An evolving collection of illustrated cards inspired by nature, the seasons and the practice of noticing.
Over the past few months, I’ve been quietly working on a new project in my studio. What began as a small personal practice of making illustrated cards to mark moments in the turning year has gradually grown into something much bigger.
I’m creating a collection of 52 illustrated reflection cards, one for every week of the year.
The cards draw inspiration from the natural world, the changing seasons, folklore, familiar objects and the little things that we sometimes overlook in our busy lives.
They are not intended to predict the future or tell anyone what to do. Instead, they offer a moment to pause, reflect, notice and perhaps look at something from a different perspective.
From a small idea to a whole collection
My earlier cards explored the moon, the seasons and particular moments throughout the year. I enjoyed the process of creating an image and giving it a word or an idea to reflect upon.
That practice gradually developed into a more structured project.
The collection will contain 44 illustrated archetype cards and eight moon-phase cards, organised around the changing seasons.
Each card has its own subject, a word or theme, and a place within the wider collection. There are also connections between cards, with companion images and recurring symbols creating relationships throughout the deck.
Some cards feature creatures or plants, such as the robin, hedgehog, holly and frog. Others explore familiar objects, including a candle, a key or a pencil.
I love the idea that something ordinary can become a starting point for a much bigger thought.
Finding a visual language
One of the most enjoyable parts of the process has been developing the artwork itself.
I’m working with richly coloured backgrounds, decorative borders, fine linework and small symbolic details. The imagery combines elements of nature illustration with something a little more dreamlike and folkloric.
The cards are also organised through colour, with the palette gradually changing as the year progresses.
Each illustration begins as a drawing before I build up layers of colour, texture and detail using paint, ink and pens.
I’m discovering that the more cards I make, the more they begin to speak to one another visually.
The repetition of shapes, borders and symbols gives them a shared identity, while each image retains its own personality.
A work in progress
There is still a great deal to do.
Although several illustrations are now complete, I still need to add the words and titles, refine some of the symbolic details and develop the accompanying written reflections.
I’ve also made a simple working prototype of the complete deck, using basic placeholder illustrations. This has allowed me to experiment with the structure, relationships and ways the cards might be used before committing to the finished artwork.
Eventually, I’d like to develop the collection into a printed deck, potentially accompanied by a journal and a circular reading mat.
But I’m not rushing towards that finished object.
For now, I’m enjoying the process of making, experimenting and discovering what the collection might become.
A weekly practice of noticing
One of the ideas behind the project is that the cards could be used in different ways.
You might choose one at random when you need a moment of reflection, select a card that feels relevant to a particular situation, or follow the collection through the seasons.
I’m also interested in using them myself as an ongoing reflective practice.
A card doesn’t necessarily provide an answer. Sometimes it simply helps us recognise something we already know.
Over the coming weeks, I’m planning to begin sharing individual cards, exploring their imagery, meanings and the thoughts behind them.
This is very much an evolving project, and I’m looking forward to sharing both the finished illustrations and some of the creative process along the way.
52 cards. A turning year. An invitation to notice.
