In a sequence of four charming scenes, pairs of birds explore branches adorned with hearts, offer a heart-shaped flower as a token of affection, peck curiously at hearts that fall like spring petals, and nest in peace under a heart-shaped moon. Their images send a universal message: that togetherness marked by small, thoughtful gestures is the essence of a true and loving bond.
The series is also the featured artwork for the 2026 Love stamp, designed by Communication Arts alumnus James Yang (B.F.A. ’83).
Yang drew inspiration from midcentury American design and Japanese children’s book illustrations, and said the birds allowed him to explore different themes of affection in playful ways.
“I am a big fan of midcentury design and love the rendering of birds by Charles and Ray Eames and by children’s book artists of the era,” Yang said in an interview with the U.S. Postal Service. “At the time the stamp art was created, I was also working on the children’s book Bus! Stop!, which features two birds throughout the storyline.”
In addition to writing and illustrating children’s books, Yang’s work has appeared in such publications as Graphis, Newsweek, Forbes, Fortune, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, and he designed “Clockman,” a moving sculpture for an exhibition about measuring time at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. His subway wallpaper can also be seen on Metropolitan Transit Authority trains in New York City.
