Thank you so much to everyone who entered yesterday’s give-away! This is such a beautiful book/project, with partial proceeds going to the Susan O’Malley Memorial Fund for the Arts, so if you didn’t win feel free to pick up a copy via Amazon, Chronicle Books or in any major bookstore. Ok, enough suspense… the winner is… Jess Carter {Jess Carter ceramics}! Congratulations Jess, and again, thanks to all of you for amazing comments and allowing this story to touch your heart. And remember, ART BEFORE DISHES!
Beautiful, funny, inspiring, and unfortunately, heartbreaking. This gorgeous artsy book, titled “Advice from my 80-year-old- self”, officially hits shelves today … and now I’m not sure what to say. I’ve been sitting here for about five minutes staring at the screen trying to write about this project, and the woman behind it, American artist Susan O’Malley. She’s an artist known for her text-based work that is filled with color and positive messages. Very sadly, while she was working on this project, early in 2015 Susan died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 38. She was less than a week away from giving birth to her twin daughters, Reyna and Lucy, who also passed away. Devastating. This book was already filled with amazing, inspiring advice – from 100 people ranging in age from 7 to 88 – but now it seems like these words of wisdom are even more important. “Try new things, it’s ok to make mistakes” ~ Emilia, 12 ; “This is your life, love it” ~ Alicia, 37 ; “Art before dishes” ~ Lea, 62… and of course, “Live each day as if it’s your last” ~ Abdul, 73. It’s a tragedy that Susan left this world far too early, but we can listen to these beautiful lessons and apply them to our own lives. For Susan.
Chronicle Books will donate partial proceeds from this book to the Susan O’Malley Memorial Fund for the Arts. You can find this book on Amazon, or at Chronicle Books… and keep your eye out in bookshops all over the world.
ps. I have one copy of this beautiful book to give away… just leave a comment below and I’ll draw one name tomorrow, Wednesday January 13th at 9am PST. Good luck xo
Just read the story, it’s heartbreaking and awesome. I’m gonna write about it on my blog as well, the world needs to know 🙂
Thanks
oh, dear, this is so very sad. I am hoping that since she was making this inspiring book, that she was also living it.
Wow, what an incredible story… heartbreaking but so inspirational. We all need those simple friendly reminders! Thank you for sharing.
Beautifully expressed
so moving …
what a story…will give extra meaning to every page
the book is a beautiful tribute to its author!
What a sad story, but such a lovely book to leave behind.
I have loved her work! This is inspiring, and devastating at the same time, which seems to be how life is. The cracks being the places where the light comes in.
Chilling history, although it has been used here in Paris in 2015.
Have a good year
understated
Wow, this looks like an amazing book that everyone should read. What a tragedy that the world has lost such a beautiful soul.
This looks like a great reminder of what matters.
The one I need to read the most: “Get out and do things.”
What a heartbreaking story! This books looks amazing, hope to read it very very soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
So sad. A reminder to live our lives fully in each moment…time is precious.
Beautiful – very poignant
What a beautiful looking book and sad story. Thank you for highlighting her work. I wish I’d seen it earlier.
Simplicity will ALWAYS be bliss…
signs are awesome when they are put in the right place at the right time for the right reason.
So beautiful.
Art before dishes….amen
Beautiful words and designs.
Book looks like bottled motivation!
What a gorgeous book!
Gorgeous! I love it!
The story behind the book makes the advice so much more powerful and poignant.
If everyone lived this book, the world would be a better place.
I’m not sure what to say either 🙁 But thank you for sharing this book and its story.
Heartbreaking – – a beautiful soul who left a beautiful legacy with her inspirational art.
I remember reading about this wonderful soul last year when she passed. She seemed like such a lovely person. Someone I’d really like to have met. I’m thrilled the book is out. Her memory will not be lost on me.
What a sad sad story… just heartbreaking…
Beauty upon Wisdom upon Love.
What a wonderful message to leave the world. Heartbreaking story.
Wow. I needed to hear all the messages coming from this. Especially “art before dishes”. I’m constantly putting my art on the back burner. I literally do dishes and all those daily tasks. With depression it took me long enough to figure out how to do even the daily mundane things.But now I will work on just making it happen if only bits at a time. And it’s a reminder that we must try to do what we can because we could very suddenly be gone.
I want to live my life each day with these words in mind
Death is tragic, but how absolutely fitting that this is what she’s left behind. This book seems entirely inspiring.
