The Gentle Letters
My new artist website, mail club, and You & Me, Baby book release
If you venture over to my website, you might notice something new.
In addition to illustration, I’m expanding my work to now include nature paintings, and a mail club called The Gentle Letters.
A few years ago, I shared in one of my newsletters how important it is to nurture the relationship you have with your artistry. I believe the relationship we have with our art is truly the relationship we have with ourselves. It can reflect our internal world and reveal parts of ourselves we may not even be aware of. And in this way, it becomes a mirror.
While I love the work I do as an illustrator, I found myself longing for something more, though for a long time, I couldn’t name what that ‘more’ was. I struggled with what to create and how I wanted to share my work. Then at the end of December, I finally chose to trust that inner pull and step into new territory by allowing myself to create what my spirit had been asking for.
Art made by hand, inspired by nature.
This shift is part of the reason I pretty much took a two-year sabbatical from social media and the internet. I wanted to return to what felt sincere, grounded, and real. I wanted to share the art that made my heart sing, along with my quieter reflections on life, artistry, and simply being human.
It was during this time that The Gentle Letters arrived as a soft whisper, inviting me to create in a new way and chart a different path forward. It offered me a way to connect with others without the pressure to create endlessly for algorithms or to create when my heart wasn’t fully present.
Instead, I could share words and create art that my spirit longed to release in a more aligned way.
And so, The Gentle Letters was born.
The Gentle Letters is my new artist website home to my future nature-inspired paintings and art mail club. It is a monthly or one-time letter & art offering created to stay connected, send kind snail mail, and receive support on this new artistic journey I’ve embarked on. Every month I share letters of encouragement and reflections on life, each accompanied by new artwork inspired by my love of the natural world. Each mailing also includes a small written or art companion—perhaps a poem, a quote, or a small piece of art—for those seeking a more intentional way of living, or simply something meaningful to arrive in the mail.
The Gentle Letters is also a way for me to share my art journey as I step more fully into this new chapter, offering you a front-row seat to witness it take shape, see my new artwork, and watch my creative practice deepen.
I will still continue to create children’s illustrations and share that work from time to time. But moving forward, I will also share the art and words that more fully reflect who I am—an artist who values gentleness, authenticity, nature, and sincere, meaningful connection.
If you have time, I’d love for you to take a look. My monthly newsletters will continue on Substack, and you’re always welcome to stay connected with me there, too.
New Book Release
You and Me, Baby, my latest illustrated picture book was recently released at the start of the new year. Here’s a little synopsis about this sweet book:
A beautiful celebration of mamas and babies getting to know each other, by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed.
The arrival of a new baby changes everything. These marvelous little beings bring with them a whole lot of sweetness—and a whole set of new experiences to navigate. But the wonderful thing is that we learn and grow together, just like the mamas and babies in this book, and with time we all get the hang of this brand-new relationship. You and me, baby!
Until next time,
Take care, thank you for reading.
Ebony
