Author Event: Megumi Lorna Inouye
Local author and packaging artist Megumi Lorna Inouye will be launching her debut book ‘The Soul of Gift Wrapping’ with Black Bird April 4th at 7pm! The book offers not only an instructional guide for sustainable gift wrapping (without any tape!), but also a collection of essays on the meaning behind the techniques.
"While the material gift may have a shelf life, the meaning that goes into it with the wrapping is hopefully something that's lasting." - Megumi
Inspired by the Japanese Art of Giving, Megumi views the craft and art of gift wrapping as a way of imbuing a sense of gratitude, and then sharing it with others.
Megumi was first inspired while watching her mother wrap and rewrap the kimonos she was gifted as a dowry, an act that was done with love, care, and gratitude. She remembers her mother putting the same intentionality into small details like wrapping Megumi’s sandwiches for lunch. For Megumi, this is a “memory of love.”
"It is inspired by my Japanese tradition where gift wrapping is an expression of gratitude" - Megumi
As an Outer Sunset resident, Megumi frequents Black Bird, where she spotted the book Wabi-Sabi by Beth Kempton, later applying to and winning a place in her book proposal master class. In the visualization segment of the class, Beth proposed the students visualize where they see their book. For Megumi, that place was Black Bird, where she will be launching its debut on April 4th. We hope to see you there!
