Tools & Talismans:
100 Conversations in Watercolor
The Tools & Talismans project began in the Spring of 2015 as a way to learn how to use a set of watercolor pencils – a medium I’d never explored; it grew into a project that included reaching out to 347 women, 17 pads of watercolor paper, spreadsheets to keep track of everything, creating a painting a week for 100 weeks, one very hard-working paintbrush, and in the spring of 2019, a book.
So many of our stories are written into the things we treasure, the tools we use, and the various and sundry talismans we carry along with us throughout our lives. Tools & Talismans is the story of how I developed and grew a painting practice and created a studio diary of sorts — a record of stories from 100 women about their most treasured tools and talismans.
This book is filled with stories (both in words and watercolor) about work, life, family, memories, and milestones — stories about what’s of value to each of these women, how they spend their time, how they share their gifts, where they choose to put their focus, and how they share their experiences of life.
The book is currently unavailable, but the stories are still true and current, please visit the on-line gallery below to experience the paintings and stories.
Tools & Talismans has been featured in:
The 100 Contributors to Tools & Talismans
Adair Lara
Writer. Teacher.
Aimee Dolich
Hand-letterer. Illustrator. Writer.
Small-Moment Documenter. Traveler.
Alexandra Eldridge
Artist.
Alexandra Franzen
Writer.
Alisha Sommer
Writer. Photographer. Seeker of Beauty & Light.
Alyson Stanfield
Art Coach. Speaker.
Amy Bloom
Writer. Reader.
Amy Flurry
Writer. Business Consultant. Artist.
Amy Meissner
Textile Artist. Writer.
Amy Tingle
Magic Maker. Craftivist. Collagist.
Andrea Corrona Jenkins
Photographer. Writer.
Anna Guest-Jelley
Yoga Teacher. Author.
Anne Carmack
Writer. Short Filmmaker. Artist.
Ash Ambirge
Entrepreneur. Author. Speaker. Advocate for Disobedient Women.
Barb Skoog
Ebru Artist. Marbling Teacher.
Betsy Cordes
Creative Matchmaker. Cheerleader. Strategist.
Cal Patch
Maker of Clothing. Crochet Crusader. Textile
Arts Teacher.
Catherine McIntyre
Digital Artist. Author.
Christina Baldwin
Writer. Wanderer. Teacher on the Trail of Community and Story.
Christina Roos
Surface Pattern Artist. Ceramic Artist. Photographer.
Christine Haynes
Author. Teacher. Pattern Designer.
Christine Mason Miller
Author. Artist. Storyteller. Guide.
Danielle Krysa
Curator. Artist. Designer.
Dawn Sokol
Author. Artist. Art Journaler.
Debbie Millman
Writer. Designer. Educator. Artist. Brand Consultant. Design Matters Host.
Drusilla Cole
Artist. Author.
Erin Anacker
Designer. People Enthusiast.
Eva Stattine
Acupuncturist. Craniosacral Therapist. Nutritional Counselor.
Faith Evans-Sills
Painter. Creative Guide. World Traveler. Retreat Leader. Author.
Flora Bowley
Artist. Author. Inspirationalist.
Gaëlle Boissonard
Painter. Illustrator.
Glenis Redmond
Poet. Teaching Artist. Imagination Activist.
Hillary Rain
Wanderess. Creative Alchemist. Seeker.
Inka Mathew
Designer. Tiny PMS Matcher.
Janine Vangool
Publisher. Editor. Designer.
Jen Lee
Filmmaker. Writer. Gatherer.
Jen Hewett
Printmaker. Surface Designer. Textile Artist. Teacher.
Jen Louden
Writer. Teacher.
Jennette Nielsen
Maker. Seeker. Huntress. Gatherer. Forager. Mystic. Vagabond Wanderer.
Jill Salahub
Writer. Teacher. Bodhisattva.
Jolie Guillebeau
Artist. Art Therapist. Perpetual Learner.
