Nikki McClure’s Thoughtful Work
I’ve been taken with Nikki McClure’s designs for over a year now. I first saw her work at Feast in Charlottesville last October and Justin and I spent a good 10 minutes flipping through ‘Collect Raindrops’. We had never seen anything quite like it! The book is divided into the four seasons, with the stunning illustrations punctuated by equally strong words: breathe, integrate, prepare, onward. 
McClure is a self-taught paper cut artist from Washington State. Her images are clear; her people are endearing; and quite frankly, her subject matter is right up my alley! The images in her books, calendars, and prints evoke a return to one’s roots and an acceptance of the changing of seasons and the power of nature. Her images seem to be a suggestion to slow down and appreciate your senses: taste, smell, feel. She focuses on new life, community, and subsequent changes for humans, animals, and nature. McClure’s color choices are thoughtful. She never utilizes a great deal of color, so when she does, she does so purposefully, such as an orange sky or a vivid red apple.
McClure has made a journal entitled: ‘Remember, a Seasonal Record Journal’, for the purpose of remembering the things you do each season: what changes are there throughout the year? What stays the same? How do the changing seasons affect my life?
Nikki also does cover art for causes she believes in, such as sustainable living and the Slow Food movement: she did the cover art for both ‘Slow Food Nation’ by Carlo Petrini and ‘Manifestos on the Future of Food and Seed’ by Michael Pollan and Carlo Petrini (among others!)
If you’re interested in seasonality and the idea of ‘slowing down and connecting’, I recommend that you check out her 2010 calendar. Each month is labeled with a thought provoking word and image: January: Invite; August: Seal (a metaphor for canning and preserving the last of summer).
