Spring came early to New England this year. After a relatively mild winter, in late February, there were pips pushing up through frozen earth and even some modest “Big Nights” (amphibian migrations to vernal pools), some of the earliest ever recorded. The birdsongs abruptly changed, as if someone suddenly switched the forest playlist. Now that we have reached the Vernal Equinox, we are facing some rounds of snow, fully in keeping with New England’s capriciousness.
The winter was a productive one, and a time for firsts. A successful holiday fair and art show, an article published in The Folk Harp Journal, even bookings for weddings. Cu Ruadh steadily gains momentum, and the softness of spring has me optimistic about the coming year.
Spring may have come early but I am definitely a late bloomer. I have been artistic since I was little but only recently have begun to share my work. It has been gratifying and illuminating to see how my work affects people. So far reactions have been positive, my pieces “speaking” to individuals drawn to the messages they convey. When you put your work out there you are putting part of yourself out there and naturally you prefer reactions to be positive and constructive. This has been a big step for me and it has me contemplating the evolution of my art over the years, how it represents my passion, wonder and spirituality. (The four-year old who loved salamanders still does.) And yet, my art is not about me, my message is one of stewardship and protection of those who need our kindness the most. In that vein, I have also been pleasantly surprised to realize that the fact that Cu Ruadh has a mission also resonates very strongly with people. I have yet to encounter a customer who wasn’t thrilled to learn that part of their purchase will go to a wildlife organization.
Our lives are defined by moments, not the everyday routines or mundane, necessary tasks of living but those moments that remove one from the endless flow of “have to” and give us pause. They say “listen” or “here”, and in those moments, whatever we see or hear is strong enough to cut through the daily noise. We are reminded of beauty, depth and magic. When I play my harp for others or create a piece that draws the eye down and in, I am now a part of that magic. I have received the moments that inspire my work and I pay them forward, hopefully reminding folks that there is more, so much more than being dragged along in a current we did not choose. Then I pay it forward again by supporting those who are on the front lines showing kindness and compassion every day to the many creatures we should be sharing this world with.
Cu Ruadh started as an idea, in the very beginning a lifeline to hold onto while in the grip of crushing grief. It has now taken root in the physical world and is growing. We have fairs, farmers markets, weddings and holiday events lining up this year, we will be meeting lots of people and have many opportunities to keep paying things forward. I feel Casey’s spirit woven through our work. Her story and the story of how Cu Ruadh came to be touches people who ask, “What does Cu Ruadh mean?”
I smile, swallow, and say “It means “Red Dog”. It all started years ago when I met a cheeky redhead…”
“Spring drew on…and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps.”
― Charlotte Brontë
Cu Ruadh Artisans 