When I think of the most talented people in lettering my list includes Louise Fili, Jessica Hische, Erik Marinovich, Gemma O’Brien, and of course the incredible Dana Tanamachi. It’s been a joy to watch her work grow and evolve on Instagram as she handles immense murals, covers for books and magazines, and so much more. Very recently she completed a stunning triptych for the Instagram HQ which speaks to the growth of the platform over the years.
“This triptych was created by hand-cutting adhesive stencils, meticulously placing them on the birch boards, then painting a gradient on top of everything, and finally peeling off the stencils to reveal the beautiful woodgrain below.”
This first design illustrates IG’s infancy—strengthening/connecting roots, giving voices, and cultivating simplicity. The flowers shown here are a mix of the earliest spring flowers and oak leaves/acorns. The latter of which are tiny things that have the potential to create entire forests.
This middle design illustrates IG’s adolescence—connecting voices, creating empathy (the stems intersect like two clasped hands), and bringing communities and cultures together. The flowers shown all bloom in midsummer.
This final design radiates from the center (expanding, growing, exploring) using a variety of wildflowers, symbolizing the the beauty and wild-ness a future full of possibilities holds.
