BEST 1ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY GIFT IDEA: A UNIQUE POETRY BOOK IN COLORS
If you love illustrated poetry, prepare to be blown away
The best 1st wedding anniversary comes with a dilemma: you need a gift idea, a special one. One that will brighten your spouse with joy and excitement.
Our book journey
A few years ago, my friend Alexandra Vasiliu asked me to collaborate with her on illustrating a collection of love poems that she had written. She’s a very talented poet, who truly enjoys writing out her soul and emotions through a seamless, delicate blend of abstract poetry and pure, immaculate sentiments.
Her style is also quite visual, and I found that to be of great help in my illustrating process. When she sent me her poems collection, I sat and read them a few times, letting any image that would cross my mind just naturally grow, flow and develop.
Poetry is meant to be read out loud
I read the poems several times, over the course of a few days. I even read them out loud. That’s when words started growing new meanings! Brand new metaphors started to arise. That was the moment when I began sketching. I did tons of sketches. I came up with lots and lots of proposals.
A continuous back and forth of ideas began to roll out between me and the author. Exchanging opinions, coming up with suggestions. After a few months of intense stuff, a path started emerging…
Making a book is like filming a movie
Just like in making a movie, some of the scenes will get deleted, others will make the cut. Lots of poems were removed and I shredded a lot of junk sketches. I had to part with some art that was dear to me, but in the grand composition of the book, it was not fitting well.
Most of the artworks are hand painted in watercolors and ink, adding collage and digital editing at times:
Our vision
We envisioned a book of harmony. A book that will blow you away with beauty, intense feelings of goodness and love, but also leave you thinking. Thinking about the meaning of certain words, about yourself, about how, what, when and why. About the To-Do List for a Lifetime, why “happiness has long legs”, and how love has many eyes, that “can see you everywhere”.
These types of love poems, that express fulfillment and harmony, are extremely rare.
Some other modern poetry that I’ve encountered is plagued by a type of vulgar, aggressive style, ready to come and bite you, as if it’s the ultimate wisdom. Not to mention the coarse drawings that have hit my agonizing retina…
Naturally, our book is destined to land in the hands of happy people. People that joyfully celebrate their union. People that truly love each other. A precious gift of paper, with passionate words and enchanting colors is the perfect idea for a first year wedding anniversary. (And for Valentine’s day!)
Our book “Through the Heart’s Eyes” is available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Target, Book Depository and all major retailers.
A thoughtful gift, for a happy soul
Are you reading this because you are looking for a 1st year wedding anniversary gift? Maybe for a Valentine’s day, too? Frustrated that the most you could find were some cheesy ideas about some monogrammed stationery, some framed photos,… and that’s about it?
You are probably thinking that sophisticated, unique gifts are unicorns. Well, you most likely are right. On rare occasions you’ll find a love poetry book that is:
- Fully illustrated (and I mean, colored illustrations, not some broken pencil scribble).
- Uplifting. Inspirational. No darkness or depression.
- Written in words that hit home, the happily married home.
- Written by a former Academy Library manager and award-winning poet with a PhD in literature.
- Illustrated by a fancy artist (like me), who also happens to be a pharmacist (color and chemistry…, you know).
Discover Through the Heart’s Eyes, a book in full bloom, ready to take you on a new journey! Giving your partner a piece of Heaven to read is a truly thoughtful present.
Click here to get it:
Author: Andreea Dumez
Artist in-chief
Andreea Dumez is an illustrator and surface pattern designer, helping people find their inner colors and decor ideas.
Andreea, this is the most beautiful, heartwarming, professional blog post I have read in the last months. Thank you for it. Thank you for strengthening my faith in poetry too. 🙂
So happy you liked it! I truly believe in our book’s magical powers 🙂