People Love SAW.

Testimonials from a single workshop on Graphic Memoir by Tom

Tom! This was the best way to start my morning! I never pursued my visual artist capabilities and it was so much fun and creative and gratifying.

Opened up drawing

Fun freeing time to create without thinking getting in the way

love the dimension of drawing informing the writing process

I have been thinking off and on about making a graphic story, so this was great inspiration for me to connect with this again!

living my feelings/thoughts in the moment

Free play - loved how things built from kindergarten up in practice. Another Messy activity that reminds me of how important it is to return to first grade.

I always forget how easy it is to make little comics - thank you for reminding me!

Oh my word, so much! How to think and feel my way through some new-to-me basic concepts, and that it's possible to share one's painful story through graphic art. My parents liked to read "the funnies" when I was a kid, but you show how the hard things in life can be depicted visually.

Amazing experience thank you , love graphic novels but never considered it for healing

I was inspired to start any which way, start small!

I often have the impulse to draw a story, now I know how to just go for it! Love it!

I enjoyed the entire presentation from drawing on emotions through line and shape to making four panel dairy comics.

I loved the realtime interaction of this session and getting to draw alongside Tom. I was not sure what to expect this morning, but this was such a different way to exercise the brain into seeing things, both accidentally and by design. Who knew that a song lyric could be applied later to a random drawing of shapes meant to depict grief or celebration or trepidation? Or that a prompt to open a closet or junk drawer would evoke something extraordinary out of something ordinary?

It's been a while since last time I drew so freely, without thinking about what is the correct way to draw or make a comic. I've been busy working on projects, but not for myself. I didn't have the energy to draw a single line for myself. Tom's presentation helped me to become

a bit more connected to myself and also, have fun.

I loved how accessible and fun drawing a story can be. It gave me freedom to experiment and have fun!

I most appreciated the time we had to draw our own interpretations of your prompts.

Love the vibe and kindness

You made it irresistible to engage and play!

super relaxing

I appreciate your creativity and sharing your wisdom and teachings with us with such kindness and humor at times as well!

I most appreciated Tom sharing his experience with the genre.

Energy. Passion. Pace. Examples. Guidance. Wonderful to join Tom Hart's world. Even for a very fast 90 minutes.

You're so open and real. You can make even very sad stories look approachable and I love how you get everyone drawing.

Tom your encouragement and nurturing personality and books are a gift to the world. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

The gentle nature , calmness , non judgemental

presenting many examples; easy, casual manner of presentation, very relatable;

You encourage in a way that makes me excited about trying something new!

Netting him a D experiencing his calm teaching manner

Tom, I really appreciated your presentation style. You brought fun and a lightness to storytelling with an honest and lowkey yet infectious energy. I also appreciated your narration when you did your drawings live, and felt the joy when you felt good about a few squiggles and your colour choices. I'm certain I got a lot more out of the presentation because of it. Keep up the good work!

I appreciate how Tom holds his workshops with ease. His calm and caring mood gets to me every time. When I have a workshop or a session with Tom, it feels like I can do anything. It's like free therapy.

Your genuine love for the craft and generosity of heart.

I just loved, loved, loved it!!!

Really loved the presentation

Would love to draw more

Thank you so very much for what you have shared with us today! I plan to continue working on my own project, while integrating these techniques :-)

Tom, you are a fount of generosity. I can't imagine having the community around comics that I have today without you. Thank you for the opportunity to take one of your workshops in a different setting!

Complementary activity to others offered in the curriculum. Thank you!

Your work - and the "solo home version" of a 4-panel comic (?)- encourages me to consider doing graphic memoir instead of or alongside written memoir, which is all I've done for years. Your assignment showed me that my brain can conceptualize the abstract, at least a little. This was a fantastic, eye-opening class. Thank you thank you thank you!

My final turned out to be 1.empty room , a single box drawer in distance , clip clop text (clicking heels as walk towards ) 2 . it gets nearer , close up , still just the drawer , hmmm text , 3 . Still just top of close up drawer with a "squeal" as opening it , 4 . to single lighter inside , picked up in my hand "finding his lighter" "so much junk around here" . Obviously in image there is little BUT turned out to represent to me the mass of clutter around me in real life of recently deceased husband , how i'm surrounded by it BUT the mass is comparatively tiny compared to the absence of him . Because it bothers me , i keep it , as this stops me bothering over the bigger picture . Its easier to be bothered by the junk than by .... i'm just 6mths widowed see . So THANK YOU , from my heart ! Wow , you got me with this Mr Hart . I'm going to continue with it

I am going to start a page, 4 panel daily exercise a day. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to build up the graphic version of story-telling. Thank you for the inspiration.

I have wanted to experience a workshop with Tom ever since I read Rosalie Lightning. I started writing a memoir many years ago (2020). When there were problems with re-traumatizing my self and my reading group, the way to tell the story started to shift. It is now becoming a practically true fairy tale with a comic team (my past service dog telling story from the heavens and a Cheshire like cat that can travel back and forth to the heavens from the Big Green Playing Field). They help tell the story and add some needed comic relief. It also shifted to a graphic memoir. My focus has been learning art techniques the past couple of years and I think it is time to begin writing again and determine what should be word and what should be image. I hope this is only the beginning of getting guidance from Tom.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and expertise!

Thank you so much for this wonderful workshop. It was so unique and enjoyable!