Print Released: Winter 2024
Peace is one of the words we long for most during difficult seasons of life.
We crave a kind of peace that rises above our circumstances — a peace that carries us through storms and gives us the quiet strength to keep moving forward.
But peace rarely comes easily.
When our world falls apart, when loss or trauma touches our lives, we can feel broken and untethered, unsure of what we can hold on to.
And for some, the deepest wounds come from the very people who were meant to love and protect them.
What happens when the ones who were supposed to guide you instead become part of the pain?
How do you find peace when the place that should have been safest was not safe at all?
These are questions many foster children, adoptees, and trauma survivors quietly carry with them.
And the truth is — there is no simple answer.
As someone who has walked through my own healing journey and spent time with others navigating trauma, I know that peace is not something you find overnight. It is not something you follow on a map.
Finding peace often requires patience, support, and a long journey toward healing.
Designing a Print About Peace
When I began designing our winter print, I faced a challenge.
How do you capture peace while also honoring the hidden struggles that many people carry?
I didn’t want to create a fairytale version of peace that ignores the complexity of healing. True peace often comes through years of growth, reflection, and resilience.
But I also didn’t want the artwork to feel heavy or dark.
Instead, I wanted to tell a story about strength, belonging, and hope — even in the coldest seasons of life.
That is how the idea for Arctic Joy began.
A Cherished Memory
During my brainstorming process, my mind kept returning to a visit I once made to a Christian group home for children.
I remember the peaceful property surrounded by nature, with small homes scattered across the land. The children planted gardens together. They rode horses as part of equine therapy. They shared meals in their houses and spent afternoons hiking, laughing, and playing hide-and-seek.
I had the privilege of spending time with these kids — talking with them, walking the trails, and listening to their stories.
Many of the children living there had experienced profound loss. Some had struggled to thrive in the traditional foster care system. Others had families they loved but could not safely return to.
Through the generosity of churches and individuals, these children were able to live in a safe environment where their needs were cared for and their healing could begin.
It was a place where broken stories were slowly being rewritten.
The Birth of Arctic Joy
From that reflection, the concept for Arctic Joy began to take shape.
I imagined a winter landscape filled with animals gathered together in warmth and companionship. Each animal is engaged in simple moments of peace — like the tiny mouse roasting a marshmallow over the fire.
The expressions on the animals reflect innocence, patience, and quiet contentment.
If you look closely, you may also notice a gentle hint of melancholy in their eyes — a subtle reminder that healing journeys often carry both sadness and strength.
Their posture, however, tells a different story: one of resilience, courage, and belonging.
Even in the cold, there is warmth.
Adding the Seal
We completed the design by including a precious seal.
Seals are my daughter’s favorite animal, and she is lovingly nicknamed our little “Seal” at home.
As I worked on this print, she was very much in my heart and mind. So it felt natural to include a small seal teddy in the design — one that looks almost identical to her beloved security animal.
In the print, we placed the igloo close beside her.
It symbolizes something deeply meaningful to us: the journey toward finding a forever home.
It is also our way of sharing how your support truly makes a difference. Adoption can be incredibly expensive, especially in complex cases like ours.
Every purchase helps support our family’s adoption journey, and we are deeply grateful for the kindness and encouragement from this community.
Finding Joy in the Cold
Arctic Joy is ultimately a story about hope.
It is about the quiet, steady warmth that can exist even in the coldest seasons of life.
For children who have experienced trauma, for adoptees navigating identity and belonging, and for families walking the road of foster care and adoption — healing is rarely simple.
But joy can still be found.
Sometimes it appears in small moments of safety, laughter, friendship, and love.
And sometimes, it looks like a group of animals gathered together around a warm fire in the middle of winter.
