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Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck’s illustration

Johanna’s embroidery

Through its pages, “Journal du Thé” explores the natural world. Tending to allotment plots with her hus-
multifaceted aspects of tea—from the serene rituals to band Jatinder Singh Durhailay, she cultivates a garden of
the often overlooked dark sides of colonialism and its im- colors, textures, and stories.
pact on the tea industry. It stands as a counter-narrative The remnants of plant-based meals, usually harvest-
to the notion that tea culture is only about aesthetics, ed from their garden, find a second life as natural dyes
urging readers to embrace tea as a medium for peace, di- for her artwork. Each stroke of the brush, every sculpted
alogue, and understanding. For Johanna, tea is more than form, and the vibrant hues in her paintings are not mere
a beverage; it’s a medium for storytelling. The slow ritual artistic expressions but a harmonious interplay between
of tea invites people to pause, connect, and converse. It nature, sustenance, and creativity.
embodies the spirit of community, togetherness, and care “My practice is transdisciplinary regarding its holis-
for both human and non-human entities. tic nature. One subject/practice influences and feeds into
Currently printed by Taylor Brothers in Bristol, the other continuously. Each project would not be what
the magazine stands as a beacon of sustainability, using it is without the others, all profoundly interconnected.”
FSC-certified papers and vegetable-based inks. It aligns Johanna explained.
with Johanna’s commitment to environmental responsi- Johanna’s artistic journey is a rich tapestry wo-
bility. Taylor Brothers, a carbon-balanced printer, offsets ven with threads of diverse disciplines. From painting
their emissions with the World Land Trust, ensuring that and drawing to installation, sculpture, film, photog-
the magazine’s physical form is as harmonious with na- raphy, gardening, workshops, and writing, her mul-
ture as its content. tidisciplinary approach conceals ecological messages
rendered in soft and delicate methods. Inspired by
Transdisciplinary Harmony theories related to Art Therapy, Deep Ecology, Per-
maculture, and the Way of Tea, Johanna’s work ema-
Her studio, nestled in rural Oxfordshire, serves not nates positivity, compassion, and a keen observation
only as a creative sanctuary but as an extension of the of daily life.!

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