Introducing artwork for the Crate & Barrel Fall ‘25 Collection.
Call To Adventure II and Crossing The Threshold II are paintings inspired by The Hero’s Journey. Originally painted on raw birch panels in my Chicago studio, Crate & Barrel carefully scanned each piece to create giclee prints on FSC®-certified birch from responsibly managed forests. This is the first time that Crate & Barrel has reproduced artwork on wood panels, making this an especially exciting launch for both Crate & Barrel and myself.
Founded in 1962 by Gordon and Carole Segal, Crate & Barrel was inspired by their European honeymoon and a desire to bring stylish, affordable home goods to the US. The first store was opened in a former elevator factory in Chicago, growing for decades before opening their Michigan Avenue flagship store in 1990.
Throughout the years, Crate & Barrel distinguished itself through partnerships and collaborations with well-known designers and exclusive product lines. Now, Crate & Barrel acts as a platform to introduce independent artists and designers to larger markets by partnering with them on exclusive collections and highlighting their pieces online.
In early 2024, I had the opportunity to submit my portfolio to the Crate & Barrel artworks team for consideration to create paintings for their 2025 wall decor collection.
As I began to ideate on a concept, the stages of The Hero’s Journey resonated with to me.
The Hero's Journey, also known as the monomyth, is a narrative framework outlining a common pattern of adventure that many heroes undertake in stories across cultures and time. It describes a hero's transformation as they leave their ordinary world, face trials in an unknown or "special" world, and ultimately return transformed.
For this collection, we are presenting the Call to Adventure and Crossing the Threshold stages of The Hero's Journey. My work revolves around the theme of atmosphere, drawing inspiration from the ever-changing and dramatic forces of nature, such as clouds that appear and disappear seemingly out of nothingness. I am drawn to how this visual metaphor mirrors the experience of life and consciousness.
“What I think is that a good life is one hero journey after another. Over and over again, you are called to the realm of adventure, you are called to new horizons. Each time, there is the same problem: do I dare? And then if you do dare, the dangers are there, and the help also, in the fulfillment or the fiasco. There’s always the possibility of a fiasco.
But there’s also the possibility of bliss.”
- Joseph Campbell
In Call To Adventure II, I wanted to capture that pivotal moment when the call to adventure is first heard—a moment that marks the beginning of transformation, disruption, and ultimately, growth. It’s the spark that ignites the journey toward the unknown, both external and internal. The piece evokes the spirit of wanting to escape the mundane, the everyday rhythm that, while comforting, can also feel limiting or stifling. There's a desire to break free, to step out of the routine and into something new.
When painting Call to Adventure II, I was inspired by the fleeting beauty of clouds at twilight. It’s in this liminal space—where the landscape and cloudscape seem to blur into each other—that I found the essence of the painting. This painting invites the viewer to tap into the feeling that life, at any moment, could shift and transform. The idea that everything we know could be different—whether in the course of an hour, a day, or a lifetime—is both exhilarating and humbling. It’s a reminder that within every moment there exists the potential for reinvention, for stepping into the unknown, and for embracing a journey we might not yet fully understand.
Crossing the Threshold is a key stage in the journey at which the hero—having heard the call to adventure—finally makes the conscious decision to step out of their familiar world and venture into the unknown. It is a moment of commitment, where hesitation gives way to action, and the hero leaves behind the safety and predictability of their old life.
When painting Crossing the Threshold II, I was inspired by vertical Chinese landscape paintings, as well as William Turner’s landscape paintings. His abstract pieces of storms at sea inspired the palette and movement in this piece.
My goal is to invite the viewer into a space where the constraints of the everyday fade into the background, and a sense of wonder, mystery, and possibility take center stage. I want to transport you—not just visually, but emotionally—into a realm where time slows, and your mind is freed from the weight of responsibilities, to-do lists, and obligations. For just a moment, I want you to leave behind the daily grind and surrender to the magic that exists in the unknown.
Watercolor, in particular, gives me the flexibility to build up an image slowly. I approach it as a practice in patience and adaptability. There is not a predetermined result that I am trying to achieve, rather it’s a journey to unveil the final piece.
Both Call to Adventure II and Crossing the Threshold II are now available on crateandbarrel.com. These wooden art reproductions were carefully printed to match the integrity of the original painting and highlight the natural birch qualities.
I am very grateful to the Crate & Barrel team for working with me on this collection and Sucher Studios for letting my friend and colleague Mandy Lancia shoot my pieces in their beautiful Chicago studio.