It rained all day after a topsy-turvy week. I almost took a nap tonight instead of making a card, but thought I'd feel better if I just dug in and got lost.

I love Catholic saint cards. I discovered them years ago when I was looking for a Saint Joseph statue as reference. I was illustrating a magazine article on burying one upside down in your front lawn when selling your house. Apparently it's brings good luck to do so, at least in Saint Louis where I lived at the time.

I was at "Catholic Supply"-yes there is such a place, and saw these wonderful saint cards. I bought several and hung them up in my studio different places. I loved their odd saturated color and style, comforting in some weird way.

Tonight I found this one, Mary and the annunciation. There's something compelling and earnest about them. I love using religious iconography to explore more psychological states. The images seem to set up a deep longing and intimate space for inner dialog.

The lower text is from a poem by Wislawa Szymborska. I'd torn a page out of the NYT years ago of her poems and found it tonight as well. The quote and the image seemed to intersect in a way that helped me put name to a feeling you have when you've made another leap spiritually. When grace has visited you and you feel "more space" inside. You psyche feels less claustrophobic than before.

I love poetry for that reason. It gives definition to feelings I often didn't know I had. Realizations swirling just below the surface are now illustrated in a way that brings about transformation, often subtle, yet powerful.

Have a great week everybody.

PS as I was researching Wislawa Szymborska I saw she'd died this year, ah... another beautiful artist leaves us, am a bit sad. I trust though new poets are born each day and will ripen soon in to their own voices.

Namaste.