Whose Line is It Anyway?
A bit of backstory, from my life in comedy to my life as an illustrator.
“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” - Dorothy Parker
I was born and raised in New York City, surrounded by an array of people, smells, buildings, and sounds…an abundance of sensory stimulation. Yet, the city's chaos was simply my normal. I didn't gallivant about town at 10 years old to gawk at the skyscrapers like a wide-eyed tourist, nor did I really stop to marvel at the majestic passersby strutting up and down Madison Avenue. I was simply a kid, living life. I’m sure if I did a deep unpacking, I’d be able to recall many curiosities that did consume my brain at the time, but, unfortunately, my memories are a bit hazy–I’ll chalk it up to mom brain for now (I have two boys under 3).
So, where did this all-consuming desire to learn originate? Comedy. More specifically, The Groundlings School in Los Angeles. For those unfamiliar, Groundlings is the renowned improv comedy institution that launched the careers of countless comedic luminaries—Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, and Lisa Kudrow, to name a few. I enrolled while simultaneously navigating the 9-to-5 world as an agency assistant at CAA (picture Entourage). For four years, I attended classes after work, once or twice a week . The seed of curiosity was planted during my third year while crafting sketches in class. One day, our teacher Drew Droege gave us some advice that resonated deeply: "Go out into the world and observe. The most authentic comedy emerges from ordinary moments. Want to find the funny? Watch someone order their morning cup of coffee. That’s where the truly funny stuff is found." This notion transformed my perception of the world forever. I was no longer a passive wanderer, but an active observer, attuned to the humor in the mundane.
This is perhaps the start of understanding my brain a little better. That class marked the first shift. The second occurred with the creation of my Instagram account in 2014, previously called The Cartorialist. At that point, I had left my job at the agency and had been working for a few years at Chelsea Handler's production company. I truly loved every minute of it–filming with a live studio audience, being around writers and comedians, surrounded by all the absurdities. Yet, I could feel myself searching for my own artistic outlet. Drawing had always been a part of my life, though never a particularly conscious one - one fashion illustration course in college, doodles at my work desk, and the occasional handmade birthday card for friends. But one day, while sitting at my desk, I boldy decided to click (upload). What gave me the audacity to put my illustrations out in the world? Four years of improv comedy- on stage at The Groundlings, armed with nothing but my own internal swirlings while an audience of strangers shouted scene suggestions at me... Posting a drawing or two out into the digital abyss? Psfffff, that was nothing.
There’s more to this Instagram story, of course, and I’m sure I’ll share more with you over time. But the recurring theme, as you may have gathered, is observation. From finding humor in the mundane to finding inspiration in the lines of everyday life, it's all about paying attention. The more I tapped into this role as an active observer, almost subconsciously, the more I found my primary source of drawing inspiration–the everyday.
I am excited to continue to share my work here with you all, as an active observer, a curious consumer, and quite frankly, just someone who really really loves to draw,
Curiously yours,
Carly
@carlykuhn