Johanna Goodman is an artist and illustrator who lives in Nyack, New York. Her work has been exhibited widely and her illustration work has appeared just about everywhere -- she has painted portraits of world leaders for the cover of Time, rock stars for Rolling Stone, CEOs for the Wall Street Journal, and everyone in between. Johanna also loves The Jerk, which makes her someone I want to travel with.
What's in your bag? When you pack for a trip, in your handbag, in the pockets of your jeans...?
My tiny gold disco wallet, my phone, lip balm, my keys, my camera, a hair rubber band, sunglasses. In the pockets of my jeans I usually have something my son gave me to hold for him. A rock. Or a bottle cap.
When I pack for a trip I don't need much. Just this ashtray... And this paddle game. The ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need... And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need... And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control, and the paddle ball... And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game, and the remote control, and the lamp, and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one... I need this. The paddle game and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches for sure. Well what are you looking at? What do you think I'm some kind of a jerk or something! And this. That's all I need.
(I apologize to all of your readers who are under age 40, which is probably all of them, who are too young to get that).
You have five minutes to pack up for a trip of which the duration you're not sure. What do you take?
Plenty of cash -- not that I'll spend it but it'll make me feel better about the fact that I'm about to forget everything that I'll really want with me.
What is your most essential article of clothing?
My jeans with patches all over them -- they actually fit and I feel good in them. And a pair of good sunglasses -- then you can even feel stylish in a pair of jeans with patches all over them.
What are the top five songs you need to have access to hearing at all times?
I kind of get sick of something after I hear it about ten times, which is why I always listen to wfmu online. It's a free form non-commercial radio station where they play the best music of all kinds and you almost never hear the same thing twice. That said:
1. "End Love" by Ok Go
2. "Eternal Flame" by Joan As Police Woman
3. "Simba Goes down" by Falcatross
4. "Anything" by Nina Simone
5. "Caravan" by Les Paul
What is your preferred hummingbird beat/cities you like to frequent?
New York, Provincetown, San Francisco, Santa Fe
What's something crazy that you did to follow your passion? (Like, did you live out of your car for a month? Drive 10 hours to pick up a certain, weird material you needed?)
The absolute, end-all, craziest thing I've done to follow my passion has been to keep drawing and painting and cutting paper and gluing and scanning and tweaking every chance I get, year upon year, even though it's totally impractical and self-indulgent and excessive. I have been consistently crazily following my passion against all better judgment for decades. One car-living stint or ten hour drive has got nothing on me.
What is one tip you have for traveling -- a beauty tip, a survival tip, a culinary tip... ?
Eat well and walk everywhere (which encompasses beauty, survival and culinary).
What makes you a good house guest?
I sing for my supper.
What's a recent or favorite meal you had while bouncing around the globe?
Can I just be honest and say that I always want sushi?
Where have you had your best night's sleep?
There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
Who would you like to travel with -- three people (you guys can caravan together or go on separate trips)?