Everyone needs more of this in their lives – Sad to hear of her passing.
Such a sad story. Her words are so inspiring. I think it’s wonderful that her words are immortalised in a way so that she won’t be forgotten.
I needed this today! Art before dishes is so simple and strong. Thank you for sharing.
Her story is so sad.. and such a great talented! It’s inspiring me to really live each day as if it was the last!
Inspiring. I WANT THIS BOOK!!! Reminds of John Giorno~
Thank you for this post. This advice is inspirational every day, but especially poignant for me today.
‘Art before dishes’ is my new motto. Her story is so sad, her work was so beautiful!
Such a lovely book with important message, everyone should have one yay! We could make this world a better place with some good advices.
Words of wisdom for sure. The importance doesn’t lie only in reading her words, but internalizing and living them. Her legacy will live on. I look forward to checking this book out. Thanks~
Oh no. What a tragic loss. Thank you for sharing her work and story.
This would be a lovely additional my schools art department, the beautiful messages would be so beneficial to the students, encourage them to be true to themselves and love making art.
I want to spend some time with this book!
I want to win something this beautiful and inspiring. Somedays we need to remember this simple magical words to find the meaning of very second o life.
In memory of Susan, Reyna and Lucy. Too sad for words. With love and thanks for a beautiful book.
This is really heartbreaking. She had a gift of perfectly blending wisdom with beauty. Let that be in her memory. RIP Susan, Reyna and Lucy.
This would be a great gift for friends and family.
This is heartbreaking and even more so for her perfectly articulated reminders about life. Sigh. Thank you for sharing this, and all your investigations into beautiful humans, Danielle.
What a cool book – love all the awesome advice & graphics!
Love the idea for this book. What a tragic story though. It does make her words more precious.
Looks very inspiring… If I won it, I would turn to a random page every morning when I wake up and keep the saying in my head all day…
Very bittersweet – what a lovely book and terrible tragedy
Art before dishes is my new motto.
Ohhh, thankyouthankyouthankyou for sharing ❤️
Beautiful book and a beautiful life. What a tragedy. I need to get a couple of these for my art classroom. My design students will feast on it.
Beautiful work. Sad story.. r.i.p
Such an inspiring story- definitely makes you stop and think about where you are, and how you’re not a permanent fixture in this universe. This book will end up on my shelf, giveaway or otherwise, as the basis of my work is, in fact, about this very topic.
Oh please, me salivating. Thank you for highlighting this, and other artists. Many thanks for all you do.
Strong & beautiful messages to live by. As others have said, made all the more poignant coming from such heartbreakingly tragic circumstances.
Everything passes only love remains …
This is beautiful! I can’t wait to have it…great advice within
Woow, all those pages are beautiful!
“Art before dishes.” Priorities!
Thank you for sharing this story with us, Danielle. In the spiritual guidance of Saint Benedict, which my monastic community follows, he tells us to remind ourselves each day that we are going to die.
Such an inspirational artist and person! Beautiful collection of her work
Wow, so beautiful, thanks for sharing!
i had no idea she passed away. what a loss. i adore her work/
I was working with Susan when she passed away. We never met but she was always very kind on our phone chats. It was so sad and heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing her work.
So sad and beautiful and inspiring – wow!
What a tragic and beautiful book! I would love to get my hands on it!
Such a beautiful way to pay a small tribute to Susan in such a BIG WAY. Thanks for sharing Danielle!
Too many good, kind, creative folks have passed lately.
That makes this lovely book seem all the more relevant.
Art every day, everyday Art.
We all need a little advice now and again.
I love that you can simply flip open the book and be confronted with beautiful text and wisdom.
The poignancy of the author/artist fate is not lost in the sub context.
Inspiring, indeed.
If I don’t win your copy, I’m definitely seeking this one out.
Thank you.
Very sad to hear, but leaving behind a beautiful legacy with her work.
Such a great idea! And very moving and inspiring quotes!
Thinking about this brings me to tears every time. We see quotes about seizing the moment and about how short life can be everywhere to the point where they just become more peripheral. Something about these posters, with or without the heartbreaking story attached to them, makes room for pause, contemplation, and inspiration. This is why we create art- to leave behind embedded messages for our loved ones and the world should we pass. My favourite is ‘It will be better than you imagined’. Can you feel the magic in that statement? Do you too get goosebumps?
So inspiring!! Thanks for sharing. Love that she chose wisdom phrases from all kind of people, all ages.
