Ken Carbone of Carbone Smolan Agency, in New York City, is a serial sketcher. He sent this to me the other day and it’s fitting on this night that I publish it with a few words.
It is silly to ask why you drew this, but did you submit it to The New Yorker?
With all of the power out last week, I had plenty of time to reflect on how Sandy just slapped us into what really matters. I was so moved by the general civility in the way people behaved and were willing to help, putting all of our differences aside. This image came to me while I was listening to the hour-to-hour coverage on public radio, and I decided to draw it in my journal as a personal memory of this event. I had no intention of submitting it to The New Yorker, nor did they ask.
How have you been impacted by the hurricane?
I was one of the more fortunate. No harm to family or property. A week without power and heat makes you really appreciate the essentials and keep what’s important in perspective. Reading and drawing by the fire beats watching TV by a long shot.
How did you feel about the Governor and the President during the storm crisis?
Both men did the right thing in such an overheated and politically partisan climate. Their priorities were clear and they acted quickly and effectively, bringing some sense of hope to millions of stranded people in the region. I felt that Governor Christie sincerely appreciated the big hug he got from the President. It was a pretty deft move by Obama to pull this off days before the election. I hope that it will be a lasting bond.
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In his recent online tutorial, Scott Dadich talked about developing the tablet and smartphone apps for The New Yorker, among other Condé Nast titles. Click here to download Dadich’s full presentation on digital-magazine publishing.