Every year since 1996 Nikki McClure has made a calendar with each month illustrated. This book is a collection of all those calendar illustrations arranged by season. She makes her illustrations by cutting away black paper with a knife. She cuts it from one sheet of paper and the “paper becomes lacelike and everything connected” (sound familiar?). She adds the color and the text later. Every illustration has just one word or a short phrase describing the feeling or action in the image. Up close her designs feel very organic with wavering line widths. This handmade style compliments the subject matter really well, which is generally about people enjoying nature in different ways. From afar, her images seem very graphic and simple but the interesting compositions make them really striking. I keep imaging how they would make great posters that we could hang all over the streets reminding us to pay attention to the small beautiful things we often forget about. You can pick up a copy of this book and and other items here and learn more about Nikki’s work here.

© Julia Rothman 2007