A Collection a Day: 365 Curated Collections

by Lisa Congdon

This book chronicles Lisa Congdon's 365 collections documented on her acclaimed 2010 Collection a Day project. Designed and published by UPPERCASE, the book includes:
-Full color photographs of all 365 collections in chronological order
-A forward by Fritz Karch, Collections editor at Martha Stewart Living Magazine
-An in depth essay by Lisa in which she discusses her Collection a Day project and her lifelong obsession with collecting
-Photos of Lisa's home and studio in San Francisco

It comes packaged in a beautiful reusable collector's tin.

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Fine artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon is best known for her colorful abstract paintings, intricate line drawings, pattern design & hand lettering. She works for clients around the world including the MoMA, Harvard University, Martha Stewart Living, Chronicle Books, The Land of Nod, Simon & Schuster, and Cloud9 Fabrics, among many others. She exhibits her work around the country, including in shows at the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Bedford Gallery. A selection of her abstract works are currently available through New York’s Uprise Gallery. Lisa writes a popular daily blog about her work, life and inspiration called Today is Going to be Awesome. She is the author of five books, including the starving-artist-myth-smashing Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist, and illustrated books Fortune Favors the Brave, Whatever You Are, Be a Good One, Twenty Ways to Draw a Tulip and A Collection a Day. She was named one of 40 Women Over 40 to Watch in 2015. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not so much a book that you read, per se, since it's 98% pictures. But it's an interesting idea: a picture of a collection of items, each collection different, for 365 days. If you like unique vintage items, collecting and curating, up-close photography, or art books in general, then you'll enjoy this special little glimpse into the heart of an artist and collector.

[ModCloth]

Erasers, paperbacks, and patches, oh my! Those are a few of the collections elegantly captured in A Collection a Day, our March Book of the Month. Intrigued? Read on to see how you can win a copy for yourself!

In light of our new collections-themed shopping categories, we thought it was apt to unearth A Collection a Day from our bookstore shelves. Based on San Francisco artist Lisa Congdon’s popular blog of the same name, this book is built around a simple concept — it’s a photographic and illustrated assembly of the artist’s 365 collections. More than that, though, it’s an archive of seemingly mundane objects, an homage to nostalgia, and a celebration of collecting things that you love. It’s inspirational!

One of the first images in the book is of four vintage bingo cards. At some point, maybe your grandma tossed out a pile of those. That’s too bad, because seeing the cards grouped together like that, you really see the character they have individually and as a group. You see the wear and history of each card. To me, the image evokes scenes of church basement games with ladies in sheath dresses, white gloves, and ladylike hats, trays of homemade rugelach, and hot competition with low stakes. What does it make you think of?

We were lucky enough to visit the author in her San Francisco studio, where she graciously showed us her impressive collection and talked a bit about her book. (If you’re a newly minted Lisa fan, be sure to see her new project, 365 Days of Handlettering!)