Nurturing Each Other and Ourselves

 

My new project, Nurturing Each Other and Ourselves, grows out of the hopelessness I feel after the election. Eight years ago I did a project called Words For Our Time working with eight words—peace, justice, truth, love, strength, compassion, courage, hope—to make larger scale works with 58 quotes from leaders and creators. This time I feel the need to widen my circle, to draw us together, and to find strength in our friendships and connections. 

Here’s how it works. You send me an email with two words—one for you and one to share. I will hand-letter each and mail them both to you. I'm looking forward to seeing your words and experiencing the peace and joy I feel when I work with my favorite calligraphy materials (dark paper, Calligraphica Crystals metallic watercolor, and a "blue pumpkin" pen nib).

Let us open our hearts to the beauty of nature and share our joy.

Gifts in the garden Snowdrops from my late mother-in-law Lyn Gaylord Painting of snowdrops by Sandra Kavanaugh

Winter Solstice 2024

 May we find

peace and renewal

as we trace

the labyrinth's path.

Click here to print the labyrinth to trace with your finger. There is also a basic pattern you can use to create
a labyrinth with your own embellishments.

Celtic New Year (and first day of winter) 2024

 

As the days shorten,

let us grow the light within.

Autumn 2024

 Autumn

this distillation of summer's sweetness

asks us to find beauty in nature's details 

and savor the shortening days

Plant is Callicarpa also known as Beautyberry

Summer Solstice 2024

 Wishing you light and joy

as we celebrate the longest day

and the turning of the wheel.

Lettering was done with a "blue pumpkin" nib and Calligraphica Crystals.

In the background, a foxglove in the AirBnb garden where we stayed

within the Neolithic Stone Circle in Avebury, UK.

Hopefully a small book will be forthcoming.

Beltane/May Day 2024

 

for summer is a’comin’ in

And winter’s gone away-o

from the May carol “Hal-An-Tow” 

traditionally sung on May 8 in Helston, Corwall

Beltane is the first day of summer in the Celtic calendar midway between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice. Here’s a 1965 BBC video of The Waterstons singing Hal-A-Tow.