My friend Tyler Feder (whose Hamilton tribute I recently celebrated), decided to turn her post-election sadness into something productive. So she posted this simple message on Instagram on Wednesday:
As the hashtag began to fill-up, Feder set to work drawing free portraits and uploading them on her Instagram and Tumblr.
Feder explained to me:
"When I woke up on Wednesday, I knew I needed an outlet for all the heartbreak I was feeling. As an illustrator, drawing portraits of marginalized people felt like the best way to extend kindness to those feeling the same heartbreak. I want everyone I'm drawing to know that they are valuable and seen."
She initially envisioned #DrawMeTyler as a one-day project, but she found that she didn't want to stop when the day was over. She told me the portraits are therapeutic for her and she's hoping to keep the project up for as long as it will fit into her freelance schedule. Here are just some of the dozens of portraits she's uploaded over the past few days:
Other artists have since joined in on the project too. Danielle Veit (#drawmebubbsy) is drawing portraits in her own style while Raye Glass is crocheting hats and sending them to people for free.
If you want to be a part of the project, you can upload your Instagram selfie under the hashtag #DrawMeTyler—Feder selects photos at random to draw. You can also purchase her work in her Etsy shop and follow her on Twitter.
