#407: New York's Smallest Aquarium, Talking Creative Process on the Design Better Podcast & Going live for IBM!

+ Morris gets an adventure friend & NYer Birthday Party!

…from the set of the international broadcast studio in Brooklyn at 2am, welcome to Issue #407 of New York Cartoons!

For the past few years, I have been the co-host of a quarterly multi-day event that goes live across the Americas, Europe/Middle East & Africa, and the Asia Pacific for IBM. I’m not really allowed to post anything from the set aside from dorky selfies, so…

Only in New York could a leaky fire hydrant become a ‘world-renowned’ aquarium.

As the intrepid New York reporter,

Anne Kadet

wrote in this week’s edition of

CAFÉ ANNE

, the so-called "aquarium" is really just a miniature fish pond created when three neighborhood locals let some goldfish loose in a sidewalk puddle fed by a leaky fire hydrant.

Then, it blew up!

It went viral online and in the news and people came from all over to see New York’s most controversial aquarium— complete with possibly illegal fish.

"I've seen fire hydrants leaking like that, and no one ever thought of being that creative," said the mom, Andrena, who works a retail job over on Fulton Street. "But to see this in the community, a nice little area. You just could enjoy sittin' down and watchin'. I can see myself sittin' here and reading my book!"

This is one of those quintessentially New York things that I love about this city. The people who maintain this thing, and the community that come together for something so seemingly silly, are the New Yorkers I like to read about.

Click below to read the full story— including all the spicy gossip and controversy.

NYC's Smallest 'Aquarium' is Making People Crazy!

Talking Creative Process on the Design Better Podcast

I had a great time talking to

Aarron Walter

and

Eli Woolery

about the creative process on the latest episode of

Design Better

— I’ve now checked off one of my lifelong goals of being on the same podcast as David Sedaris & Seth Godin. I’ve hit Peak Podcast! It’s all downhill from here.

In this series, Eli and Aarron are going beyond the confines of design to speak with some of the world's most creative people to learn how they approach collaboration, generate innovative ideas, and overcome creative obstacles.

They’ve interviewed guests like author David Sedaris, Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, cinematographer for Loki & Wakanda Forever, and OK GO, one of the most creative bands in the world right now, along with many more creative minds.

I’ve linked to some of their other episodes below. Take a listen!

Jason Chatfield: New Yorker cartoonist on his creative process

David Sedaris: How one of the world's top humorists uses observation and prototyping to hone his craft

Rewind: Seth Godin: Learning to take risks, be generous, and make a ruckus

OK Go: Making the impossible possible

John Cleese: A cheerful guide to creativity

This week on Process Junkie,

This week’s Sketchbook features a guy I drew on the beach in Jamaica and an exploratory sketch of Mitch McConnell