Hand-drawn hometown collection
A hand-drawn celebration of McHenry County, available exclusively at McHenry County Museum.
15 oz ceramic mugMicrowave safeDishwasher safe
Community
McHenry County is a landscape of lakes, farms, historic towns, and wide-open places to explore. From the Chain O’Lakes and Moraine Hills to Glacial Park, Volo Bog, and Woodstock Square, the county offers residents and visitors a wonderful mix of nature, heritage, and community.
The collaboration
My husband Matt grew up in Crystal Lake, right here in McHenry County, so the area has been part of our family story for a long time. When the McHenry County Museum approached me about collaborating on a mug for the whole county, I was excited to work together.
We met and talked through their ideas for the places and details that should be represented. I drew each element by hand and brought the pieces together in a wraparound design. It was a really fun project, and I am so thankful for the museum’s collaboration and the chance to celebrate a place connected to Matt’s childhood.
The story behind the mug
Inside the illustration
Woodstock Square brings together the 1857 Old McHenry County Courthouse and 1889 Opera House within a nationally recognized historic district.
Moraine Hills State Park preserves glacier-shaped hills, wetlands, and lakes south of McHenry, including the distinctive Leatherleaf Bog.
Glacial Park’s protected landscape includes a glacial kettle with a rare bog community of sphagnum moss and leatherleaf shrubs.
Nearby Volo Bog formed in a glacial kettlehole lake, where floating moss and wetland plants surround an open pool of water.
The Fox River links the Chain O’Lakes, a network of natural lakes spanning McHenry and Lake counties and known for water recreation.
McHenry County’s working farms connect rural life with local markets, including family producers selling directly at the Woodstock Farmers Market.
Journal · Behind the drawing
The museum collaboration brought landscapes and landmarks into one county-wide design.
Read the story
