I started this project back in 2015, when my boyfriend, Kirk, and I started dating. It originally served as a gift to him, but it became an ongoing project.
The idea is very straight-forward: I made icons for our special dates. Ranging from something as simple as eating pancakes together while watching Montage of Heck to exploring the lovely country of Georgia, I wanted something to remind me of these shared moments. And what better way to remember them than with story-telling illustrations.
That is why most of the icons can only be understood by us and the people with us. Most do not show the literal meaning or appearance of the place or event mentioned. The icons are derived from the highlight of the date. More than a representation, they are like journal entries starting with the best part, so when I look at them, it’s like reading a sentence and then slowly, a paragraph is formed, and the rest of the story is recalled.
That also shows how personal this project is to me. I will be updating this entry maybe once or twice a year, adding in new icons as we make more memories together, having the collection grow with us.
I shared on a slide some of my favorites and the stories behind them. Feel free to ask me about the other icons if you’re curious as to why the illustration is how it is.
