During this somber moment while an entire sovereign Country fights a war waged on them by a single man, not a nation, I wanted to reveal a very close and dear tie between La Flora Tarot and the Ukraine.
Those of you, La Flora Tarot backers, who elected to purchase a wooden item, be it the popular deck wooden case, the card holders, all the way up to the modular La Flora eXperience, know that you have in your hands a piece of Ukraine - Ukrainian wood, Ukrainian craftsmanship, Ukrainian passion, hard work and dedication.
Challenging, as it could have been, the execution of all La Flora Tarot wooden designs is the result of a collaboration with a fine Ukrainian gentleman, whose kindness and directiveness made smooth a complicated process. I invite you, I encourage you to hold your piece of wood and feel and send love. Love behind the art. Love behind the lives.
I wrote to "Vlad" not as an associate, not as friend, but as a fellow human being wishing him good luck, however that might be understood as, and that a resolution towards peace be reached sooner than later.
La Flora Tarot pulls the “Black”, from the “Black & Blank Cards”, in solidarity, respect and mourning of this pitiful grievance imposed on the Ukrainian People, in hopes of a resurgent “Blank” card as the canvas of new beginnings and possibilities.
- - UPDATE --
A couple of days after writing this blog post, I heard back from Vlad and he told me that his wife, son and daughter had safely left Ukraine (his son, being 19, luckily, was in Turkey when the invasion broke out, thus avoiding being drafted) but that, as with his other male compatriots, he stayed to fight for his Country.
He also expressed gratitude for helping spread the word and how "heartwarming" reading this post felt to him. He went on to finish his message with these words:
"Please, pray for Ukraine and our people.
Слава Україні"
[Glory to Ukraine!]