The fifth edition of Flow Book for Paper Lovers is full of beautiful paper, illustrations, envelopes, stickers, patterns and other extras, made by illustrators from all over the world. Agnes Loonstra, from Utrecht in the Netherlands, drew a birthday calendar for it, and here she tells us more about it.
“There are Oriental hints—such as sushi, Chinese movie posters, Asian plants, Japanese blossoms and chopsticks—hidden throughout the drawings. The images are like little ‘Find the…’ puzzles for Oriental elements.”
One thing most of us use a calendar like this for is to note down birthdays. What do you usually do on yours?
“As I get older, I feel the need to celebrate it less and less, or I celebrate it with a small circle of dear friends and family. I think it’s nice to think about life, to reflect on the past year, and to dream about the future and what’s in store in the coming twelve months—that’s also what I usually do on New Year’s Eve by the way. In fact, I think it’s crazy to celebrate our existence only once a year. I think that we should do it much more often. Every day is worth a party, right?”
When is your birthday?
“On July 12, on the same day as my grandmother. That may well be in the middle of summer on this side of the world, but it’s often very bad weather in the Netherlands on my birthday.”
Do you have a favorite month in the year?
“No, I like the seasons and the differences that go with them. Each season has its own atmosphere, colors, smells and feeling. Sometimes in the summer I long for a winter’s day or vice versa, just because I feel like that other sensation and ambiance. I found it important to also depict that in the calendar: What does my feeling mean for which month? Which colors and places fit well? In the summer, the colors are warmer than in the winter, in the spring the colors have to have a certain vibrancy and freshness, and in the autumn ‘inside’ plays a bigger role than in the other seasons.”
What does your calendar look like at home?
“I don’t have one yet! And when it comes to remembering birthdays, I have Facebook to fulfill that role now, which is super handy. I rarely hang any of my own work up at home, but I’m making an exception for this calendar!”
Do you always congratulate people on their birthday?
“I try to, but sometimes I fail. Like when I planned a holiday that clashed with a good friend’s birthday, or I only remember someone’s birthday when I look at my Facebook page. A day or two too late.”
