A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM INSIDE FIELD NOTES
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Hi, it’s Jim from Field Notes. This is our twelfth monthly-ish newsletter containing a variety of stuff that doesn’t really fit anywhere else. Please respond to this email if you have comments, questions, or suggestions. |
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TLDR Version: An Introduction, Lion and River, In the In-Box, Follow the Lines, This and That, C’mon By. |
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A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day
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“I didn’t think of a Field Notes collaboration until this morning, but now I can’t unthink it.” |
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Warning. I am not including any spoilers in this section, so skip ahead if you’d rather not be teased. Anyway, we receive lots of communications containing ideas for Field Notes and we appreciate all of them. In some cases they are ideas we have considered previously, or have already written down in “The Book,” our long-running list of potential concepts for future Quarterly Limited Editions. We are grateful people feel strongly enough about the brand to let us know what they’d like to see next. |
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Once in a while however something hits our inbox like a bolt out of the blue. To us, the perfect quarterly theme will result in a product that is unique in its appearance, utility, or material, or in the process employed in its production. It’s a bonus if it fits well in the history of American design, printing, publishing, and art. And finally, if the theme unlocks an engaging story that we can tell, all the better. |
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Our Fall release checks all the boxes. It’s on press right now and we can’t wait to share it, and the story behind it, with you. Suffice it to say that if you’re a Field Notes fan the protagonist of this story is someone you’ll enjoy meeting. We look forward to making the introduction. |
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As noted in last month’s Staple Day, I have started a Commonplace Book to record quotes, lyrics, poems, and conversations that resonate with me right now, so that the future me knows where he’s been. Here are a couple recent entries. |
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“Who peyntede the leoun, tel me, who?” |
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From The Wife of Bath’s prologue in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” where she references a fable in which a painting of a man overpowering a lion is used as evidence of man’s superiority. By asking “Who painted the lion, tell me who?” Alison, aka The Wife of Bath, is insisting that generally what art reveals is determined by the prejudices and position of the artist, and specifically that men’s writings about women cannot be trusted. It also seems like a good question to ask when reading social media these days. |
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“My ordinary style is better than ordinary speech, but not so much you would notice it.” |
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“Some of my Field Notes books are simply beautiful vehicles for things I don’t want to forget... and some of them carry memories that will last my lifetime.” |
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“At 90 years old, my mom passed away in June. Her last written note to me, was in one of your ‘MLBD Edition’ Memo Books. I had to decipher and re-write it below her entry. One line that stays with me everyday is. ‘There is no one like you for me.’ There is no one like her for me too.” |
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Thank you for sharing Kathleen. |
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About this time in 2021 we released the “Harvest” Edition which sold out quickly. Noted American artist John Burgoyne’s illustrations graced the covers of six Memo Books in the series, featuring fruits and vegetables commonly harvested in the Fall. |
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Taking Us With: “A little more luxurious and adventurous.” Our Memo Books are one of the things The NYT/Wirecutter crew can’t leave home without.” Thanks for that. |
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If you’re in Chicago, or planning a visit, we’ve scheduled the Launch Party Happy Hour for our Fall Quarterly Release for the evening of Thursday October 17th. As usual we’ll provide snacks, drinks, free parking, and nerdy design and printing conversation. More details soon. That same week we’re taking part in the always-fun Chicago Architecture Center Open House Chicago program. HQ and the shop will be open for visits Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20. |
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No contest this month, we’re a little in the weeds at the moment. Thanks for reading. We’d love to see you at HQ next month. |
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* Coined a long time ago in the Field Nuts Facebook group, “Staple Day” is traditionally observed when a writer reaches the exact middle of a Field Notes Memo Book, revealing the metal fasteners which bind the cover and the interior pages together. |
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