OUR STORY

Hunter and Fawn grew out of childhood memories spent in the countryside with my grandmother. Summer evenings come alive: darting through the garden as the sun dips lower, casting a warm glow over thick green foliage. Lifting the leaves reveals tomatoes, eggplants, and other treasures nestled beneath, each gleaming against shadows, still warm from the day. Tucking them off the vine, a familiar rustle rises. With harvest in hand, my feet quicken to the kitchen, eager for them to grace the table.

As the summer heat swells, the cherries lining the yard begin to shed their pale skins, deepening in color each day. My childish impatience often leads to an early taste, met only with disappointment. But at last, the scarlets emerge—translucent and radiant, catching the sunlight as if each one were lit from within. With a bucket in hand, each cherry is plucked and plunged into well water drawn from deep within the earth, the icy surface responding with a satisfying plunk. Reaching into the frigid water, I shove handfuls into my mouth, crushing them between my teeth. That first taste of chilled cherry juice surges down my throat, sending a quick shiver through me—medicine for the dog days of summer.

Among these memories, my grandmother stands out. On market days, she dons her charcoal gray suits, always styled with a white scarf. Balancing the day's shopping on her head, she cuts a striking figure, beckoning to me even before she reaches our gate.

Yet, under the vast night sky, I wish for some force to carry me away from this unhurried life, far from the mud hut with plastic over the windows that bows and twists in the wind during the unending winters. Looking back, I realize this home is the only true home I’ve ever known. I miss curling up in thick blankets, nudging my grandmother to keep brushing my hair as I fall asleep to the sound of mice scurrying through the ceiling of old newspapers, their footsteps gently giving way to dreams.

These moments—the pull of restless longing and the solace of home—shaped the way I see and create. Hunter and Fawn is a tribute to those memories and the lessons they hold, a reflection of a life lived with care and intention. It’s a gentle reminder to slow down, notice the unnoticed, and find beauty and meaning in the everyday.