Yule Blessings, Season’s Greetings & Hope for 2017

Happy Holidays! Blessed Yule! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Joyful Kwanzaa! Happy New Year!  I think that covers it but if I missed anything, then happy merry for that too!  Now more than ever we need to be accepting and appreciative of our own cultures as well as the cultures & traditions of others!  There is beauty in diversity…it would be so dull if we were all the same, wouldn’t it?  (If you don’t think so then that’s your call but really think about it….what foods do you like?  Bet at least some come from other countries….  What movies, books, art, etc. are you interested in?  Doubt they all come from a homogeneous source!)

Sure, times are scary, the unknown can be scary, but what’s the most frightening is hatred for what we don’t understand and what that can lead to!  As an artist I’ve gained so much by studying art & mythology from across the globe…it’s lead me to travel, meeting great, new people, trying delicious foods and to creating unique art.

So I wish for all of you to have a Happy Healthy Holiday, whatever you celebrate or don’t celebrate…and a diverse, fun, peaceful New Year!  And now I’d like to share some holiday/winter themed photographs I’ve taken recently as well as through the last several years.  Enjoy the slide show!

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all images (c)Lauren Curtis

Happy, Merry, Peace & Joy to you!

Just wanted to take a moment, amidst all the holiday insanity, to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous & Peaceful Holiday Season & New Year!  Thanks to all of you who have supported this blog, and the arts!  You are appreciated!

XOX

Lauren

And now some of my holiday artwork for you…

Holiday Greeting Cards (c)Lauren Curtis

Winter Solstice Wishes!

I wanted to take a minute to wish all of you a Happy Winter Solstice /Yule (12/21)!!  While Christmas and New Year’s are just days away, this holiday season takes many of it’s symbols and traditions from the ancient Earth/Nature-centered celebrations of the Winter Solstice, which honors the darkest day of the year and welcomes the return of the increasing light!  The Christmas Tree is an ancient Pagan symbol of life as the Evergreens are the only trees to stay green (hence the name, lol) during this cold, dark season….they were adorned with lights to encourage the return of the sun (or son…get it??).  The Yule Log is, well, just that!  An another way to honor the death of the old god (represented by the tree log…often an oak) and the return of the new god aka LIGHT!  No matter what your beliefs, this is the time of year to gather with friends and family and create warmth in many ways!  And it’s a time of introspection on our own lives and how much we need to respect Nature and the cycles of the seasons and of life!

So HAPPY SOLSTICE/YULE everyone!!!

Here are a few of my Wintery holiday images for you…enjoy!

Yule/Christmas Art (c)Lauren Curtis

 

Happy Winter Solstice!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Winter Solstice, Yule, Hanukkah (which just ended but hope those that celebrated enjoyed it), Christmas & New Year! Now the days begin to get gradually lighter and with the increasing light, may your creativity and prosperity increase as well!

Happy Holidays, everyone!!

Yule/Winter Solstice Greeting Card