THE KAHRI DOODLE BOOTH TAKES OVER NYC

This summer, the KAHRI Doodle Booth hit the streets of New York City.

What started as a simple idea—turning my quick, spontaneous drawings into a little NYC experience—turned into one of my favorite ways to connect with people and share my art in person.

Instead of just selling an illustration, the Doodle Booth lets you leave with something that was drawn specifically for you, right there in the moment.

And this summer, I brought it to three very different New York destinations: Chelsea Market, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Grand Bazaar NYC.

A Doodle, Made Just for You

The KAHRI Doodle Booth is intentionally simple.

I take your picture or a picture of you'd like and I draw a quick black-and-white KAHRI doodle on my signature Polaroid-style paper.

There are no complicated poses or long sittings. It's meant to be spontaneous, personal, and fun.

The result is a tiny original piece of KAHRI art that captures a moment in New York.

Chelsea Market

The summer kicked off at Chelsea Market, one of my favorite places in the city to introduce the Doodle Booth.

With its mix of food, shopping, visitors, and creative energy, Chelsea Market was the perfect setting for something that people could discover while walking through the market. The market itself is a constantly changing mix of independent shops, food, events, and art.

People would stop, watch me draw, and then decide they wanted one of their own.

That was one of my favorite parts of the booth: watching someone's reaction as a few simple lines suddenly started looking like them.

I also brought the full KAHRI collection experience to Chelsea Market with a selection of prints, accessories and home decor that make great gifts and souvenirs.

The Met

Next came one of the most exciting locations of the summer: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

There was something especially fun about bringing the Doodle Booth to a place so closely associated with art and artists.

The Met is one of New York's great cultural institutions, with more than 5,000 years of art in its collection.

But the Doodle Booth is a very different kind of art experience.

It's quick. It's casual. It's personal.

Instead of walking through galleries looking at someone else's artwork, you get to walk away with a little original artwork made specifically for you.

And that's really what I love about doing the booth: art doesn't always have to be serious or intimidating. Sometimes it can just be a fun little memory of being in New York.

Grand Bazaar NYC

The final stop of the summer was Grand Bazaar NYC on the Upper West Side.

Grand Bazaar is a particularly natural home for KAHRI because it's all about discovering independent artists, designers, vintage sellers, and handmade work. The market operates every Sunday, year-round, both indoors and outdoors.

Here, the Doodle Booth became part of a larger Sunday shopping experience.

People could browse KAHRI illustrations, handmade accessories, and artwork—and then stop by the booth to have something drawn for them.

I love that combination because the Doodle Booth isn't separate from the rest of KAHRI. It's another way to experience the world of KAHRI: colorful, playful, very New York, and completely personal.

A Summer of Drawing New Yorkers

One of the best things about doing the Doodle Booth around NYC was seeing just how different every location felt.

Chelsea Market brought a busy, downtown, tourist-and-local mix.

The Met brought an audience already surrounded by art and culture.

Grand Bazaar brought people who were specifically out discovering independent artists and makers.

Three locations. Three completely different crowds. And hundreds of little drawings and conversations.

That's what makes doing things in person so special to me.

You never really know who is going to be the next subject.

A family. A couple. A dog.  Even a pigeon. Someone visiting New York for the first time. A longtime New Yorker who wants a little souvenir of the city.

Every doodle is different because every person is different.

What's Next for the Doodle Booth?

The Doodle Booth was one of my experiments for bringing KAHRI beyond the traditional art table and making the artwork itself part of the experience.

After a summer of drawing people around New York, I'm excited to keep taking the Doodle Booth to new places.  Including the upcoming Union Square Holiday Market in NYC.  Plus this Fall KAHRI will continue popping up at Grand Bazaar and The Met.

Because NYC is full of stories, characters, outfits, dogs, couples, tourists, and personalities—and honestly, that's exactly the kind of inspiration I love to draw.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the KAHRI Doodle Booth this summer and let me draw you.

I hope your little KAHRI doodle becomes a favorite reminder of your time in New York.