We are thrilled to announce Modern Soul Records' second collaboration with Philadelphia artist Royce Epstein! Following the incredible response to her first coloring book for Thick and Thin Volume 1 (which completely sold out!), we couldn't wait to bring you Thick and Thin Volume 2.
Join us for an in-person pop-up this Sunday, November 8th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Words Matter Bookstore (52 S. Broadway St., Pitman, NJ).
Royce will be on-site to sign copies and chat with visitors, while Modern Soul Records tables a curated selection of vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and handmade crafts. Be sure to explore Words Matter's fantastic collection of books, gifts, games, and specialty teas while you're there!
"In this latest release, Royce pushes her art toward an even bolder, more dynamic territory. More intricate patterns mean deeper focus, endless color possibilities, and a vibrant new canvas for your imagination."
As a longtime friend and fan of Royce’s work, I can't wait for you to experience this release. We recently caught up to discuss her shift to digital line work, her design philosophy, and the creative process behind Thick and Thin Volume 2. Read on for the full interview!.
Do you have a favorite piece in your latest volume (what makes a great doodle)?
Royce Epstein: I made these drawings differently than the ones in Volume 1. Those drawings were done with a Flair marker on paper, and it was tedious. The drawings in Volume 2 were drawn with an Apple pencil in Procreate, so the interface was much smoother on my hand and allowed for more continuous flow of the line work. I made hundreds of drawings and chose the ones I thought would be most fun to color, including some that had larger shapes and thicker lines. But personally, I prefer coloring the drawings with smaller forms, as they are more intricate. As for what makes a great doodle, there is no right answer. I love the diversity of doodles that I see my friends create in their notebooks!
As someone greatly inspired by Keith Haring, do you have a favorite art piece or exhibit you’ve experienced? Are there any current artists on your radar?
Royce: I love most of Haring’s work, and I am glad I got to experience so much of it in various ways since the early 80s. I have seen many Haring pieces in the wild, and many exhibits over time. My two favorites were at the Brooklyn Museum in 2012 and at the Broad Museum in LA in 2023. I mostly enjoy seeing early work from Haring, but also how he painted objects throughout his short-lived career. He was so prolific, it’s like the lines just poured out of him in his own visual language. I think he would enjoy using Procreate if he were still alive.
As for current artists on my radar, I am obsessed with Nathalie du Pasquier. She started as designer in Milan as part of the Memphis heyday in the 80s, but she has settled into mostly painting (although she does still design a fair amount). We were lucky in Philly to have an exhibit of her work at the ICA back in 2017; it was epic. She is very color and pattern focused, so I connect to that part of her work, especially since much of the forms she depicts come from architecture and science. I did meet her once, which was super cool; I went to her studio, which she shares with her partner George Sowden, another great designer from the Memphis era. Fun fact: Nathalie was a singer for a short while in a band in 1981 with other Memphis Milano friends. I love a good art/design/music collaboration.
As an artist and designer: what makes a great pattern or textile come to life for you?
Royce: For patterns, I am not a fan of motifs (repeating small patterns on a regular cadence-like pineapples or anchors for example). I like more abstract patterns, which is probably why doodling is so fun, since I am not creating any recognizable motifs. For textiles, I prefer pronounced textures in beautiful colors rather than patterns. I have seen my doodles as carpet, and it’s a bit wild and chaotic!
If you could work on an artist collaboration with any musician: who would that be?
Royce: My band could use someone to record and produce us, any volunteers? LOL! I would love to work with someone like Sune Rose Wagner from the Raveonettes, I think he could really help us get our tender garage jangly sound just perfect. If we are in pure fantasyland, I wouldn’t mind being the rhythm guitar player for a touring band for a season, but I don’t think REM, JAMC, or any of our OG bands would have me, ha!
What are you reading this month?
Royce: I am learning tarot right now, so I am reading Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack. I just finished Simon Reynolds’ Futuromania about electronic music and of course have a giant stack ready including books about the artist Bridget Riley and a newish book on the history of 2Tone ska. Oh, and The Story of Art without Men.
How did you find your way in with art and design? What is something that you
wish you did sooner?
Royce: I was always making art as a young person (my mom is an artist and craftsperson) and always was exposed to art appreciation as well as making art. I got to explore that in depth in high school and college, where I devoted myself also to art history. For me, making art is a continuum of what all artists do, I am just carrying the torch forward in my own small way. As for design, which is related to art but is more about creating functional things for society, I felt a real kinship with because it’s something done in service of others. I was fortunate to work for Michael Graves in the 90s, who was a post-modern architect, and it was at his studio that I learned all the things about the power of good design.
I am still in the design industry almost 35 years later, crazy! And I am also still doodling and playing music. I feel lucky to be a creative and get to continue making new things all the time.
Thick and Thin Volume 2 will be available to purchase here, on Monday, November 9th, 2026.