Dear Reader,

Make yourself at home! Settle in to enjoy this edition of UPPERCASE magazine, inspired by the domestic arts. Our interpretation of the term is purposely loose and playful; we embrace it, reinterpret it, rebel against it and express ourselves in new, unexpected and traditional ways. 

We also have a wonderful gallery of still lifes influenced by our homes and gardens. These compositions act as a proxy self-portrait; what we surround ourselves with reflects who we are.

From the front cover mosaic by artist Helen Swanton to the back, a paper plate painted by Elizabeth Hamilton, you’ll notice a theme of plates, saucers and dinnerware throughout these pages. Coincidentally, while creating this issue, I found eight plates discarded in alleyways and parks near my home! I’m encouraged to reuse them creatively—as paint palettes, under garden pots and even a mosaic. 

Smash the plates! I’m not going to make dinner, I’m going to make art instead!

Janine Vangool
publisher / editor / designer