Kathryn Rathke is an extraordinary illustrator.
Kathryn Rathke is an extraordinary illustrator. Courtesy of Kathryn Rathke

Good morning. It is allegedly Thursday, and possibly the last day of April. March took 100 years, April was five minutes—got it.

We cannot dwell on time's discombobulations. The only thing to do today is to fixate on the brilliance of Kathryn Rathke. You've seen her lines before. She often draws craggy-faced authors for places like The Economist or Vanity Fair. Have you heard of Wendy's? She drew Wendy. (The "mom" thing was unintentional.) Are you into relaxation? Watch her continual line drawings. The point is, you've seen her work because she's everywhere because she's bonkers brilliant.

Today—amazingly—10 people (as in TEN!) are going to have the chance to own a Kathryn Rathke drawing of something in your life.

Now! There are some requirements, a few hoops you gotta jump through, and one of them is: It needs to be an object with you in quarantine that you're sick of looking at. Something in need of sprucing up. For instance, Christopher Frizzelle, an editor at The Stranger, sent Kathryn a photo of this lamp in his apartment...

Christophers lamp.
Christopher's lamp. Christopher Frizzelle

And, well, you'll see:

Now, you may be wondering: Why is Kathryn attacking Christopher so viciously throughout the video? This is what a lot of people have been wondering. As for that thing about how, in the past, Christopher has had mice in his apartment, and also that he doesn't like to do the dishes, or whatever? Horrible things to say, as well as true, The Stranger has confirmed.

Kathryn's turn toward Edward Gorey there with the mouse suicide is almost upsetting, but watching her delete that line through the mouse's body is more relaxing than words can express. It gives us life.

One of Kathryn's major contributions to Seattle culture is that, through her work with The Stranger and City Arts, she has immortalized Seattle's artists and leaders with distinctive wit and lifelike realness.

Gary Hill, DK Pan, John Osebold, Lesley Hazleton, and Lars Finberg drawn by Kathryn Rathke.
Kathryn's portraits of Gary Hill, DK Pan, John Osebold, Lesley Hazleton, and Lars Finberg for The Stranger. Illustrations by Kathryn Rathke

OK, so what do you have to do to get your lamp, or ugly couch, or boring view livened up by Kathryn Rathke? You have to make a donation of some kind to a cause that needs it, and send the receipt to Kathryn, and the first ten people who do that will get digital Rathke originals based on a photo that you snap and email to her.

Interested? Make contact with her this way and let her know where you're going to make your donation, and she will reply to that email, and you two can figure it out from there. Good luck!!

**THANK YOU, KATHRYN!!**

What an amazing gift you are giving the city. This has to be the most generous message since John Osebold's announcement he was making an album out of sounds we all send him.

Despite the things said about him in this video, we can confirm that Christopher at The Stranger can't wait to print out your drawing of his lamp in heels walking a dog. He's going to frame it and hang it on his wall.

If you have a talent, use it to make the world better today. That is the example Kathryn sets.

Good luck staying in, everyone.


* *
Previously in this series:


Miss Texas 1988s message to the city.
Miss Texas 1988's message to the city.

Matt Bishops message on April 27.
Matt Bishop's message on April 27.

Cherdonnas message to the city on April 26.
Cherdonna's message to the city on April 26.

Shenandoah Daviss message to the city on April 25.
Shenandoah Davis's message to the city on April 25.

Lorena Gonzálezs message to the city on April 24.
Lorena González's message to the city on April 24.

Clyde Petersens message to the city on April 23.
Clyde Petersen's message to the city on April 23.

David Ritts message to the city on April 22.
David Ritt's message to the city on April 22.

Sara Porkalobs message to the city on April 21.
Sara Porkalob's message to the city on April 21.

Julia Sweeneys message to the city on April 20.
Julia Sweeney's message to the city on April 20.

Linda Derschangs message to the city on April 19.
Linda Derschang's message to the city on April 19.

Molly Sidess message to the city on April 18.
Molly Sides's message to the city on April 18.

Nick Garrisons message to the city on April 17.
Nick Garrison's message to the city on April 17.

Tomo Nakayamas message to the city on April 16.
Tomo Nakayama's message to the city on April 16.

Rebecca M. Daviss message to the city April 15.
Rebecca M. Davis's message to the city April 15.

Heather McHughs message to the city on April 14.
Heather McHugh's message to the city on April 14.

Brandon ONeills message to the city on April 13.
Brandon O'Neill's message to the city on April 13.

Kate Wallichs message to the city on April 12.
Kate Wallich's message to the city on April 12.

Rebecca Browns message to the city on April 11.
Rebecca Brown's message to the city on April 11.

Lucien Postlewaites message to the city on April 10.
Lucien Postlewaite's message to the city on April 10.

Betty Wetters message to the city on April 9.
Betty Wetter's message to the city on April 9.

Amanda Morgans message to the city on April 8.
Amanda Morgan's message to the city on April 8.

Nancy Guppys message to the city on April 7.
Nancy Guppy's message to the city on April 7.

Jonathan Bisss message to the city on April 6.
Jonathan Biss's message to the city on April 6.

Chris Jeffriess message to the city on April 5.
Chris Jeffries's message to the city on April 5.

Lesley Hazletons message to the city on April 4.
Lesley Hazleton's message to the city on April 4.

John Rodericks message to the city on April 3.
John Roderick's message to the city on April 3.

Bill Cartys message to the city on April 2.
Bill Carty's message to the city on April 2.

Price Suddarths message to the city on April 1.
Price Suddarth's message to the city on April 1.

Kary Waysons message to the city on March 31.
Kary Wayson's message to the city on March 31.

Ellen Forneys message to the city on March 30.
Ellen Forney's message to the city on March 30.

Major Scaless message to the city on March 29.
Major Scales's message to the city on March 29.

E. J. Kohs message to the city on March 28.
E. J. Koh's message to the city on March 28.

Ken Jenningss message to the city on March 27.
Ken Jennings's message to the city on March 27.

Demarre McGills message to the city on March 26.
Demarre McGill's message to the city on March 26.

Lynn Sheltons Message to the City on March 25th.
Lynn Shelton's Message to the City on March 25th.

Timothy White Eagles message to the city on March 24.
Timothy White Eagle's message to the city on March 24.

Cookie Coutures message to the city on March 23.
Cookie Couture's message to the city on March 23.

Sarah Rudinoffs message to the city on March 22.
Sarah Rudinoff's message to the city on March 22.

John Osebolds message to the city on March 21.
John Osebold's message to the city on March 21.


Ben Gibbards message to the city on March 21.
Ben Gibbard's message to the city on March 20.

Nathan Chans message to the city on March 19.
Nathan Chan's message to the city on March 19.