Chicory Puzzle Print

Along forgotten roadsides and in abandoned lots, chicory unfurls its sky-blue petals like tiny pieces of fallen heaven. This humble “weed” holds centuries of human stories – the plant has a history reaching back to ancient Egypt, and Louisianans began to add chicory root to their coffee when Union naval blockades during the American Civil War cut off the port of New Orleans, thereby creating a long-standing tradition.

What appears ordinary reveals itself as extraordinary: while edible raw, wild chicory leaves usually have a bitter taste, especially the older leaves, yet they transform into nourishing greens when cooked. The roasted root becomes a rich, earthy coffee substitute that sustained communities through wartime and economic hardship. European folklore whispers of deeper magic – similar to the springwort and moonwort, it could open locked doors, and chicory was also believed to grant its possessor invisibility.

All my artwork is handmade and original with a mix of limited and open edition linocut prints plus digitally printed greeting cards. The prints are designed, made, pressed and pulled in my studio in the Laurentides, Canada.

Please note: Because of its handmade nature there may be tiny variations to the picture- be this colour, evenness of ink or other small differences.