Over the years, I've received emails from people telling me they felt a positive, healing energy coming through different pieces of my art, sometimes during some of the hardest seasons of their lives. After recent losses in my own family, I wanted to make a piece that offers comfort whatever a person's path, whether that's healing in body or a deeper peace of mind and spirit.
At its heart is a quatrefoil carved in stone, an ancient form that once marked a portal between worlds. Within it rest five coiled baskets, each inspired by basket-making traditions from a different continent, encircled by a braided ring representing a sixth. Around them gathers a ring of bowls, pots, and cups, all open to receive, with the earth beneath them and the stars beyond.
Sometimes the right words don't exist when someone we love is ill or grieving. A small print for a bedside table, a soft pillow to lean into, or a mug for a quiet cup of tea can say "I'm here, and you're held" without needing to say anything at all. These gifts are also a lovely way to thank the caregivers, nurses, and hospice workers who hold so many others.