Jonatha Brooke
Singer. Songwriter.
Jude Stewart
Creative Writer. Visual Culture Observer.
Justine Toms
Radio Host. Author.
Kal Barteski
Artist. Activist.
Karen Rauch Carter
Feng Shui Consultant. Author.
Kathleen Shannon
Creative Coach. Podcaster. Designer. #boss.
Kathryn Clark
Conceptual Fiber Artist.
Katie Hess
Flower Alchemist.
Kay Turner
Writer. Folklorist. Ritualist. Punk Rock Singer. Songwriter.
Kelly Angelovic
Hand Letterer. Illustrator. Surface Pattern Designer.
Kerstin Martin
Squarespace Expert. Online Educator.
Kolleen Harrison
Yoga Instructor.
Spiritual Coach.
Kris Katsuko Oster
Archetypal Brand Strategist.
Latisha Guthrie
Writer. Herbcrafter. Mama.
Laura Simms
Storyteller. Writer. Humanitarian.
Laura Stoddart
Illustrator.
Laurie Wagner
Writing Teacher & Coach. Author.
Mixed Media Artist.
Lila Danielle
Writer. Dancer. Facilitator of Moving, Freeing Experiences.
Lindsay Kluge
Clinical Herbalist. Licensed Nutritionist.
Lisa Anderson Schaffer
Artist. Author.
Lisa Field
Healer. Photographer.
Lisa Parks
Artist. Teacher. Child Protection Social Worker.
Lisa Solomon
Artist. Teacher.
Liz Lamoreux
Writer. Guide. Ambassador of Worthiness.
Liz Schaffer
Editor. Creative Director.
Louise Fili
Italian-American Italophile Designer.
Luisa Fernanda Niño
Illustrator.
Mae Moore
Visual Artist. Musician.
Maggie Oman Shannon
Unity Church Minister. Author. Artist. Mother.
Maggie Taylor
Creator of Lovely Things.
Maria Pace-Wynters
Mixed Media Artist.
Marie Perkins
Author. Designer. Blogger.
Marisa Anne Cummings
Entrepreneur. Artist. Teacher.
Mary Anne Radmacher
Consultant. Artist. Author.
Maya Rachel Stein
Ninja Poet. Writing Guide. Creative Adventuress.
Melanie Falick
Writer. Editor. Creative Director.
Naomi Shihab Nye
Poet. Teacher.
Nina Bagley
Mixed Media Artist. Jeweler.
Norah Gaughan
Knitwear Designer.
Orna Willis
Needlepoint Artist.
Patti Digh
Writer. Speaker. Social Justice Activist.
Penelope Dullaghan
Illustrator. Artist. Creative Meanderer.
Pia Jane Bijkerk
Visual Storyteller.
Pixie Lighthorse
Multi-Generational Healer. Earth Medicine Mother. Prayerful Writer.
Rebecca Hass
Pianist. Teacher. Composer. Brasilophile.
Ren Allen
Bodypainter. Makeup Artist.
Rhea Zimmerman Komarek
Love Bomber. Chiropractor.
S. Nicole Hill
Designer.
Sage Cohen
Poet. Author. Seeker. Friend.
Sarah J. Bray
Digital Strategist. Author.
Sarah Fagan
Organizer. Painter of Objects.
Sherry Belul
Celebrationist.
Stefanie Renée
Scribbler. Painter. Photographer. Project Manager. Creative Advocate. Mom.
Steph Zangeneh
Graphic Designer. Photographer.
Stephanie Perkinson
Sacred Space Maker. Holistic Health & Lifestyle Coach.
Susa Talan
Illustrator. Artist. Creative Maker. Gratitude Champion.
Theresa Reed
Tarot Reader. Astrologer. Author.
Tina Essmaker
Coach. Writer. Speaker.
Tracey Clark
Writer. Photographer. Seeker of Light. Believer in Magic.