“When times are easy and there’s plenty to go around, individual species can go it alone. But when conditions are harsh and life is tenuous, it takes a team sworn to reciprocity to keep life going forward. In a world of scarcity, interconnection and mutual aid become critical for survival. So say the lichens.” —Robin Wall Kimmerer

You can find evidence of reciprocity everywhere in the natural world. Deer, for instance, shed their antlers each year, providing accessible nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and protein to rodents and other small forest animals who may otherwise have difficulty finding them. These creatures in turn provide critical ecosystem services—like soil aeration, seed dispersal, and even fire mitigation—that maintain robust habitats that allow deer to thrive. Good nutrition allows for larger antler growth, so these small, sustained acts keep life in balance.

What we put out into the world creates profound ripple effects. Often, it doesn’t directly benefit us. But it has the power to keep us all going. I made these pieces to celebrate this notion of reciprocity—to keep you grounded in the value of sharing your gifts in equal measure with how you receive others’.