Illustrator Maggie Cowles celebrates daily life with her food-themed art. Although it looks simple, her narrative actually tells a bigger story. Food is often more than just food. Cowles focuses on “comfort, security, the warmth of food, familiar spaces and familiar meals,” as she tells It’s Nice That.
Her focus is on set tables with multiple meals, which tell stories of families and friends dining together. However, there are no people in her illustrations. “The work explores how rooms can be full even when they’re empty,” she notes. “They’re an ode to gatherings past, present, and future.”
Cowles has a rich background in creative work. She was born in NYC and studied textiles at Rhode Island School of Design. After graduation, she worked for companies like Converse and Madewell, but always had personal projects on the side. After moving to LA, her own creative work ended up being her priority, so she’s a full-time self-employed creative now. As she says, she paints, draws, and illustrates all day, every day.
Scroll down to see some of her gorgeous illustrations that we picked for you. Find her on Instagram, where she has 20k followers if you want to stay up to date with her future work.
