Dreams do come true... working with Amber Lotus - Part 1

 

Greetings Everyone!

  Spring is finally showing signs of arriving here. I have a new house that I need to photograph and I'm hoping some spring flowers will burst forth soon so I can get some nice pics. Meanwhile.... a few words about dreaming and dreams & the art of timing, or in other words, hooking up your wagon to that Horse called Patience!

  Years and years ago when I first started out on this sculptural adventure I attended a convention for Fairy fans in Philadelphia. It was a long time ago and I brought with me my first year of images, starry eyes and a ton of enthusiasm but not much experience in the world of Fairy commerce (which sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?). I saw and learned much. I worked up my courage to show my artwork to several publishers and asked for their feedback. Everyone was so kind. One company in particular stood out to me: Amber Lotus. They had it all: beautiful products, integrity through and thru and warm, kind people who were radiating a kind of inner calm that I immediately resonated with when I met them. They were my first pick of publishers and I hoped they would want to publish my images... but alas, the timing was not quite right.

   Years passed. I got to work with Pomegranate, another very fine company and they gave my work the support and exposure I needed to really move forward and develop as an artist... but I always kept looking out for Amber Lotus products and hoped our paths might cross again one day.

   I am thrilled beyond words to tell you that indeed that day HAS finally come! Last year we re-connected and have created a really beautiful Faerie Houses calendar that will be released later this summer. Here is the cover:

  I just love how they have framed the image and the font they have chosen for the calendar. Here is how the first spread will look:

 They have created richly textured calendar pages that I think are just exquisite: lacy, delicate with hints of botanicals and mist....just perfect! Each month's page beautifully matches the colour and feeling of each photo for that month. Their artwork for the calendar page really captures that magical Faerie feeling that I have when I'm out making these sculptures. Here is a peek at all the new images from the back of the calendar:

 It is just so wonderful to see how together, we've been able to combine our strengths so that you, dear readers, will have some really beautiful calendars this coming year to give as gifts or keep for yourself. But as important as the quality issue is for me, what is equally important is Amber Lotus' company policy towards the environment. These people walk their talk! In fact, if you want to read about one of their most recent adventures, you can check out their blog here: and read about their Earth Day offer of Tree Planting and their record-setting group tree hug!! In fact, please do visit their blog and find out how YOU can help add more trees to their program!  Here is the image from their blog to get you inspired:
 
( photo © Lydia Hess / Amber Lotus Publishing )

    Working with the Art director and staff was incredible too. Much has been written about in recent years about circular processes needing to be brought back to the work-place and replacing hierarchical ones. I listened to a really great interview with Arianna Huffington on Sounds True Podcasts last week and she spoke so eloquently about how she sees the shift really happening in so many workplaces now. I feel it too, I think we all do. 

     For me the confirmation personally was working with the visionary art department at Amber Lotus. They were so kind and respectful and their generous spirit and attention to detail made me want to bring my best self forward into all the art that I could contribute to the project and to future projects as well. 
    This is the way reciprocal circles work - by bringing and giving our best and having the space opened for that kind of mindset, we energetically all grow and expand in sustainable and inspired ways that ripple out and touch others far beyond our immediate circle. This is the kind of world I think we all want to inhabit and thanks to folks like Amber Lotus and other like-minded companies, we are making it happen! 

 In short, I cannot say enough what an honor it is to be working with this company now... their vision and commitment to the environment and to all Beings makes this whole venture have a foundational element that now feels rock solid yet is poised to move forward to create beautiful and inspiring products that will enhance all our lives for years to come. The whole reason I do what I do is to inspire people to take better care of the planet so working with Amber Lotus is a real dream come true for me. 

   And there is even more to this story that I will tell you about in part 2 but for now, I must dash out and try to get some good photos in the bright, spring sunshine.  Stay tuned!