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Returning from space, we have found ourselves entering a brand new world, with castles in the sky and the presence of giants, illuminating the way.
Let us all give a warm welcome to Varsam Kurnia who is back with a new cover, Luminary Guides, which would be the eighth collaboration we have for 2020 so far!
Read on to learn more about his second collaboration with Mossery, the new cover, and more—
Hi Varsam! It’s so nice to have you again. How does it feel to work with Mossery for the second time around?
I’m thrilled to be back! I was very happy to see the warm reception the previous cover received and I’m excited to do something new with Mossery this time around.
We love the brand new cover you designed for us! What was the creative inspiration and thought process behind this particular piece?
Since the brief that came from Mossery was clear, it was in a way easier for me to play around since the boundaries and formats were clear. The flip around cover was a lot of fun to design.
I took inspiration from playing cards, medieval paintings and also JRPG as a source of inspiration with just a pinch of Disney and Ghibli in it.
It was also a happy accident that I have just designed a pin inspired by The Sun tarot card for my own brand @somethingstokeep, so I was more than happy to explore and paint more of The Sun.
What were some of the joys and challenges working on this cover and the accompanying enamel pin?
It was a challenge to balance both sides, not just in terms of the objects but also the narrative, the colours and so on.
But I learned a lot while painting it as well, it has been a while since I painted something this complex.
The pin came naturally after the cover, a yin and yang format that I think complements the cover nicely!
Similar to your previous cover, this art piece seems to have a story as well. Could you tell us what you’re trying to say with the duality of night and day?
I tend to go with my gut feeling and the whole story would come out later when I’m halfway into the artwork.
I like how the Moon shines his lantern on the castle at night, I think since I almost always work in the evening, it comes from that mentality, in the sense that someone somewhere is up and working late at night and would need accompaniment from the Moon.
While for the Sun, again from personal experience of nearly always waking up late in the day, I always feel like a late visitor when I wake up, since everybody would already be halfway into the day and I have just begun.
I try to paint that busy, hectic yet warm feeling that comes with people beginning their day, when the light is still crisp and the promise of a good day is still in the air.
We see the reoccurring mascots! We’re curious, does the Sun have a name, and is it a permanent character in your overall narrative of the Starguide and Moonboys?
I think he’s just the Sun for now, he’s so new even to me, since most of what I paint is either at night or just dark in general, so I’m happy just to call him the Sun. I think he’ll make an appearance again sometimes soon :)
Your design is the first dual cover in our collection where either side can be used as the front cover. What do you hope our customers will feel with this cover in their hands?
I don’t ask for much but if it can bring a smile, especially during these difficult times, then that is good enough for me!
From bags, pins, to pouches and masks, we love all the merchandise you put out on somethingstokeep! Is there another merchandise you’re eyeing to do next?
Thank you so much! I am planning to make more pins and pendants! I am also planning a capsule collection with more items for the holiday season, with bags, wallets and other items. Hopefully I can pull it off!
In the few months since our last interview, did anything interesting happen in your life that you’d be happy to share with us?
Actually yes! Someone from Switzerland got in touch and shared that he knew me from our last cover collaboration and he told me about how my paintings spoke to him and his young family, and how his family journey is just like the Cosmic Adventure!
He even placed the Cosmos scarf on display in the children’s room! He also purchased prints of The Moonboy and His Starguide and Dusk Paradise and had them shipped to him.
I was so surprised and so grateful to hear his story, it is always nice to hear that what I do has an impact and has a place in someone’s life. So thank you again if you are reading this!
Now, this might be a question you’ve been getting a lot lately, but how are you doing in this on-going pandemic? Have you adapted to the new normal?
Yes and no, I’ve always been a stay-at-home guy so the lockdown did not change much in my routine. But I do struggle with the ever present feeling of worry and tension, which gives me anxiety every day.
But I try to fight that off with keeping busy, either by working or playing games, meeting my partner (following health protocols of course) and avoiding reading too much news!
Trivia question! If you could be any constellation in the sky, which one would you be and why?
The Felis constellation! Because cats!
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Varsam Kurnia is an artist based in Indonesia and you can find him on Instagram @varsamkurnia and his shop @somethingstokeep.
Our new cover, Luminary Guides from our second collaboration with the artist is now available for Planners, Notebooks and Sketchbooks so pre-order yours today!
Let the light be your compass.
We hope you enjoy the cover as much as we do and we look forward to seeing you exercise your artistic journey. Remember to tag us with your unboxing clip @mosseryco on Instagram so we can share it!
