“Try Not To Tire Yourself Out”
9.5" x 5.25" watercolor and pen collage on antique paper (2024)
A phrase snagged from a short story called "The Long Summer"
from a collection titled "The Houseguest" written by Amparo Dávila,
I was delighted to be tasked to use the text as inspiration for this commission.
It's an eerie, atmospheric short story that use the mundanity of domesticity to spin amniotic horror. The rash of
something uninvited, a haunt of a homestead disquietude, and the dolce terror of the natural sounds of nighttime as a subtle ripple on serenity, whatever shapes
they may take.
Read about it here!
The Process >>
The Process >>
Throughout Dávila's writing, there are incredible moments of striking imagery that really began to inform what visuals I wanted to lean into: the "dripping windowpanes" and the boldness of eyes were what first caught my attention
A small thumbnail draft taking cues from details in the stories
Progress picture to find the best arrangements for the watercolor asset cut-outs
Final version glued and pressed to a backing paper