration, healthcare, education, LGBTQ+ equality, and more. It all comes during a once in a generation resurgence of activism and volunteerism. We want to inspire the community to write the history of 2018 as it happens.
When historians write about 2018— What would you want them to say and what will you do to make it happen? #WhatWillYouDo
This public art exhibition is made possible by Tumblr.”
Thank you to both Tumblr and SaveArtSpace for supporting artists and finding creative ways to bring more public art into the world!
I think I've made somewhere around 50 maps since I've been an illustrator, and ever since I starting making them I've wanted to create one of my home state of Michigan. Well, fiiiinalllllly I did! Keeping things very local, they are printed on French paper, out of Niles Michigan, by the amazing silkscreen artists at Grand Rapids-based End Hymns. These 5-color, limited edition prints are now available in my Print Shop!
Hey friends! What a #@!*#* year. If you're looking to adopt a new mantra, then perhaps consider "VOTE." And it never hurts to have an aesthetically-pleasing reminder up on the wall to get you into your polling place. Just in time for the holidays/ special elections/ midterms/ smashing the patriarchy, I'm now selling my "Vote Vote Vote" print! This giclée print is printed with archival, pigment-based inks on heavy-weight, hot-pressed, archival paper in natural white, and available in a variety of sizes. A portion of sales will go to Emily's List, working to get more pro-choice, Democratic women elected to office.
Holiday shoppers! If you're looking for something fun to do in Brooklyn this weekend, stop by the Our Damn Selves Market on Sunday, November 19 at 150 Greenpoint Ave, hosted by my favorite Greenpoint vintage girl, Dusty Rose Vintage! Not only will it be full of amazing artist-made goods, but it's a benefit for Planned Parenthood. Win win. This beautiful flyer is made by Stone and Vein.
Completely sickened, but sadly not surprised, to hear of another mass shooting in the U.S. today. I am thinking about the scientific method right now, and wondering-- if thoughts, prayers, and complete legislative inaction seem to be yielding nothing but greater and greater tragedy, then why not f*ing try to enact stricter gun laws? What will it take to get our governmental bodies to open their lock-tight minds to listen to the majority of Americans instead of the NRA? If you're in the mood to tell your reps how you feel about their inaction regarding gun control legislation, then feel free to download a pdf of this postcard and print from your home printer. It's often said that our reps DO listen to their constituents, although that's starting to sound like some whimsical folklore, given their inaction on the topic to date. Looking forward to midterms in Michigan!
If you're as into analog maps and calendars as I am, then I have some exciting news. I've created a 2018 calendar of maps with Antrhropologie, now available on their site! Whether you're looking for some travel inspo or just trying to remember your parent's anniversary, this sweet piece of print ephemera has got you covered. You can purchase a copy here through Anthro's website!
I hope you are having a nice start to Autumn! Even though it's 90 degrees in Michigan, I'm still feeling the magic of my favorite season. Time for cider donuts, leaf piles, and scratchy wool. So. Much. Wool.
Happy Women's Equality Day to all my fellow ladies! When we support equal opportunity for women from the day they're born on into their golden years, we foster healthier, more peaceful, and more sustainable societies.
Less than 100 years ago, a group of strong-willed, persistent (see: nasty) women succeeded in getting the 19th amendment certified, gaining women in the U.S. the right to vote. Obviously no small feat. In 1971, NY Congresswoman "Battling Bella" Abzug prompted congress to designate August 26 as Women's Equality Day, to commemorate the efforts of the suffragettes and the 1920 certification of the amendment. Feeling thankful for the advocacy of these women who were confident enough to speak up for their rights and strategic enough to secure their equality with legislation. Respect.
Been riding my bike a lot lately, as I just moved to a new city with new ground to discover. It's been a truly awesome way to learn the pathways of my new home, and to get out the stress of work and political rage. But I just gotta vent about one thing! Ladies and gents: please wear a helmet when you ride. No one cares how cute your hair looks as it lightly blows through the wind. It might be one less thing to pack, but it's the one thing you ought to pack! I've heard to many tragic stories to go without one. Hope you'll take to protecting your watermelon too! Here's some cool styles to check out if you're interested in something a little less conventional
Ever wonder how I got into gif-making? I gave a bit of insight into the topic on Brwn Paper Bag today.
“While writing a recipe column (I love cooking too) for my neighborhood blog, Greenpointers, I started playing around more with gif-making to create funny accompanying illustrations for the recipes...Once I had my animation process worked out, I got kind of hooked on gif-making, and started just doing them for fun. ”
You can read more here, and learn about some of my other favorite artists and illustrators on Sara's amazing blog!
I hope you honor this special day in your own special way.
