And the winner is...
Happy December,
I hope wherever you are is cozy and warm as we move into winter. Here in Phoenicia, we’re preparing for close to two feet of snow over the next couple days…
I’m thrilled to announce the winners of last month’s raffles—
Painting Raffle winner: Tosho O’Brien
Tarot Raffle winner: Gikon Vasan
Congratulations!
And thanks to all of you who entered the raffles, purchased artwork, made donations, signed up for the newsletter and followed me on Instagram. I really appreciate your support.
Original artwork makes a great gift
There’s lots of new work in my shop, including this 18 x 24” painting that I finished last month. Many of my original watercolor artworks start at $50.
Wishing you a meaningful solstice and holiday season and an auspicious turning into the New Year.
Shea (aka Zuiko Ikusei)
she/they [why is this here?]
sheainthecatskills.com
What’s inspiring me now
- Local artist Kate McGloughlin’s show Requiem for Ashokan, now at the Olive Free Library through Jan. 4, 2020. It is MAGNIFICENT.
- Hazel Glass’s paper-cut artwork and Affordable Art Campaign
- Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over by Nell Painter
- “How to Feel Your Feelings and Why You Should Try” by Aida Manduley—thanks, Pleasure Mechanics, for pointing me to this! It’s full of practices and links to really wonderful resources.
- Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights
What’s inspiring you now
- Year of Blue Water, poems by Yanyi—thank you, Seijo!
- “You teach through your example.” —Abraham Hicks. Thanks, Itoro!
Thanks for sending your inspirations.
I’d love to hear what’s inspiring you now and include it in my next newsletter…
Card of the Month: Six of Pentacles
The suit of pentacles relates to resources—money, energy, time, attention, love, support, power, nature and the Earth. In this card we see a branch bearing golden fruit. Earth teaches us perfectly how the free flow of resources works. She is not capable of hoarding her resources. And yet, if she is not nourished, she will not bear fruit.
In my experience, it seems that people find it easier to offer, to give, to support and take care of others. In a sense, they “hoard” their generosity and are stingy with their neediness, their vulnerability. This is understandable if we were trained through our socialization and/or family of origin to not have needs, to take care of others, or to perform emotional labor for others.
I was talking to a friend recently about money, and she brought up and turned the term “currency”—like a current, freely flowing. Are our resources flowing freely? Do we know what “enough” is for us—enough money, time, nourishment? If we sense the abundance in our life, are we grateful? Are we generous? If we feel a lack—of love, support, or other resources—can we take the risk of expressing our vulnerability? It’s very difficult to receive help and support if we don’t show our need.
I’ve often heard that “giving and receiving are one,” and that when we give, we simultaneously receive. My experience bears out the truth of this. But it works the other way, too. When we allow ourselves to receive—a kind word, appreciation, praise, support, love, help, money—we not only allow the other to give that to us, but we ourselves are nourished and have more to give, too.
Tarot sessions make a great gift and are nice way to enter the New Year. You can purchase a session for yourself or someone else in my shop.
