Joy Patrice is an artist from Milwaukee, WI. Her experience and sensibility for incredible collage art drew me to ask her to design the cover art for 'Lost + Found'. The analog elements combined with forward thinking design convey a contemporary vision without boundaries.
I imagined the visual elements of this project as treelike and of the earth - organic. While researching fashion from around the world I discovered the barkcloth material that people in Uganda harvest and use as a textile. There is a growing movement of Ugandan fashion designers who use this material in high fashion, and it has made appearances on runways in Africa and Europe.
I became aware of fashion designer Sonco UG and his incredible forward thinking clothes during my research. He combines elements of denim and barkcloth as well as other textiles to make functional, stylish and sustainable clothing. As soon as I saw his designs I knew they were perfect for conveying the imagery and lifestyle of 'Lost + Found'.
In the world of fast fashion and wasteful practices by corporate empires, humans need to embrace sustainable solutions. I wanted to create a visual that was a direct response to the technology and industry that is seen as modernization in the 21st century. Reconnecting with our innate relationship with the earth is a forward thinking practice which I want to inspire others to delve deeply into in their lives.