If you love indie press and the printed page as much as I do, then please consider backing Got a Girl Crush's Kickstarter campaign! If you're not familiar with this little powerhouse of a zine, then you can learn more about it here. It's seriously such a gorgeously conceived and executed publication. Check it out :) . I'm proud to have created the accompanying portrait for a profile of Ada Colau, mayor of Barcelona.
Ada Colau, by Libby VanderPloeg, for Got A Girl Crush Issue 6
I had so much fun working with House that Lars Built earlier this month to put together some sweet downloadables for their June book club selection, In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge! Check out House that Lars Built if you'd like to download and print the poster and bookmark :)
It can be easy to take home for granted when you have a relatively comfortable one. Today is World Refugee Day. If you've got a minute, please consider what it means to feel at home and take action to help support refugees and asylum seekers who have been displaced by war, famine, and other hardships so that they can feel something like home too. There are so many ways to be a good neighbor across the globe, so check out aid groups like The IRC, @refugees, and The UNHCR for more information on how to help! And sign the petition to say you stand with refugees today.
Hope you can join me and a slew of other artists and makers this Thursday night at @dustyrosevintage! We'll be selling our wares to raise money for breast cancer charities that help make cancer prevention and screening more accessible to all.
WHEN: Thursday, June 8, 7-10 pm
WHERE: Dusty Rose Vintage, 251 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
More on the event from #Nightboob creator, Maresa Ponitch:
“OK. So, what is Nightboob?
15 months ago, Dusty Rose Vintage instagrammed a picture by an artist she liked. It featured a woman with one boob popping out. Also, it was night-time.
So she tagged it: #Nightboob.
Then she did it again. And again.
People saw. People liked. And a movement was born.
Every day, users all over the world send Dusty Rose their #Nightboob submissions. When she likes them she shares them alongside her own discoveries, crediting both the finder and the original artist.
Dusty Rose is hosting a show with 25+ local and international artists offering their interpretation on the theme.
There will be live screenprinting, Akane Ogura will be doing private boob portraits, a musical performance by Mur, adult beverages and 15% of all sales for the evening will be donated to breast cancer charities that help women of all socio-economic spheres get access to breast cancer screening, treatment, etc.
Please join us in this joyous celebration of boobs.”
Come by, say hi, and see all this beautiful boob art! xo
Save the date: April 28! I'll be showing new work alongside Kate Nielsen and Steph Becker at Calico Gallery in Brooklyn as part of Greenpoint Gallery Night.
Family of Hair, 2017, gouache and ink on paper. © Libby VanderPloeg
Hope you can make it!
It's Equal Pay Day! I'd say let's celebrate, but the facts are kind of a bummer. LeanIn.org reports that women on average are paid 20% less than men—and this disparity is often even more pronounced for women of color. I worked with Lyft to create a gif to get the word out about this wage gap, and help inspire people to work together on closing it up. Lyft teamed up with LeanIn.Org for their #20PercentCounts campaign and is donating 20% of proceeds from rides taken today to organizations that serve women and families, including Dress for Success®, Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and AAUW. Just make sure you take those rides between 8 AM and 6 PM to make sure you're payment is included in the #20percentcounts donation pool.
For more on lyft's campaign, visit: https://blog.lyft.com/posts/equal-pay-day
For more on LeanIn's #20percentcounts campaign, visit: https://leanin.org/equalpay
Please join us this Thursday night at Greenpoint Hill for a benefit to support the Immigrant Defense Project, an NYC based non-profit.
I'll have prints and originals from the Ladies Who Lead series available, and other artists participating in the benefit include Carol Joo Lee, M. Morton, Danielle Kroll, Signe Yberg, Alison Owen, Lesh, The Lost Camp, Isaac Arvold, Anabella Zubillaga, Tatiana Arocha, Monty J, and Kim Brown, and Greenpoint Hill.
Artists will be donating 20% of all proceeds towards IDP's holistic community defense program that provides resources and tools to immigrants, their communities and advocates to fight back against deportations and ICE abuses. Speakers from IDP will be joining us to tell us more about their initiatives.
Good times for good work - hope you can join us!
Please contact info@greenpointhill.com for more information.
Probably safe to say it ain't easy living in an animal shelter, but it's even tougher without toys, treats, or a cozy bed to dream in at night. That's why I'm doing some shopping today on the Best Friends Society's NYC Amazon Wishlist. They've got all kinds of goodies to choose from, from kongs and treats to thundershirts and snuggly beds! Um, guys. They've even got wooly snuffle mats on the list #askmeaboutwoolysnufflemats!!! Would anyone care to join me in making someone's shelter life a little more cozy? Check out their full list of ways to give here. And there are other organizations that you can work with on a local level by showing up to help walk dogs, like at Barc in Brooklyn. Big thanks to good people at The Big Hundred for today's inspiration. Check out their Instagram for more great ways to take action in the first 100 days!
