Welcoming in May with a Journey Stick

A beautiful seasonal ritual

Welcome to my wee corner of Substack. I am a seasonal artist living on the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. I am the custodian of approximately two acres of land that includes a woodland, a meadow and my wee garden. I offer a seasonal book arts project for paid subscribers if you are interested and you can read more about that HERE. Grab a cuppa and lets delve into our relationship with the shifting seasons…

I first discovered journey sticks before I knew what they were. I found a stick in the woods and peeled away the bark and let it dry. I then painted it lots of bright colours and the seeds were set. I was 6 years old.

You can add a zero to that number and I am still making and using journey sticks but I now understand their significance a bit more. Over the years I have made them a part of my seasonal creative practice and I have loved every single one I have made. Journey sticks actually mean different things to different folk but here I am sharing what they mean to me in case anyone wants to give them a try.

A journey stick in my world is a way to record seasonal changes by creating a stick that can hold those precious encounters in various forms. The sticks represent my deep connection with the natural world and my ability to spot even the smallest change.

First comes the preparation and this is such fun. You need a stick, not too thick, not too thin and approximately 40-50cm in length. Strip the bark or use a piece of driftwood and let it dry completely. In my world my sticks get painted but you could decorate it how you like. I paint mine as it instantly takes me back to my childhood and, in doing so, frees my creative soul. I use a thin layer of white gesso first so that the acrylic paint doesn’t seep into the stick and the colours remain vibrant. While the stick is drying I am off hunting for yarns, strings, fabrics etc to use as wee wraps. At various intervals I wrap my yarns etc around the stick and tie with a double knot but leave two long tails. Once this is complete my stick is ready to receive.

Sometimes I take my stick with me on a walk and gather as I go. Other times I leave it at home and bring things home in various pockets. I use the yarn tails to secure my precious findings to the stick. These findings might include some of the following -

• Shells from the beach (look for shells with holes in)

• Pottery from the beach (using thin wire to secure)

• Seaglass from the beach (using thin wire to secure)

• Flowers (never pick wildlowers by their roots)

• Herbs

• Small branches

• Pine cones

• Seedheads

• Dried flowers from my garden or walks

• Sheep wool caught in barbed wire

  

  

Once my stick is complete it plays homage to a favourite walk and time spent in nature. I change my stick regularly but I also add things like ribbons and beads. Every addition holds a meaning for me and I am the only person that can understand my stick. I talk a lot about the personal nature of my my seasonal creativity journey and this is an excellent example to share.

I sometimes plant my stick in a flower pot and let it weather as time passes. Other times I have it in an old vintage jug in my studio. I look at my journey stick a great deal and get endless inspiration from it. However, it is of greater value than that. For me, my journey stick reminds me of the importance of immersing myself in the natural world by taking a journey with nature.

We hear a lot about how walking is good for our health and it is but it is not just the physical exercise that is good for us. Our mental wellbeing gets a super boost while out walking in the natural world. With a journey stick it shows us the way to ‘see’ the natural world in all its many layers and across all the shifting seasons.

My latest journey stick was made to welcome in May. I grew up in rural England in a small village where Maypole dancing to welcome May was a thing. When I was quite young I loved it and we had the Maypole in our field in our wee school. If you have ever tried it you will know it is not an easy dance and only one person needs to go the wrong way and it descends into chaos. But I have a happy memory so I painted my stick with a ribbon design and attached ribbons and beads to it. I then went for a wander around my garden as it is such a beautiful time of year. I gathered, attached and felt that very familar smile deep within me. It is a feeling of ‘coming home’ that washes over me and reminds me how blessed I am to live on such a beautiful planet.

Until next time, Fiona x

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