Well, it finally happened! The Fly Fishing Alphabet poster is finally done, and is now available to decorate fishing cabins and office walls across the globe. From arbor knot to zinger, we kept all 26 letters in the right order and made sure each received a custom illustration.
What's next you might ask? Surfers and runners—get ready...
Over the last few years of doing posters and onesies we've come up with dozens of variations for each letter across a really wide variety of outdoor activities. We can only use 26 for each poster, but there's so many great details and bits of history and culture that it seemed a shame to let them waste away in a sketchbook. So, we've committed (!) to sending out into the universe a Daily Letter—a small token of appreciation for just one letter and one concept at a time. They're just an internet thing for now, but they might be printed up as cards eventually if we can just keep it going. F The inaugural letter? F, as in Fun Hog. Back in 1968,...
One of my favorite things about working on this Outdoor Alphabet "thing", is the response people have when they see the concept for the first time. Whether it's on a poster or a onesie, it's always a smile and a nod—it's not too complicated—and ultimately, that's the point of all of this. To share the stoke and smiles that come from spending time outdoors with those around us.
That's why I'm super excited to announce that today, My Outdoor Alphabet is being featured on The Grommet—a unique site that will bring that stoke and our products to a whole new audience.
Take a moment to check us out: http://thegrommet.com/my-outdoor-alphabet - Thanks!
Illustration by Les Kouba From The New Way of the Wilderness — a beautiful little book from the 50's that covers the basics of backcountry camping. Author Calvin Rutstrum wrote 15 books, mainly how-tos and personal narratives based on his experiences growing up in Minnesota and spending time outdoors. As the outdoor world continues to embrace the benefits of technology and innovation, there's something to be said for an awareness of how things were done "back then"—even only 60 years ago. An understanding of this kind of history allows those principles and practices to still have an influence in our modern outdoor experiences and ideally remove some of the cruft that makes it harder to disconnect when we are out seeking for something deeper. Perhaps...