On one level, Mari Andrew never meant to have the life she's now living. On another, it was her destiny.
Mari is a writer, illustrator and solo travel enthusiast currently living in New York. She began posting an illustration a day on Instagram in 2015 as a way to share her lens on life and connect with people. In a few short years, her following exploded to more 600,000 people.
What's so fascinating is why. These daily posts aren't created by the stroke of a fine artist's brush or trained letterer's steady hand. Instead, she offers simple stick figures and line-drawings. The power in her daily dispatches lies not in the technique, but in the simplicity of expression, the emotion, the honesty and relatability her work conveys.
Andrew doesn't share her "shiny, happy, made-for-social-media life," but rather invites you into her meandering and beautifully real mind, flush with everything from grief, heartbreak and career confusion to spiritual journeying, illness, love, friendship, and the pursuit of the perfect lipstick to create comics that speak to a wide audience.
Simply put, Mari's art lets you know you're not alone.
We sat down with Andrew to explore her early years as a kid in Seattle, and how her relationship with her parents shaped her and her work. We talked about her journey to becoming an "artist" (a word she still struggles with), developing her voice, point of view and surviving a rare condition that left her paralyzed in a Portuguese hospital (a terrifying experience she's still recovering from).
Mari has a book of essays and illustrations, Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood coming out in March 2018. But, you don't have to wait until then to experience her work. Go find her on Instagram now.
We're grateful for the kind support of:
ZipRecruiter: Post jobs for FREE, go to ZipRecruiter.com/good.ShipStation: Manage and ship your orders. FREE for 30 days, plus a bonus. Visit ShipStation.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage and type in GOODLIFE.Bombas: Shop today at Bombas.com/goodlife, and get 20% off your ENTIRE purchase.Frank Lipman | The 6 Pillars of a Happy, Healthy Life [Best of]
Lisa Miller, Ph.D. | The Surprising Science of Spirituality
Sabaa Tahir | All My Rage
Steve Magness | The Truth About Toughness (a better way to do hard things)
JoAnna Garcia Swisher | How to Stay True to Yourself, While Going for a Dream
Colin O'Brady | The Power of Quests (and how to mount yours)
Tiffani R. Moore | Living & Flourishing With Chronic Illness
How to Raise an Antiracist | Ibram X. Kendi
John Rzeznik | Goo Goo Dolls to Good Good Life [Best Of]
Dr. Jennifer Heisz | Move Your Body, Ease Your Mind
Kerri Kelly | The Myth of Wellness & How We Truly Heal
Angus Fletcher | Sparking Creativity with the Power of Storytelling
Gail Devers | How to Take Back Control of Your Life and Health
Jake Wesley Rogers | Embracing What Makes You Different
Abby Wambach | Doing Hard Things & Falling in Love [Best Of]
Tara Westover | Educated: The Story Behind the Phenom
Jenna Kutcher | How “Are” You? No, Really.
What Heartbreak Does to Your Body (and what to do about it) | Florence Williams
How “Me First” Culture Destroys Us (and what to do about it) | Terry Real
The Power of Living Authentically (even when it’s hard) | Danica Roem
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Live Immediately with mike campbell
Curious Freedom with Kirsty Farrugia & friends
The Minimalists Podcast
Health Report - Full program podcast
Eat, Move and Live Better