‘SneakyArt of Eau Claire’ was the first book of SneakyArt I made. I designed and printed it with the assistance of Beaver’s Pond Press in Edina (MN, USA).
It is a self-published book, so I was able to decide all the little details around how it should look. For example, I wanted it to lay flat on a coffee-table.
I also wanted it to have as few words as possible. All the words in this book are confined to a 3 page introduction. I wanted to see if the art could sell on its own merit.
It is a record all the things I discovered in this unfamiliar part of the world. I was a stranger to the rural Midwest. SneakyArt became my vehicle to understanding life around me, appreciating it, and bonding with it.
SneakyArt of Eau Claire won a couple of independent publishing awards. It won for Cover Design (Bronze) at the 2020 IPPY Awards, and Total Book Design at the 2020 MIPA (Midwest Independent Publishing Association) Awards.
This was a proud moment for me, because it validated my little design decisions. But what is an award compared to seeing the joy on a person’s face when they hold your book in their hands? :D
I sold copies at the local bookstores and cafes in town, speaking to every customer, making them a small portrait with my signature in the inside page.
I set up a SneakyArt Stall at the local Farmer’s Market, next to the cheese and veggies. I would be there for 6 hours every Saturday morning of summer, offering prints of my drawings, and selling copies of SneakyArt of Eau Claire.
I made acquaintances with many wonderful people this way.
You can buy the book on my shop. Find the link in the sidebar, or use the button below. All copies are signed and numbered.