When is a squiggle not a squiggle? When artist Harry Bliss is creating art from it. We had Harry come to the store last Saturday, and he invited folks to make a squiggle, one simple little line and he was off and running.

(Note to booksellers: Harry loved the poster board for the squiggle art, and I must say it looked a lot better than easel paper usually does.)

Are you looking at this? One line has led to this: a wave, a surfboard, clouds, and atmosphere all have been drawn while Harry answers questions about the process for illustrating Kate DiCamillo’s Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken.

Now we’ve got a surfing dog.  I asked Harry about the dogs in his cartoons and he said he liked how he could anthropomorphize them. I gotta say, that dog looks pretty darned happy. Here are four photos back to back so you can really see the genius behind what Harry can do. As someone who’s never been able to draw, I am in awe of an artist who take a line and make something recognizable from it. 

You can barely see this squiggle, but keep your eye on this spot.

A simple line becomes part of a frame…

Then the dog is at the museum, contemplating the art that’s unfolding before his eyes, and ours.

And doesn’t that look like a happy little dog.

He’s added an improbable dog bone to the museum piece, sure to please the little dog. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. I forget how powerful sketch talks can be. The children in the audience were wide-mouthed and stunned at how quickly Harry not only made art, but also narrative, out of one simple line.