Wendy MacNaughton

Wendy MacNaughton is an artist, graphic journalist, and educator whose work integrates illustration, journalism, and social work. Trained as a visual artist, storyteller, and social worker, MacNaughton has developed a career that combines these disciplines, publishing 12 books and serving as the first visual columnist at the New York Times. Her approach merges drawing and social work practices to highlight close observation, connection, and the experiences of often-overlooked individuals and communities. She holds degrees in fine art and social work from Art Center College of Design and Columbia University.

MacNaughton gained recognition through her illustrated documentary series "Meanwhile," which documents life and communities in San Francisco. The series became the back-page column for California Sunday Magazine and later appeared in the Sunday Business section of the New York Times, where MacNaughton traveled across the United States to meet and draw people. Her work has been compared to that of oral historian Studs Terkel and has been profiled in The Atlantic's issue "How Genius Happens." As a visual columnist, MacNaughton has drawn stories in diverse settings, from high school cafeterias to Guantanamo Bay.

Among her collaborations, MacNaughton illustrated "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" by Samin Nosrat. The book, which features more than 150 drawings, charts, and diagrams, has sold over 1 million copies and was adapted into a Netflix series. It received the James Beard Award for Best General Cookbook and the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award. MacNaughton is also the author of "How to Say Goodbye," which combines drawings and interviews from her residency at the Zen Hospice Project to document the experiences of caregivers and residents in end-of-life care. The book was a finalist for the California Book Award, selected for NPR's Books We Love, and became a USA Today bestseller. Other notable titles include "Meanwhile in San Francisco," "The Gutsy Girl," "Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them," and "Leave Me Alone with the Recipes."

MacNaughton is the co-founder of Women Who Draw, an online directory of underrepresented illustrators that has influenced inclusion efforts in the illustration and publishing industries. She is also the creator and "Drawer-in-Chief" of DrawTogether, a participatory drawing web series for children that has expanded to include the educational nonprofit DrawTogether Classrooms, providing free social-emotional learning and art curricula to nearly 300,000 learners worldwide. DrawTogether was featured in MacNaughton's TED Talk, "The Art of Paying Attention."

MacNaughton has been profiled by New York Magazine, the New York Times, TODAY, The Atlantic, PBS, TED, and NPR. Her work has received multiple awards, grants, and residencies and is frequently included in anthologies such as Dave Eggers' "Best American Non-Required Reading." She received Art Center's Outstanding Alumni Award and inspired the creation of the Designmatters studio Illustrated Journalism, where she has served as a guest speaker. Through her work in visual journalism, illustration, and arts education, MacNaughton demonstrates the potential of drawing as a tool for empathy, curiosity, and connection.