the serendipity of pears

One of the most challenging tasks all independent designers face is self assessment. Editing our work is a humbling, yet absolutely necessary exercise which usually unearths a clear path to follow.  Whenever I happen to be in "evaluation" mode, I tend to ask the most outrageous questions to what seems to be a great, big void. What interests me the most in these situations, is the fact  that if I am attentive and vigilant enough, the big, great void will provide some very solid answers, through the most serendipitous events.

This morning the answer to what seems to be a monumental question (it is not) came in an impossible-to-miss deluge of signs (for lack of a better word). I have to thank my dear friend and colleague S for opening the flood gates, which eventually pointed to a very well-defined route.
It seems excessively paltry, considering the significant urgency of many current world events, yet the biggest issue today is if indeed the designs on the tea towels are the "right" ones. In sharing this with S, she gave me the most sensible advise, helping me elaborate a game plan that called for the possible abandonment of one design (it already lives in the box marked as lost, never to be found), and the absolute inclusion of another, the latter one being one with "pears". 

First sign: Confirmation of this decision came in the form of the most intriguing description of a pear in Yan Martel's book "Beatrice and Virgil", which S happened to just start this morning on her train commute. She shared her copy with me so that I could skim through the "pear" pages, which led me to decide to get the book immediately.

Second sign: With a skip in my step that was definitely not there this morning, I resolutely marched to the bookstore while considering the strategy to redesign and print the pears. On arrival, the book I found looked nothing like the one S had shared with me (click on the link set on the title above, to see the original hard cover). When I saw it, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Now THIS is a sign!

Third sign: Thursdays is the day I usually get some baked goods for the weekend from our neighbourhood bakery. In looking at the display, I decided on a favourite of ours, apple-cranberry crumble pie. I was told, that today these pies had an extra ingredient... Pears!

I absolutely love pears, my favourite: D'Anjou. They have an inherent sophistication in their very particular aesthetic and flavour. I've done so many pear studies throughout the years, these are the latest.

Wrapping things up, here is the [happy] song of the day, America from their debut album "View from the Ground", 1982. It's been playing in my head since I left the bakery. I'm sure that if I watch the video close enough, a pear will make its appearance, somehow.