Have you ever felt like a single, long, continuous version of yourself—for a day, or a stretch of time?
The publication project I’d been participating in from 2022 to 2024, Decaying with the Speed of Spring, was born from this feeling. Each of us—illustrator, photographer, model, stylists—responded to the idea of outgrowing parts of ourselves in our own language.
And today, it’s finally official—the book has just been announced!
This publication weaves together photography and illustration. I collaborated with the photographer James Perolls, and together we explored the experience of transformation. Here's the description from James’s website:
Decaying with the Speed of Spring tells the enigmatic story of a woman who encounters multiple versions of herself. As the number of versions grows, she spends time observing them until the experience becomes overwhelming.
The book unfolds like a cinematic fairy tale—photographs tracing her external world, while illustrations offer a window into her thoughts and emotional landscape. It’s a story of self-acceptance, personal growth, and the gentle art of letting go.
We’re always changing, of course—humans are shifting, evolving creatures—but sometimes that change feels almost visible. Like catching a glimpse of your own metamorphosis mid-air. In those moments, I feel like a leaf that hasn’t quite landed, or is landing very, very slowly.
These in-between seasons often bring me a sense of quiet contemplation, and I find myself saying farewell to past selves in different ways—some small, some ceremonial.
Almost ten years ago, my uni graduation film—ego—was circling around similar themes of self and change. So working on Decaying with the Speed of Spring felt like a slow echo of looking back on a looking back—returning to this idea years later, and exploring it from a different angle, with a different approach, and a different self.
What’s been especially moving is seeing how each contributor approached this theme from a different angle—through images, fabric, pose, or line. And now, after such a long incubation, we’re so happy to share this work with the world!
You can now preorder the book with 10% off through James’s website. I’ve also selected some illustrations from the project to turn into limited edition archival giclée prints. I’ll be announcing them on Instagram soon, but I wanted to share them with you first! Preorders come with 10% off and will be shipped from the 16th of May. Have a peek at my Etsy shop!
Lately I’ve been enjoying the sunny days and the way light now lingers into the evening while working. I finished reading the book I’m designing a cover for, sunbathing with DonDon tucked beside me. Although this week the clouds have returned a little, but I don’t mind. Everything needs a bit of drizzle now and then, doesn’t it? Just enough to keep things hydrated and soft around the edges.
While waiting for confirmation on the book cover draft, I gave another talk to the Illustration and Animation students at Manchester Metropolitan University. Thank you again to Eleonora for the kind invitation.
And now, I’m back at the picture book project—and I can finally share that it’s growing from the roots of my comic Crown Shyness. I’ll be sharing more about it in the coming months, so stay tuned!
Cherry blossoms are blooming everywhere now in London. When the wind picks up, the white and pink petals twirl and almost look like tiny fairies dancing and casting spells 🧚🏻♀️ This month, I’ve foraged magnolia flowers and wild garlic from nearby greens.
Magnolia petals have a flavour that reminds me a little of pickled ginger, but softened with a floral twist. And wild garlic—how could I not love it, really, as an Asian? I made a pot of wild garlic soup, green and fragrant. I hope you can almost taste it with your eyes.
What do you eat in spring, wherever you are? I hope something seasonal is nearby—or that petals are dancing where you are too.
Thanks for reading all the way down here.
Till next time, with more sunny days 🌸