Key Reynolds
February 2023 cover by Kay Reynolds
An illustration inspired by Valentine's Day was an obvious choice for the February cover, notes Kay Reynolds, the illustrator. But Reynolds’ spin is not obvious.
“As someone who is both queer and not a fan of the holiday, I wanted my take to be different, authentic to my experiences, and of course incorporate a local Madison flavor. Enter: gay cardinals on State Street,” says Reynolds, who uses the pronouns they/them.
“I chose cardinals as a Wisconsin winter bird with romantic red coloring, which also means both birds are male. I posed them on a coffee cup as a nod to our wonderful local coffee shops where many of my romantic and platonic queer relationships first bloomed. (And yes, it's an oat milk latte as far as I'm concerned — truly a staple of the queer palate.)”
February 2023 illustrator Kay Reynolds drafts
Some preliminary work from Kay Reynolds.
Adds Reynolds: “Connecting over coffee is a fairly universal experience that non-LGBTQ+ folks can relate to, as well. In a time when queer and trans people are facing increasingly dangerous and unwarranted accusations, violence and exclusion, sometimes it's important to remind our neighbors that we're human beings, we have common ground, and we aren't who conservative talking heads make us out to be. This piece is intentionally somewhat innocuous because queer folks don't usually have a choice in our existence being ‘radical’ to others. It's not about shoving the ‘gay agenda’ down anyone's throat. Don't let the birds fool you — this illustration is about human connection."
Art director Tommy Washbush says he had wanted to work with Kay for a while, after first seeing their work in Tone Madison. “Kay has a wide range of styles and a very contemporary aesthetic, and most importantly, a different perspective. After discussing a couple options for cover ideas, Kay gravitated toward the idea of birds on a coffee date, with a subtly queer twist, which I thought was brilliant, and something I wouldn’t have thought of.”
Reynolds, a freelance graphic designer, is a lifelong Madison area resident. They graduated from the graphic design program at Madison College in 2016 and will soon complete a second degree in web and digital media. See more of Reynold's work on their website and on Instagram.
