From the Nominator

"Because the University of Chicago Magazine's schedule aligns seasonally, it presents opportunities to celebrate a seasonal vibe commingled with one of its features or by celebrating some aspect of our campus. The latter is the backdrop for this cover submission. Chicago's campus has not only been recognized as a Botanic Garden by the American Public Garden Association but is also home to a small oasis called Botany Pond. This bucolic feature has been home or refuge for countless flora and fauna, as well as generations of students, staff, and faculty seeking a moment's escape into nature. Unsurprisingly, it is a beloved feature of the campus capable of eliciting both personal associations and a genuine curiosity about the nature of those inhabitants.    

We worked with Illustrator Lucie Rice to create a playfully colored cross-section of the life indigenous to Botany Pond. In addition to the beloved ducks, turtles, and coy, the ensemble of life-stylized life forms suggests an explosion of spring contained by the imaginary white border of the magazine.   

The results generated letters and anecdotes about getting lost or moments of peace found among nature on campus. These experiences appeal to many generations of our readers, which is what makes it so enjoyable."

From the Judges

The University of Chicago's spring 2022 issue impressed the judges with its sheer beauty. The intricate illustration—which ties in with the campus' botanical garden—is deeply appealing and creates dramatic impact not through one provocative image but many small ones, intertwined in a delightful, almost storybook microcosm. The colors, the white border, the delicate touches (dotted lines, waves), and the logo nestled into the illustration are balanced and just right. We also applaud the creative reuse of the illustration—in outline form and with natural and accurate-to-campus annotations, on the table of contents, and as a coloring page at an alumni event. Well done!