My Imagination Book
Written and Illustrated by Juan Marco (Juan M. Montes)
2012 Nathan Cummings Foundation / Art Center Book Publication
Published by Designmatters

My Imagination Book, a 50 page coloring + drawing book for children ages 6-7, takes the reader on a journey of imaginative scenarios in which the characters they meet have all lost their weapons. This book asks its readers, “Can you give them something more playful than guns so that they can have some fun?” Each vignette invites a non-violent and whimsical replacement for the missing weapons. This encourages children to participate in a re-imagining of a kinder, more good-natured and creative world – a world without guns.

The book was made for the Uncool: The Anti-Gun Violence Project. Hosted by the Designmatters department at Art Center College of Design. The studio focused on the creation of illustrated children’s books as viable vehicles for anti-gun messages in children ages 6-7 years old. The book was published by Designmatters and the Nathan Cummings Foundation – which is committed to democratic values and social justice, including fairness, diversity, and community, as a powerful visual contribution to those ideals.
The book was distributed locally and nationally for community organizations and social impact partners. Plans were also made to bring the work into public spaces through potential programming such as public exhibitions and reading events for children.

I had a lot of creative freedom with this project, and I was able to expand my world into the entire Lollapalooza festival. What has always inspired me is the raw energy that music creates, along with that primitive urge to move to it. Each of my characters represents a different type of music genre, matching the festival’s musical variety.