Matt Rader: Book Design
Fine
Summer 2022: Fine is set in the Kelowna area of the Okanagan Valley from June 2021 to June 2022. The poems reflect on significant events such as the 2021 heat dome, the 2021 atmospheric river, the ongoing pandemic, the discovery of unmarked residential school graves, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The poems explore themes of disability, illness, trans identity, healing, and the vision of a hopeful future.
With the design, I used collage to respond to Matt’s poems. Reading through, pulling portions that resonated, working that imagery into the artwork. The result reveals fragments of identity and place.
Ghosthawk
Summer 2021: Ghosthawk is a book of poems by Matt Rader that moves through the author’s imagination, from grasslands to star fields, weaving together ideas of identity and personal illness. These poems reflect on a deep connection to the Okanagan.
With the design, I attempted to capture a fantastical interpretation of the Okanagan landscape built within the body/mind. The landscape imagery provided by Andreas Rutkauskas, and Matt’s lovely children provided photographs of themselves for use in the character.
