Devon Rodriguez Talks Work in Progress: A Memoir

You've probably seen Devon Rodriguez's videos even if you don't know his name. He's the guy who sits across from strangers on the New York subway, sketches them in pencil, then hands over the drawing and films their reaction. On Wednesday, September 30, he's in town with Book Soup to talk about his new memoir, Work in Progress, at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. If you're sorting through things to do in Los Angeles midweek, a working artist telling his own story in a room that size is hard to beat.

The book

Rodriguez grew up in the Bronx, and the memoir goes back to a hard childhood. He's said drawing was how he got through abuse at home and how he kept himself out of trouble as a kid. Work in Progress follows that kid with a pencil through to the phone that made him famous. He skipped the MFA and never signed with a gallery. Instead he posted short TikTok clips of his portraits, and they took off.

He's now the most followed visual artist on TikTok. He's drawn more than a thousand people, plus a few famous faces like former President Biden and Oprah. He was a finalist in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, the Smithsonian's big portrait prize, and he landed on the 2025 Time100 Creators list. The book also includes drawings he hasn't shared before, of the people and places that shaped him.

What to expect

Check-in opens at 6 PM and the conversation starts at 7 PM sharp, running about 90 minutes. Your ticket includes a copy of the book, handed to you at check-in, so you'll have something to get signed. A public signing follows the talk. Book Soup, the Sunset Strip bookstore, is running the night, and their author events tend to draw a crowd that actually read the book.

The church is a big Gothic landmark on Commonwealth Avenue. It's a much better setting for a talk than the back of a store.

Tickets and getting there

Tickets are $45.18 through Eventbrite, book included. There are no refunds on the day of the event. The address is 540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020, just off Wilshire Boulevard between Koreatown and Westlake. The church has limited free parking on site, and it'll go fast with a 6 PM check-in. The Metro D Line stops at Wilshire/Vermont, about a 10 minute walk from the church. Questions go to Book Soup at info@booksoup.com.

It's a good pick for anyone hunting upcoming events in Los Angeles with more substance than a night out. Browse more events around Los Angeles or the full arts and culture calendar for other Things Happening In Los Angeles this fall.