Winter in America (Still
Book Title: Winter in America (Still: Poets, Writers, and Artists Respond to a Fractured World
Client: Roxi Power, allia abdullah-matta, Paul E. Nelson, Katie Sarah Zale — Seattle, WA / Tucson, AZ
Timeline: April 2026-May 2026
Overview: Winter in America (Still is a follow-up anthology responding to the continuing political and cultural crisis unfolding in the United States following the 2024 election. Gathering poetry, prose, and artwork from a broad range of contributors, the collection explores themes of resistance, collective memory, grief, instability, and the role of creative practice during periods of social fracture and political upheaval.
The cover design needed to balance urgency with reflection—conveying emotional and cultural tension while creating space for contemplation rather than spectacle. At the same time, the visual language needed to maintain continuity with the earlier Winter in America (Again anthology while evolving into a more immersive and expansive visual system.
Design Approach: The cover combines contemporary artwork with a restrained typographic structure, allowing the imagery to serve as both atmosphere and focal point. Transparent charcoal fields and condensed typography create a layered composition that supports the title and editorial information without competing with the movement and texture of the painting beneath.
Particular attention was given to proportion, hierarchy, and legibility across the full wrap design. The cover was developed to preserve the visual impact of the artwork while maintaining clarity and consistency throughout the front cover, spine, and back-cover composition.
The project also required extensive production coordination, including multiple rounds of editorial review, contributor-list updates, page-count revisions, spine recalculations, and preparation of final print-ready files.
Additional Collateral: Promotional materials, event graphics, website updates, and supporting campaign assets were developed to extend the visual language of the anthology across print and digital platforms.
Winter in America (Still, full bookjacket