Sometimes it’s the little things with your kids: the big smile before going to bed, that extra hug at school drop-off, or that one more round of peek-a-boo. David Laferriere has a tradition that he been doing for years that brings a little extra fun, whimsy, and wonder into his kids’ lunchtime. Every single day he draws a different awesome image on their sandwich bags, and he has chronicled his art and posted more than a thousand photos of his lunch bag creations on Flickr. Check out a collection of his amazing sandwich bag creations below as well as our interview with very talented and clever dad!
When did you start your project, and why?
I was looking for a way to jump-start my creative juices. I was already making their lunches and wanted to do something fun for them and me. I actually tried drawing with food coloring directly on the bread. That was too time intensive and the texture of the bread is terrible to draw on. I’ve always had some black Sharpie Markers kicking around and they worked well on the sandwich bag. Over time I added other colors and have experimented with different techniques.
Do you have an art background?
I am a graphic designer and illustrator working in the Communications office at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. I have always loved to doodle, draw, paint, etc. [and] was lucky enough to graduate from Rhode Island School of Design.
How old are your kids?
Thirteen and 15. They were at the end of second and fourth grades when I started doing this.
Do your kids get excited about the drawing you surprise them with?
In the beginning they might say something about what I drew. I’d sometimes ask them something about what was on their bag, get a blank stare and then they respond, oh yeah. Once I drew an alarm clock because my son has a problem getting up. He replied sarcastically, “Thanks Dad.”
What kind of sandwiches are in those bags?
My oldest likes almost anything. My youngest has always had peanut butter and jelly. They also get a juice, fruit and a snack.
