Personal Projects

The last twenty years haven’t left much time or space for personal projects. The blessing of being a stepmom of three and mom of one has been the focus of my creative efforts–a journey I’m incredibly grateful for. In the margins between homeschooling my son, gardening, and being actively involved with the Granby Artists and South Church, somehow, these projects from simple to complex have emerged. Hope you enjoy this glimpse into how my love of letters has emerged into the world.

Carved and Gilded Bookcase

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants is a celebration of the scribes of old and the wisdom they preserved for us

Carved and Gilded Bookcase

Love * Be Loved. Part two of our bookcase.

Road signs for Bees

Beekeeping has become part of my family’s life. These signs were a playful way to speak for the bees.

Pumpkin XYZ

Letters just never leave my head!

Carved Stair Rail

Supercalifragilistic carved onto poplar

Thank You To Maggie

A Sunday school teacher to our kids. Each of us made our own letter. Well, we did help the dog with her sign 🙂

Climate March Sign

A Path of Failures

An artist book by Debby Reelitz

I often get the question, “How long does an artwork take to create?” I often give a very mixed answer. In the case of this book, it was 12 years in the making. I made the backgrounds in a workshop with Laurie Doctor in 2013 and lettered the text in January 2024. This winter, I wrote these words as a reflection on my creative process.

Finding the balance between patience and impatience is a trick for me. Sometimes I do need to wait for the right text to come forth. Sometimes I need time for my skills to develop. Sometimes, honestly, most times, I need to stop second-guessing an idea and just letter. That’s where being impatient is really valuable too.