A Raven, a Fox, and an Early Start to November
November’s Wild Mug Club design is here a little early. We’re heading out for my son’s wedding this weekend, and I wanted this one out in the world before we left. Apparently, my version of getting ready for a family wedding includes releasing a mug. Somewhere in there, I should probably pack.
This month’s artwork brings together a raven, a fox, and oak branches with acorns tucked among the leaves. There’s plenty of orange, but the greens haven’t entirely given up their place yet. I like that mix. Looking closely at an autumn leaf often reveals far more than the single color you notice from a distance: rusty edges, patches of green, a red section that seems to have arrived on its own schedule.
The raven and fox bring their own personalities to the design. The raven sits upright on its branch, looking thoroughly aware of everything happening nearby. The fox glances back over its shoulder, with that enormous tail taking up a perfectly reasonable amount of space, according to the fox. Together, they give the artwork a little watchfulness and a little mischief. Both feel at home among the oaks.
I’ve been spending time drawing oak leaves and acorns lately, and this is one of the things I enjoy about following a subject beyond the first sketch. A leaf study can lead to a pattern, or become part of an illustration with animals and a different sense of movement. Changing the arrangement changes what your eye follows. Here, the smaller branches and scattered acorns carry your attention between two very opinionated woodland residents.
Putting that artwork on a mug gives it another place to live. I spend a lot of time making things at a desk, and I like the idea of those drawings becoming objects someone reaches for during an ordinary day. Coffee while answering emails. Tea beside an unfinished sketch. Something warm that you fully intended to drink before it went cold. A familiar domestic achievement.
There’s also a change to how Wild Mug Club works. Each month’s design will now be available to the public at the regular retail price, while subscribers receive it at their special subscription price. That means you can choose an individual design when one catches your eye, or join the club if you’d like a new one arriving each month.
The November raven-and-fox mug is now available at Wild Ridge Studio. If woodland animals, oak leaves, and a fox with excellent tail coverage belong in your cupboard, this one is ready for you.
Now, back to getting ready for a wedding.
