Three Years, One Book, and a Second Cup

As this year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about what it took to finally bring Coffee Table Art Book into the world.

This project has been three years in the making. The final year, in particular, carried more weight than I expected. There were ongoing questions around production and timing, and the realities that come with running a small, independent publishing company. In June, I lost my mother, and that loss changed the pace of everything that followed. Some days felt heavier than others, and I learned to move through the work more gently than I had planned.

And still, the book kept moving forward.

What made that possible were the people who stayed steady and kind. The artists who trusted the idea before there was a finished book to hold. The collaborators who approached the project with care, patience, and a shared belief in what the book could become.

I want to acknowledge my book designer, Greg Shuey, who was instrumental in shaping the physical book. His thoughtful approach and quiet restraint allowed the work to speak for itself. I’m equally grateful to my friend and web designer, Andrea Goodman Turner (Swivel Works), who brought the book and the artist prints into a digital space that feels welcoming and alive, extending the project beyond the page.

I’m also thankful for the sponsors who supported this book and believed in independent publishing and artists. Their support helped make it possible to produce the work with intention and without compromise.

The book was never meant to shout or follow trends. It was designed to be lived with. Coffee, in this context, is not just a subject. It’s a shared ritual. A pause. A second cup. A moment to sit, flip a page, and stay awhile. Each artist interpreted it in their own way, and together those perspectives created something both personal and collective.

As I look ahead, I’m taking what I’ve learned into what comes next. There are more conversations to be had, more artists to feature, and more stories brewing. I’m moving forward at the same pace this book asked for: thoughtfully, independently, and one cup at a time.

Thank you to everyone who supported the project, shared it, and made space for it this year.

And thank you for being here.

Regan
Founder and Curator
Coffee Table Art Book