Red, Navy, Black! Pen and Ink with stitching on paper. The beginning of a new accordion book on beans.

some beans of the world

For ages and ages there was this very satisfyingly plump pottery pot on my grandma’s kitchen shelf at our family cottage. I had no idea what the purpose for it was, but as a wee kiddo, I sure loved staring at its glossy surface....I remember it reflecting any light in the room brilliantly. Just a cool beans sheen this chubbo pot had. It was yellow, but had definitely been well used into more of a deep mustard hue on its hot spots. The only thing I’d ever seen prepared in it was my other grandma’s wild rice casserole, which though very healthy, I didn’t like too much (note: I’m sure there are some beautiful, toothsome wild rice casseroles out there, seasoned and delicious but this one was BLAND). Anyhow, I didn’t realize until just today (legit) that this lovely pot’s sole reason for being was to cook....wait for it....beans!!!!!!!! And I’m sure they’d be delicious. Maybe next summer on a rainy, coolish night, I’ll try baking up some sweet, sticky, mustardy, boozy baked beans. Oh, it’s a must. Hail the beautiful bean pot! Curvaceous and so enticing ;) this - albeit quick - sketch is just an ode to the happiness that this lovely kitchenware brings me, in both nostalgia and potential. I’m also really trying to just let myself loose a bit more with illustrating. I loved the quote Salli posted the other day....“I’d rather have no style than any style” (Ed Ruscha, via Salli Swindell). Trying to get out of the headspace of comparison and pressing too hard (literally and figuratively) and instead just letting the ideas flow. Definitely a work in progress to be mindful in this practice.

Beans have always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, and I think they're as beautiful as they are yummy! With a little glue, patience and a bit of imagination they make gorgeous richly colored and textured mosaics!

Beans grow & thrive around the world, are a great source of plant protein, high in fiber & nutrients AND as pulses can be stored for up to two years before cooking! They can be used as an animal protein replacement, and are so versatile they are used as both a main dish, an ingredient in side dishes and desserts.

A celebration of beautiful beans in different languages around the world!

I love the shape and color of kidney beans. I love to collage with images that tell a fun story. In this piece, I used vintage hand illustrations to make it playful as well as lots of images of the beautiful cabernet colored bean.

Isn’t it amazing how beans are not only very healthy but also so very beautiful? @usdrybeancouncil

Cochise County and Graham County in Southeastern Arizona grow 93% of the dry beans in the state!

Beans Legacy, Beans Variety, Explosion about beans like an rainbow :)
I draw each bean with my pen then I scan them for create and compose my pattern. To finish, my husband make typography to organize the headband. It's really a creative duo , a super teamwork :)

This illustration highlights the beautiful heirloom / heritage bean varieties that we must work to grow, protect, and enjoy. Their beautiful colors and varieties in taste are special and a unique part of our food heritage.

The British love their Baked beans and I wanted to celebrate them in all their glory. Their is one particular brand that leads the way in baked bean manufacturing in the UK and has done since 1886. Their factory in Wigan has been producing cans of baked beans since 1946 and is now the largest factory in Europe.
We Brits can't get enough of them- on toast, in a baked potato, or just straight from the can. If ever I want something warm, filling and comforting I reach for the beans, its a delicious, nostalgic big hug in a tin, it even comes with the royal seal of approval!

A few years ago when wanting to add more fiber and protein to my diet, I came across the humble bean. Packed with nutrients, they adds tons of nutrition to a meal, and are quite satisfying when well seasoned or paired with complimentary foods. When my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, we learned that complex carbohydrates in beans help stabilize blood sugar because they take longer to digest. Now we eat beans at least 3-5 times a week!
-Cool Beans contest

So many varieties of leaves, vines, bushes, and flowers develop into these wonderful and colorful beans.