LUSH
A world of overgrowth and quiet abundance.
RANUCULUS, DAISIES, CELLOPHANE
LUSH is the inaugural release of Friends in Soft Focus.
It explores the many ways abundance appears. A pool that looks like glass. A flower coming to life. Long conversations. Tender obsessions. A vibrant fever dream. The feeling that something has been allowed to grow without interruption.
Inside the issue are original works from artists, photographers, and writers responding to this shared landscape.
LUSH lives where everything has been left just long enough to soften.
Ferns climb over forgotten stone walls. Water runs louder after rain. Hands become stained with soil. Letters take the long way home. Things are repaired rather than replaced. Every object carries evidence of the life that touched it.
It is a world that values attention over urgency, and richness over spectacle.
FONTHILL CASTLE
BASILDON PARK
Release 01: LUSH
Release 01: LUSH
LUSH is the inaugural release of Friends in Soft Focus. Created around a single shared prompt, this edition gathers original photography, writing, and artwork into a printed publication intended to be lived with slowly. Every copy is assembled by hand and mailed as an invitation to continue the conversation.
Each mailing includes a carefully assembled collection of printed materials, including:
• The complete LUSH publication
• Printed ephemera created exclusively for this edition
• A reply postcard inviting your own correspondence
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Uv Lucas
Pam Powell
Kit Ramsey
Daria Roman
Robin Stewart
WRITING
Jack Farrugia
Sean Kearney
ARTWORK
Luce Berta
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Amber Digby
Propaganda (Meizles Valeria)
Shin Robinson
Chriss Slevin
EDITORIAL
Margaret Lewandowski
Release: 01
Theme: LUSH
Published: July 2026
Format: Printed correspondence
Language: English
Origin: New Jersey, United States
Edition: First Printing
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Each release stands on its own. You're welcome to begin with a single issue or subscribe to receive all four quarterly editions by selecting an annual subscription.
Annual subscriptions include Release 01: LUSH and the next three releases.
SHIPPING
Shipping fees are included in the cost of the issue. No additional shipping fees are required.
The first edition of Friends in Soft Focus gathers original work from artists, photographers, and writers responding to a shared, single-word prompt. A printed publication assembled by hand and designed to be lived with.
THE FRIENDS IN SOFT FOCUS PROJECT
Friends in Soft Focus is an independent art publication exploring the quiet intersections of art, photography, writing, and conversation. Each quarterly release begins with a single-word prompt, inviting contributors from around the world to respond through their own creative practice. Every edition is assembled by hand, with space left for readers to write back.