OUR LATEST COLLECTION: ALTERED STATES
Eden wallpapers, shown with my cherished earth-pigment watercolor palette (Photo: Kuoh Photography)
I love sharing the story behind my designs and new collections, ALMOST as much as I love actually creating them! The newest release - Altered States - is no exception. This collection was “birthed” as a result of my own healing journey, which began nearly a decade ago when I stepped into my first yoga class but took an interesting turn a few years ago when I realized that my path is actually to serve as a a healer. I had just barely completed my first level of Reiki training and the world of healing and energy work was quite new to me, so this realization brought up panic and a deluge of unhelpful mental chatter (“Who, me? A healer? I don’t know how to be a healer! I have zero healing skills. And what about my business?! I’ve worked so hard, I can’t just give it up!” And so on). I moved through that initial response and gave myself space to explore this idea, both through introspection and in conversation with my mentors. One of these mentors is a local medicine woman and healer who offers a yearlong program in multicultural Shamanism. In speaking with her, it was crystal clear that joining this program was my next step. The calling to explore earth-based spirituality was strong, and in hindsight, feels like a natural fit for someone who has always felt deep love for Mother Earth, and a desire to protect her.
“There are countless ways to support others in their healing, and I feel grateful that I’ve discovered a way to do so through art and design.”
Now in my second year of this deeply transformative program, Shamanism is becoming a way of life for me. One of the core practices I’ve learned in this program is Shamanic journeying - setting a specific intention, then getting into an altered state of consciousness and energetically traveling to another realm. I received so much visual input during these journeys, and documented some of the imagery into my sketchbook. They felt like the seeds of new design concepts and I was excited by the idea of using shamanic practices in my creative process. I then decided to try journeying with a specific question in mind: What designs do people need right now to support in their healing and well being? The Altered States collection is the result of this inquiry.
This collection feels like a “coming out” of sorts. Until now, I kept this part of my life separate from my design work…perhaps out of fear that I would be perceived as too weird, too witchy, too different, and therefore my business (and maybe my ego?) would suffer. I felt like I was living two parallel lives, and longed to integrate them. It feels so good to share work that came through as a result of these ancient teachings and of my connection with the spirit realm, and to feel like a more integrated human, unafraid to bring my entire self into my work. There are countless ways to support others in their healing, and I feel grateful that I’ve discovered a way to support healing through art and design.
A sacred moment with Portal wallpaper (Photo: Kuoh Photography)
The first two designs of this 2 part collection are EDEN and PORTAL. Both are based on images I saw during my sacred practices, and I chose watercolor as the medium to express the concepts on paper. I love watercolor for it’s depth and fluid softness. Two designs - one botanical, one geometric - form a perfect duo, and the earthy colors were specifically chosen for their healing potential (that is a whole topic in and of itself, so TBC in a separate post).
These designs were created with the intention to raise the vibration in whatever space they are used, and to support well being and healing. While I of course make no scientific claims 😉, I will say that anecdotally, having these wallpapers on my studio walls for the past few months has changed the way my workspace feels. I truly hope that they inspire you, my amazing clients, and bring beauty and well being to many interior spaces in the years to come!
