With January being National Thank You Month, we felt it only appropriate to turn our attention to the art of the Thank You note—especially the actual artwork that adorns two soon-to-be-available card designs. In this latest blog post, Snail’s Pace artist/designer Ashley M. Verkamp reflects on the path she takes to designing a Thank You card.
Ultimately, as a designer, when it comes down to the task of visually portraying thankfulness, I look to imagery that expresses this sentiment. One natural representation of saying “thank you” is the act of giving flowers, a long-standing tradition for expressing emotion. Interestingly, the origin for this practice is said to have started in prehistoric times, realized when archeologists unearthed flower petals in several antiquated grave sites. Moving forward in time, the practice of flower-giving as a means of demonstrating thanks has been discovered in Egyptian hieroglyphs, ancient Chinese texts and throughout Greek and Roman Mythology, revealing that flowers are a universal symbol and a timeless reminder of gratitude.
In my mind, considering that we at Snail’s pace endeavor to highlight the beauty of Creation in our product, the merging of flowers and associated imagery seems a natural fit for presenting this heartfelt message of appreciation. Flowers are portrayed on many of our Thank You cards, along with the adorable creatures associated with pollination. Honey bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all play a vital role in the continued gift of life on our planet, and in exchange they receive a flower’s own gift, the life-giving offering of nectar. To me, this perfectly encompasses what giving is all about. It reminds us that “in giving, we truly receive.” Showing appreciation and taking the time to say “thank you” goes hand-in-hand with the act of giving and maintains balance in the giving process. Saying thank you is a recognition of goodness and completes an act of kindness.
So please, slow down this month and communicate your recognition of goodness to someone who has touched your life!
Click here to see our entire offering of Thank You cards.
Tags: National Thank You Month, note cards, notecards, slow communication, Snail's Pace, thank you cards, thank you notes
