We asked all of the participants of Drawing Together to submit a thoughtful reflection of their experience creating with Koenig, ranging from about 50 to 500 words. The feedback we got was so diverse and absolutely incredible, and we thank everyone who took the time to let us know what they thought of the project and their part of it. Below we have collected some of these reflections to share with you that resonated with us the most.

Mimi Steadman 

Age 50

Educator 

"Drawing together with Felice brought back the lost art of sitting together and just visiting. It reminded me of times in my childhood when I would travel south to visit relatives and spend hours on end just sitting companionably among extended family. Drawing together brought back long, lazy summer days or snowy, cozy winter days when my friends and I would sprawl out over coloring books on the floor, clutching crayons instead of individual mobile devices. These days I usually connect with friends for conversation over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. Yet sharing dozens of colorful markers and a single sheet of paper, and creating a collaborative design also fosters a genuine connection. And what a treat it was to pause from the usual weekend runaround to spend an hour and a half drawing with Felice, whose work and whose spirit I admire."

Parker Hanson

 Age 10

 Student

"Drawing Together was a great experience. Felice was very nice and relaxed. She made it so you would be drawing and talking together. First of all, I liked that it was a good, solid ninety minutes. It gave us enough time to fulfill our drawing with what we wanted in it. Second of all, there was a very widespread palette of colors to use throughout the drawing time. Third of all, it was very creative. Also, at the beginning of the drawing time, you start out with a word; any word. Mine was, "tree". Our final title was: Imperfect Tree Rainbow. My experience with Felice was very positive. Henceforth, you should try it."

Jack Edson

 Age 64

 Librarian

"Claire invited me to participate, which was all I needed to hear. I am always trying to foster creativity, always looking for stimulation and always trying to find out what it is that other creative people have that gets their artwork going. Felice and I were comfortable with each other right from the start. For our drawing, I thought we should try for something different from the other completed pieces on the wall. As I was looking at the other drawings, I had this vision of a 19th century American white marble carving of a woman's head, one that had a veil over the face, draped or wrapped, sort of like a Christo and Jean Claude piece today. Our conversation quickly got un-guarded. We told each other lots of things about ourselves, things that you probably would not share with someone you had met a few minutes before. This was a good way to make a new art friend. Felice is another reader, so I suggested she look at "Absorbing Errand; how artists and craftsmen make their way to mastery" by Jana Malamud Smith. The exercise we were doing in Drawing Together was one of the things that the author recommends in her book in order to foster creativity in ourselves, that is, seeking out a community of supportive creative types."

Patti Foley

 Age 57

 Librarian

"Drawing with Felice was like having a play date. A cup of tea, lots of pretty pens and easy conversation made the 90 minutes just fly by. I was nervous as all get out initially but with each turn of the page, and Felice's encouragement, I grew more confident and comfortable putting pen to paper. It was really great fun! I think the experience dusted off a part of my brain, because that evening I stopped at my piano, sat down and played - for the first time in ages.  

Many thanks"

Jodie Denne

 Age 47

 Salon Manager

"From the moment I sat down with Felice until the moment I stood up, it seemed as though time stood still. We started talking right away and when we started to draw, I happened to be looking right at her and she at me and we ended up drawing the same thing. You see I have always admired her work and was thrilled to meet her and be part of this project. What I didn't know was how therapeutic it was going to be. Not only did our markers flow to create beauty but our conversation never seemed to stop. I talked about things I never thought I'd tell a stranger. Yet that is just it, I don't feel like Felice is a stranger, I feel as if I was creating with a friend."