Animal Riddles

There's something quietly magical about finding a forgotten book in an op shop.
This one was tattered, its spine worn and pages soft with age, but the moment I opened it, I was transported straight back to the scratchy grey carpet of my childhood room.
The illustrations are by Roy McKee, an artist whose work shaped many children's imagination.

McKee's warm, whimsical style are a corner stone of mid-century style. Imagery that feels both nostalgic and surprisingly fresh all at once.
When I discovered the book was 62 years old, I was struck by how relevant it still felt.
The signature aesthetic; bold shapes, limited palettes, playful compositions, is still exactly what's driving so much of today's maximalist interior design and decorative trends.

This discovery sparked a project and interest I hadn't planned of, but couldn't resist.
I set myself the challenge of digitally restoring and archiving these illustrations, carefully preserving the warmth and character of the original artwork while breathing new life into pages that time had aged and faded.

It was an exercise in restraint as much as skill: knowing when to correct and when to leave well enough alone, honouring a style that deserves to be seen again.

Beyond the archive itself, the project opened a natural next step, making these beautifully restored prints available for sale for other's personal use and appreciation. Allowing everyone to have a piece of mid-century charm into spaces while honouring artist who helped shaped our curiosities.

It's a project that sits at the intersection of preservation, passion, and potential.
And it all started with a $2 find on a dusty op shop shelf.