Get Your Daily Protein: It’s Bean! (Nora Ashkar)
Normally I review artists who I discover on a whim or through a series of deliberate searches. However, today I would like to try something a little different. Please meet Nora Ashkar, my personal friend and a highly creative person. Nora is part Texan, part New Yorker, just like me! I met her a few years ago through a mutual friend, and have been an avid fan of her work ever since.
I have always found Nora’s life quite enviable. She spends her time doing exactly what she loves with someone whom she truly loves: Bean. Bean is a mischievous, imaginary character who Nora dreamed up as an undergraduate student at NYU. He follows her wherever she goes, and helps her to keep her life in perspective. Over the past few years, I have enjoyed keeping track of Bean’s adventures on his blog: It’s Bean. If you are ever in the mood for some laughter and wide smiles, I highly recommend that you check out Bean’s website!
Nora’s playful attitude about Bean ignites creative fires in almost everyone who sees him. When it comes to explaining how the little guy came about, she certainly does it best.
It’s hard to put an exact time and date on the origins of Bean, but early versions of him can be seen on documents dating back to the fall of 2004 A.D. That winter, doodles that would one day lead to the shape and personality of Bean, were all over my school notes.
At the same time, I was working as an intern in the art department on the film “The Producers”. I remember drawing a still rough Bean on the eraser board in the production office. “What’s that?” the production coordinator asked. “It’s just a bean,” I snapped back (she says I snapped it but I believe I said it bashfully and humbly).
From then on, Bean was a frequent character on the eraser board and a new friend to everyone. He continued to appear on my notes until I graduated in the Spring of 2005. No longer needing notebooks, Bean was left without a home but he stuck around and graduated to his own pieces of paper.
Being worried that Bean would one day ask me these tough questions about his past, I set out to gather all my early doodles, sketches, and most importantly, my school notes. I compiled an enlightening and informative slideshow for Bean and I hope you enjoy it!
If you are interested in learning more about Nora, or want to purchase some of her great Bean merchandise, check out Bean’s Etsy shop and subscribe to his daily protein updates by emailing thisisbean@gmail.com.
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