It's quiet here. I can hear the sheep in the fields, insect buzz and birdsong. So many finches, it's beautiful. My studio is scented with white sage. And I am tired. Last week was a hard week, with much painting. There was some shaping of the Book of Birds, some writing, and much painting for two new projects. Both of these involve foxes. In a way perhaps the one grew from the other, which in turn grew from something else. 

I do love foxes. There's a few foxes in Feather, Leaf. I love the way my head feels inside when I catch a sight of that wild wild creature and they go about their lives without giving me even a moment's attention. But also those times when you feel that connection- in a city street, at night, on a corner- there. A fox. And they stand and look at you as if to question why you walk their territory. Or, sitting on the hill and that rust-red strolls through a fresh cut green and sits to scratch and stretch in the sun.

It was the fox who first guided me towards The Lost Spells. Now they have trotted their way into the next Spellsongs show and CD. Over the past couple of years I have given as gifts folded 'accordion books' with paintings of otters or foxes as presents. These were worked as part of my practice for learning the shape of a fox in paint. And then I began to think, it would be good if others could maybe do the same. So, now, in addition to all my other works with Unbound there is also the Accordion Book project. I've begun with two, Fox and Otter. I need to chase, hunt down, the owrds for them, but that will be good. I think some time on the hill will help, both with the tiredness and the word-searching. I'm also wondering about whether the words should be hand drawn this time. Feather, Leaf is typed. Perhaps it's time to step further back from computer fonts, towards the dip pen, or even, to craft a quill? 

You can read more about this new project here: Accordion Books. Part book, part artwork, part prayer, hopefully all beauty. The film is beautiful, and was made by Seven Fables at Northmoor House. 

They won't be publishing until next year, and in the meantime East of the Sun and The Wild Swans will be published, and in Autumn, hopefully I will be out doing events around these books. Seven Fables also have a special The Lost Spells event coming up in Dunster, so keep an eye on them and sign up to their newsletter for more details. They also have new work of mine inhouse and we are plotting and planning something very special for next year.

Thank you, all of you, for supporting my work, both here and through independent bookshops. I may be tired to the bone, but also I feel it's a great privelege to be able to work as I do, cocooned in my cadis-fly-larva den of a studio. I will continue to endeavor to do the best that I can.

Oh, and one more thing: I have a couple of small foxes for sale for a bookshop in USA. Harriet's Bookshop are looking to purchase their own property. They are a fierce, brave and beautiful bookshop. They are near their target, but still some way away, so please share and help them spread the word. I may never go there, never see them, but I can buy books on line from them and there is so much I can learn from them. So, these next two small foxes shown are for sale in support of their crowdfunder. First, Small Sleeper 8 x 5.5 small sleeper in Jay blue Deep Deep Light paint £120

Second: 13 x 10 CM’s in Deep blue £250

To buy either of these you need to email me at jackie@jackiemorris.co.uk and I will send the details for donation. 

As I said before, thank you. Take care. Watch the skies for shooting stars. It's that time of the year when Perseids are showering from the dark skies.