By the late 1930s the citrus growing market in the US had reached its pinnacle output and, wanting to capitalize profits, advertisers focused on the “healthfulness” of their product. Sunkist’s 1938 coloring booklet, The Land of Oranges and Lemons was designed with mothers and teachers in mind. Mirroring the Jack and Jill trope, it depicts two children who visit their Uncle Jim, a worker in the Sunkist factory. Jim tours the children around as they learn about the people who contribute to their morning orange juice. Throughout the text, the advertisers extoll the health benefits of citrus and users are invited to chart their children’s height and weight on the last page.
This collage series combines small watercolor collages based on drawings from the booklet with aspects of the citrus manufacturing process, contemporary and historical advertisements, as well as depictions of common ailments facing citrus today due to climate change and the increased prescience of pests. Although the booklet was created as a toy for children, the phrasing of the narrative has a different meaning in 2022. Uncle Jim tells the children “There is no rain in California in the summer. The water comes from the mountains,” foretelling that many of the challenges of growing citrus in the U.S. have been with us all along.
Uncle Jim said, “Water and sunshine make the fruit grow. There is no rain in California in the summer. The water comes from the mountains. It comes from a long, long way, 2022, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”
“The men are picking the oranges,” said Uncle Jim. “See how careful they are. They must not hurt the fruit.”, 2022, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”
The men brought the oranges and lemons from the grove. They washed the fruit in warm water. “How clean it is,” said Betty, 2022, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”
A girl packed the clean oranges in a box. Uncle Jim said, “These oranges are the best oranges”, 2022 Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”
We put the boxes of fruit on the railroad train,” said Uncle Jim. “The train takes the oranges and lemons away”, 2022, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”
Betty drinks orange juice every morning. She drinks it after school too. “I like orange juice,” says Betty. “Mother says it is good for me”, 2022, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo and Archival Paper with Vintage and Contemporary Magazines, 16”x20”