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Recently, two sections of Assistant Professor Tracy Gilbert’s Intro to Art Therapy class read the graphic novel New Kid by Jerry Craft and then had the opportunity to Zoom with the author.
Prior to the conversation, Professor Gilbert had relayed a personal comment from Expressive Arts in Mental Health major Sam Riebel ’25 to Craft, explaining how Riebel identified with a particular character who helped her come to the realization that “it’s always better to just be who we are at our core.” In response, Craft sent a personalized image to Riebel and copies of his book Class Act (the sequel to New Kid) for nine lucky students.
Learn more about the class’s conversation with Jerry Craft — covering art, mental health, and creative inspiration — in this Q&A with Riebel.
Tell Me About Intro to Art Therapy, and how the graphic novel New Kid fit into it.
Intro to Art Therapy teaches the basics of what art therapy actually is and how it is used in practice. Many of the students in the class are not Expressive Art in Mental Health majors, so this is all new information for them.
Tracy provides videos, readings, experiential activities, research projects, anything you can think of, to engage students with the material. We’re able to understand Art Therapy from the therapist’s perspective, as well as a client perspective, and how it is used by individuals who don’t even know they’re practicing art therapy techniques because it is their natural coping skill.
New Kid fits into this class because the main character, Jordan, is a Hispanic middle school student who dreams of going to art school. His parents push him to try out a private school first, where Jordan is one of the only students of color. His mother pushes him quite hard and wants him to “fit in.”
Jordan carries his sketchbook everywhere. He draws pictures of his day and expresses what he’s feeling through his art. Another character, Alexandra, creates puppets that she wears on her hand daily.
There’s a moment between her and Jordan where she explains why she makes and wears these hand puppets. Turns out, it’s a coping mechanism for her. So again, we see a character utilizing a form of art to express and cope with the many emotions middle schoolers face.
What did your class conversation with Jerry Craft cover?
The Zoom conversation covered inspiration for Jerry Craft’s graphic novel and new projects he is working on. Jerry told us that he created New Kid because he saw kids of color being represented in a negative way in media. He wanted to create a relatable character who struggles, but it’s not about any of the dangerous situations we see on TV and in movies. There’s empowerment in how Jordan finds his way in the middle school.
Fun fact! The house readers see illustrated in New Kid as Jordan’s house is actually the house Jerry Craft grew up in!
Jerry Craft also told us that he has a new book coming out, J vs.K, that he co-authored with his friend Kwame Alexander. And the most exciting news is a live-action movie of New Kid is in the works!
How did this opportunity inspire you?
I started working on a surprise project last fall when I was in the Grief and Healing art therapy class. This course was a huge inspiration for me and helped me through a very emotionally challenging semester, when three people close to me passed away.
Over winter break, I got caught up with working and neglected my project. Then, we spoke with Jerry Craft, and I left that class feeling enlightened and inspired all over again. Just in the past week, I’ve gotten myself three steps further on my project, and I’ll share more when it’s complete!
My goal is to gift this project to my Expressive Art in Mental Health professors, Tracy Gilbert and Jennifer Horn, by the time I graduate in May.
One quote I remember vividly is when he said, “When I was your age, my dreams weren’t big enough.” I sat with that for a while, and I feel that he inspired us all to dream big for ourselves.
You are a senior! What are your goals for after you graduate?
My goals after graduation are to begin my career in the helping field and accomplish things that can impact others. Eventually, I plan to go to graduate school to become a Registered Art Therapist.
Russell Sage has provided incredible resources, professors, education, true friends, and most importantly, the opportunity to figure out who I am and what my purpose is.
I am excited but also nervous to graduate. Tracy would call it “nervcited” — it’s one of my favorite quotes of hers!