Well, my day job as a graphic designer for a display company has been very busy, we had some big reports that we had to pull together for our big national client, and much of it was "creative writing" so I bet you can guess who was heading up that project! It was nothing but work, work, work, I even brought it home! Gah! Now it's done, and submitted, so I can get back to my magical world of art, illustration, and sharing with my dear readers!
And on that note, I have an exciting announcement! I just got my contract back from my publisher for the new illustrations I'm doing for a wonderful new book to be published by Llewellyn Worldwide this July. It's called "Wandlore: The Art of Crafting the Ultimate Magical Tool" and it's written by Alferian Gwydion MacLir. This is going to be a must-have book all about the construction, lore and and use of wands in magical practice. Alferian is the proprietor and master wand-maker of Bardwood Wandry, and I'm here to tell you his wands are gorgeous and inspired, each one a true work of art and skill. His wands are made from the wood of traditional sacred Druid trees and in the Druid tradition and Elvish lore, which after years of research to create The Voice of the Trees deck, was right up my ally!
Of course I'll be creating many, many illustrations of his beautiful hand crafted wands as well as various other illustrations for this magical treatise on wands.
Having made my own wand years ago, I have ultimate respect for this master craftsman. I created mine from a combination of wood and herb infused clay to set my stones in, but he works in the true Druidic method, carving each one lovingly from carefully gathered sacred woods. I've not done much work carving wood, but after I complete these illustrations, and finish reading this wonderful manual, I think I'll be inspired to try my hand at it. I have an unfinished staff that I may complete using his instructional book. What can I say, the guy is inspiring! He's a Druid Companion of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and Chief Druid of Geal-Darach Grove (O.B.O.D.) and he's also a 32nd degree Freemason. He created Bard Woodcrafts in 2001 which is now one of the leading and most respected place to purchase a handmade wand. In short, he really knows what he's talking about.
So you may ask, where can I get this inspiring book? Well, it will be at bookstores everywhere this July, but you can pre-order it from Amazon and be among the first to own a copy! You can actually order it before I finish the illustrations, so how cool is that?!
I have around 30 illustrations that will be in this book, so that being said, I better get back to the old wooden art table!
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This looks like it's going to be wonderful! What a great project to be involved in. Must pick this one up when it's out - I have a gorgeous piece of found wood that is read to be turned into a wand.
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