My passion for haiku and design

My passion is to create inspirational designs that help people to be in the moment. This is done through the beautiful and simple form of haiku poetry and as a professional graphic designer, I’ve been able to achieve this. I’m naturally drawn to quietness and peaceful moments and my art is a reflection of that.

Over my career I have worked with many clients on projects including brand development, design and layout for newsletters and traditional print newspapers, magazines, books and major web-based projects. On weekends, evenings and sometimes between projects I would immerse myself in my haiku, design and in what I came to recognize as my calling.

With what started out as a hobby creating art cards using my grandmother’s haiku, lead me to designing and making art. I have taken several fine art courses and workshops where I learned paper making, book- binding and collage. I have gone through intensive productive periods of only making paper, then absorbing myself in bookbinding.

This creative evolution lead me to collage and assemblage, which takes collage to the next level by turning things into a three dimensional form. I was using shadow box frames and building art that consisted of many layers with a variety of different materials such as rice, beautiful translucent papers, paint, beads, wax and other natural materials. I was making interesting textures from Japanese paper and forming designs with a Zen feel. Some of these pieces featured my Grandma’s haiku.

Since then, I’ve learned how to write haiku which I use to create digital designs. This has allowed me to create a harmonious blend of my passions for writing poetry, creating beautiful art, and showcasing my graphic design skills.

My friends and colleagues loved my “hobby” work, and I often gifted my friends with haiku cards, wall art and collages. I also created a product line of haiku pieces that people loved to buy as gifts. I began to receive private commissions for short story books on the birth of a child, wedding gifts to brides and grooms, and corporate haiku gifts. I couldn’t keep up! I began to ask myself:

What if I could show people how they could make their own haiku cards, wall art and small books?

How could I make it so easy so that even if someone did not have a creative bone in his or her body, they could create beautiful three-liner poems and designs that looked like a professional graphic designer had been at work?

An idea was born.

WHAT IF I COULD CREATE A COURSE SO THAT ANYONE COULD DO WHAT I DO?

…and I did.

My passion for blending stunning imagery with Japanese papers to create digital collages that enhance haiku is my calling. My design approach gives it a look and feel that connects the poem to the visual. My personal view of haiku and design bringing it all together into one form is what I want to show and teach others.

Haiku poetry in conjunction with your own creativity can give you tranquility, inspiration and self-
expression that is unique to your own life’s experiences.

• Are you wanting more tranquility in your life? Haiku poetry can give you this and much more.
• Do you want to be more inspired to be in the moment?
• Are you curious to explore your creative side that is non-intimidating?

If you’ve answered YES to any of these questions, I invite you to take my FREE five day haiku for the seasons mini introduction course. In just 5 days you will create an inspirational and beautiful card that you can gift for someone’s birthday, anniversary, graduation, orr… the list is endless.

In this Introductory course you will:

1. Write a haiku verse
2. Create a beautiful design
3. Have a stunningly beautiful piece of art to give away

do this as many times as you want – family and friends will look forward to your art and treasure them forever.