Looks like an inspiring book!
What wisdom from someone so young – some new, some familiar, beautifully put. I am sorry for our loss, all of us, whether we knew Susan or not.
Can’t wait to read this one!
Unbelievable! My heart goes out to her family!
Would love to read the full book, I’m so sad she never got to see it finished.
Just found out about this book, and need to get my hands on a copy. So beautiful.
Thank you for sharing her story, she started a great project, the book looks great 🙂
Compelling book, project and story, thank you Danielle!
My older self asked me to humbly add one of her favorites: better be the failure of your own mistakes, that somebody else’s success
<3
Such a tragic story. I’m thankful her family has this beautiful work in her memory!
What beautiful, thoughtful words. “Art before dishes” is something I’ll think of every morning.
What a lovely project!
Poignant. The quotes grabbed me right from your IG feed, but such a sad story. It’s nice the publisher is donating part of the proceeds.
what a heartbreaking story…at least she was able to leave a little piece of herself behind to inspire others…thank you for sharing, Danielle.
Art as life as art.
So sad. May her family feel the support of the global arts community that appreciates her legacy.❤️
Thank you!
What a beautiful gift to leave to the world. Will be remembered.
Love the graphic design and the colors of the texts, each one so unique. Leving a book like that behind is worth living twice.
“It is not a dumb idea.” Absolutely perfect!
Susan was a brilliant artist and an amazing woman. She helped us put together our MFA show in 2007.
I was hooked on “Art before dishes” and devasted by Susan’s story.
Where can we buy the book in Canada?
PS. I’m addicted to your podcasts!
What a beautiful legacy and a reminder to us all to live each day to the fullest.
Really sad story, she will inspire others with her work.
How beautiful and poignant.
Such a tragic story. The irony is truly heartbreaking. Thanks for sharing this information. And Susan, I did do my art before dishes today.
Such beautiful advice! An amazing book to start this year with a positive attitude and to apply this advice when working on our art!! Thank you for showcasing this!
These words apply to every part of a creative person’s life and I love that this collection is a testament to the life of Susan O’Malley. All these uplifting pieces of advice that she was excited to collect and share.
This is such a gorgeous book! I need this advice (art before dishes!!) and would love to win a copy!
Beautiful collection; and she’s still changing lives!
Inspiring stuff
‘Art before dishes.’ -no truer words have been spoken, it’s what drew me into this post. My heart is in my throat after reading this story.
There are no words to describe how amazing this book is – what a wonderful testament to Susan O’Malley.
Bittersweet…
Such a tragedy. And such a terrific book idea.
this heartbreaking story lends even more power to her book.
This tragic story makes my heart ache. How beautiful that this was her final gift that she left behind.
Heartbreaking. Beautiful that this book will keep her memory and spirit alive.
What a beautiful book. One I will definitely be showing my art students. Especially in those hard assessment months!!!
“Art before dishes” Nailed it.
What a collection of words and colors.
So many emotions.
This post just made me cry.
Sometimes the Universe simply boggles my mind.
I’m glad Susan was able to leave such timeless & positive work behind for us to learn from.
xo
What a touching story. What a profound loss 🙁
So touching and poignant. And arriving at a much-needed time. Loved it. Is there any way this can be bought in India?
I can understand your speechlessness Danielle. It is not fair. My heart aches for Susan, her twins and her partner. Her book is her legacy, spreading joy wherever she went. RIP Susan.
We all need more wisdom and she had some very inspiring words to spare.
You never know what is around the corner and Carpe Diem is a great motto!
Such a tragedy can happen in a moment and Susan’s legacy will help and inspire a generation of artists and creatives. Isn’t that what we are all hoping for?
Thank you…..
13th January is a historically bad day for me. Just happened upon your page and read the very sad story about Susan O’Malley. Who knows the tide my turn on this day 2016!
Such touching words
Heartbreaking… What a beautiful legacy to leave. I hope it changes and inspires many lives in the wake of such a loss.
So beautiful
It’s already out! Looks so inspiring… Sad, but inspiring.
Her book, and life, shows that she was already being the person that her 80 year od self would have been proud of
❤️
This looks so beautiful.
I’m glad to have found out about this beautiful book and the woman behind it.
what an amazing work to part with. She will be missed I am sure.
Aw it looks so inspiring! Would love a copy.
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing!
[…] about the artist (and her family’s heart-wrenching story) of the book […]
so inspiring .. may she rest in peace.