In April, I announced with gratitude and sadness that the Brave Joy Collective Subscription will be ending with the June 2023 mailing.  

I’m grateful beyond words for this amazing creative adventure.  More than 450 different people— over a span of 3 years— have shared art images and spiritual practice intentions across the miles.  Subscribers and gift subscription givers made it possible for me to keep creating and believing in the art during some deeply challenging times.  Our collaboration worked!

It worked in another way too:  By making art monthly for 3 years, I’ve now created enough imagery for another Art & Wisdom card deck, in the style of Deep Breath and Come Through.  It’s astonishing, really.  And now my guidance from Spirit and my inner joy is speaking loud and clear:  it’s time to make this new deck.

When a new creation begins, sometimes another needs to end.  It’s a really difficult, brave decision for me to end the Brave Joy Collective subscription.  And I am so sorry that it might be disappointing to some of you.  But three main things are making this clear:  

1. The new Art & Wisdom card deck is asking to be born.  

2. I’m tired, friends.  I simply don’t have the energy to continue the Brave Joy Collective while writing and producing a new deck at the same time.  

3. My Listening process tells me I need a space/rest/sabbatical after this new deck, to wait for something new to emerge.  (More practice with liminal space!)

So again, I thank everyone who participated in the Brave Joy Collective, for their company and support along this monthly journey!  It’s a testament to collaboration and creativity that 36 images and practice sets were made so far, and 1 more to come.  Amazing.  

As supplies last, prior Brave Joy Art & Practice sets will still be available on my website, if you want to round out your collection or give some.  I’ll be adding the last sets to the online shop as they’re ready.  Art prints of many of the images are available too— and the detail and color is even more wonderful in a larger print.  

Even as we grieve its ending, I hope the Brave Joy Community is proud to know we supported the making of another Art & Wisdom Card deck.  If the way opens and I can stay diligent, the deck could be available in early November for the holidays… we’ll see.  

Writing for the Art & Wisdom deck guide booklet will be its own deep listening/creative process!  More on that in the months ahead.  I’ll appreciate your prayers, blessings, or good mojo, as always.

If you’re not already on my email newsletter list, please sign up at the bottom of this website to hear about the new deck, potential workshop offerings, and always new art.  I hope my transition out of Brave Joy will allow me time to actually write some posts now and then!  I’ve been on a kind of media sabbatical since January, and it’s time to re-emerge.  :-)

Finally, although I’m surprised and sad it’s time to bring Brave Joy to a close, this is my guidance and I’m committed to follow what I hear.  I’ll do my best to keep practicing bravery and joy while the next steps unfold— I trust that all of us will.

Bravely and with love, Melanie