Rasa: Diary of a Young Transcendentalist is a series of illustrations about a girl named Rasa, from Jackson Heights (in Queens, New York), who transforms her perspective one day as she travels through the city on her way to a dance class. She collects lines of poetry and philosophy in her journal like talismans, and she faces her inner demons—her insecurities, sorrows, and fears—through music, art, and dance.
Accompanying the illustrations is a book proposal for a self-discovery art journal aimed at pre-teen and young teen girls. The journal is an invitation to join Rasa on a courageous journey of imagination, beauty, and self-acceptance. It contains inspirational quotes and illustrations, writing prompts, and coloring pages, for a more soulful and joyous life.
Rasa explores themes drawn from the writings of the American Transcendentalists (like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and their disciples) and from the Upanishads (the ancient literatures of India), which were one of their great influences. I was inspired to create this journal as a relevant way for young people today to connect to nature, self, and spirituality, by drawing on universal wisdom that can help us to make sense of the world and inspire us to rise above it with grace and humor.
