As They Are

by Miya Zhao

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what’s been on your mind lately?

I'm Miya. I'm a designer currently living in Amagasaki, Japan, and I sometimes like to draw. Lately, my mind has been occupied with how I can help my watermelon grow.

What inspired your designs for this greeting card collection?

There’s a line from Hermann Hesse I’ve always liked:

“Well, look at an animal—a cat, a dog, a bird, or one of those beautiful great beasts in the zoo, a puma or a giraffe. You can’t help seeing that all of them are right. They’re never embarrassed. They always know what to do and how to behave. They don’t flatter, and they don’t intrude. They don’t pretend. They are as they are, like stones or flowers or stars in the sky.”

What do you hope people feel or take away when they receive one of these cards?

The simplest form of sincerity.

Tell us about the favorite card you’ve ever received.

Sometimes I send cards to myself :) to capture a bit of how I’m feeling at the moment. There’s a card I sent to myself when I was 22, while traveling in New Zealand. Every now and then, I come across it, and I still feel the courage it carries.

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