Working with Stephanie and Nick at Open Door Coffee was the heart of this project. I used local details around the water and town to create something their customers could recognize while visiting a place they already love.
Details in the drawing
The wraparound artwork includes Kishwaukee River, Historic Downtown Genoa, Russell Woods and Grain Elevator. Each is part of the place this mug was drawn to remember.
See the finished mug
Explore the artwork and find current shop information on The Genoa Mug page. The mug is carried through Open Door Coffee; please check the mug page or contact the shop before making a special trip.
A gift idea with a real place behind it
For someone who grew up in Genoa, the pleasure is recognition: Kishwaukee River and Historic Downtown Genoa are specific enough to begin a story. Add a handwritten note about the place you remember together. The mug becomes a prompt for that memory, rather than a generic souvenir.
Ashley Ann
