Object Stories: The Essentials Of A Day In The Garden
Meet the April edition of my ongoing illustrated poster series.
If you’re new to the collection, “The Essentials” have a two-fold purpose. First, they are my way of looking intentionally for the beauty in common objects and circumstances, and sharing that joy and color with you. But they also serve as a way to synthesize my illustration practice into one, bite-sized monthly artwork at a time.
As a full-time student, much of my creative energy is spent toward the “conceptual” side of my practice - creating works and conducting arts-based research intended for gallery audiences. But there’s a whole other part of my practice that I’d like to cultivate — illustration (watercolor, in particular). So, these posters are part of my little studio discipline each month to build my illustrative body of work, as well as my personal discipline to choose joy daily and invite you into that pursuit.
“The Essentials: April” poster is inspired by “a day in the garden.” This time of year is so special. Some of us are planting literal seeds, in hope of green sprouts blossoming into rich plants in the weeks to come. Most of us (especially us apartment-dwellers) are also cultivating other things. I, for one, am still riding that January wave of newness. After spring break, I’m coming up for breath and re-orienting myself toward the things I set out to do and become. All that I originally set my sights on becomes clear again.
In April, I am reminded that good things take time.
And so, (though my literal garden only consists of my husband’s seedlings and a fern on our downstairs shelf) I gathered garden-y things for us this month.
Whether you kneel in the soil, trowel in hand, or do the work of the season in your mind and heart - I hope the stories that these objects tell help you to see the color and joy of the season.