Obvious State

Creative studio & independent press founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson in 2011. After all, beautiful language deserves beautiful treatment.

We make bold, original art and books inspired by the ideas and language that have shaped how we think. Obvious State was Cofounded in 2011 by husband and wife team Nichole and Evan Robertson. We aim to create art and thoughtfully designed gifts that prompt conversations and bring aesthetic joy (and sometimes humor!) to everyday objects. All of our goods are meticulously crafted and printed on the

finest papers and materials. In addition to our own goods and projects, we are thrilled to work with wonderful partners and clients including Penguin Random House, Chronicle Books, Vintage Books, Doubleday, Juniper Books, Andrews McMeel and more.

07/22/2026

“A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.” - Epictetus

Casual recklessness is the greatest charm of youth. When I was younger, I knew nothing and had the confidence to prove it.

I was all in on music, and it was dreams-or-bust. As an adult, I still play music, but you’ll notice that I am in another line of work. It’s okay. I’ve always felt that a few misadventures are usually survivable and worth the price for the wisdom acquired - or as my son says, at least “do it for the plot.”

In the ancient world of Epictetus, sailors would carry multiple anchors on board their ships. They knew that a bad storm or other mishaps could quickly unmoor their boats, and had several backups to spare. The last anchor was called “sacred anchor” (ancora sacra in Latin), and so when a sailor was “trying their sacred anchor,” they were down to their last hope.   In this illustration, a confident young girl tries her own “sacred anchor,” achieving the impossible and flying it like a kite. It’s an act of audacity and hope, and it takes a youthful spirit.

📚Artwork from our illustrated edition of “The Stoic’s Handbook.”

07/13/2026

🌙 “Never say ‘I have lost it,’ say ‘I have restored it.’”

Epictetus was born a slave. He knew something about loss, and about the stories we tell ourselves regarding what loss actually is.

Today we’re sitting with one of his most beautifully devastating lines, and the waning moon that inspired the illustration.

From “The Stoic’s Handbook” — our new illustrated edition of “The Enchiridion of Epictetus.” Comment MOON for a link to the book and a special offer.

07/01/2026

We started an independent press in our thirties. Our niece beat us to it by two decades.

Last year, our clever and imaginative 14-year-old niece decided to write a book. Today, it’s out in the world, which means she has now finished something most adults only talk about doing.

We were thrilled to help with the layout, the cover art, and of course the business of publishing. She handled the hard part.

“Moon and Sword” is available on Amazon. And yes, she started her own publishing company too. You can find it at floweringlemonpress.com.

Congratulations, Charlotte. We’re taking notes.

06/29/2026

Wildflowers or weeds? Our perception of things is really all we have.

Illustration from our upcoming book, “The Stoic’s Handbook.”

06/03/2026

❤️ Coffee date with Dostoevsky
📷

06/02/2026

🦊 Well-dressed. Well-read. Slightly feral.

Aristotle called wit ‘well-bred insolence’ over 1600 years ago. We considered that as a creative brief. Our take? A man in a suit with a fox hiding in the jacket, ears folded neatly into the pocket square.

04/17/2026

🎉 Dostoevsky’s Philosophy released early!   ABOUT THE BOOK  Dostoevsky is as much a philosopher as he is a novelist. But unlike a philosopher, his arguments are developed between the conflicting points of view of his characters.

In this book, you’ll find twelve of Dostoevsky’s most fundamental themes, each containing two powerful quotations and two competing passages from different characters across his major works. The “challenge” presents a provocative point of view, and the “response” counters it with an alternate perspective.

Punctuated with 12 bold illustrations, this unique pocket edition serves as both an introduction and an invitation to one of our most passionate, brilliant, and deeply human authors.

03/30/2026

🤷🏼‍♀️Couldn’t help it

03/29/2026

“We Suffer More Often in Imagination Than in Reality” - Seneca.

I recently noticed something about bad days. If you check all of the items off your to-do list, it makes no difference whether you did so miserably or with equanimity. The report was written, the project was completed, the dishes were done, the mail was dropped off, the trash was taken out. And the things don’t care whether you suffered to do them, or delighted in doing them. The modern version of this is the saying “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice.” This is an excellent example of the kind of actionable wisdom that Seneca and stoicism offer.  
For this illustration for “Letters from a Stoic” I chose a Parisian street as the backdrop, a sunset reflected in the Hausmann windows. A shadow is cast on the memory, transforming the scene into a rainy night, the crown of the man’s head making a second dark sun. Seneca encourages us to accept the difficulties of life with equanimity, and to reject the temptation to dwell on what we can’t control.

03/28/2026

✨Ethereal morning light

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New Hope, PA
18938

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http://obviousstate.com/

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