“David Sedaris’ agent called me with a request. Because David has never been comfortable with the publicity photos for his book tours and speaking engagements, he wanted me to create a logo he could use in lieu of a head shot. His concept was clear and succinct: ‘A monkey reading a book.’

“I immediately began studying monkeys—the way they sit, the way they hold objects, their tails, their postures. The David Sedaris Monkey is a simple, bold, graphic icon of which I’m proud. The process was fun and, like a good book, I didn’t want it to end. David likes it, too.”

Michael Schwab is a Bay Area illustrator and designer. We invited him to share a moment of play with us.