"I can tell The Local Honey Picture Box was created from a place of caring and empathy. If you've ever had your heart broken, whether from a failed relationship, death of a loved one, depression, disappointment, or just the harsh realities of an unfair world, you'll know exactly where this deck and its message of Self-Love come from. When you're in this dark place of grief you only have enough energy to focus on the necessities required to get you through the next five minutes. But eventually, you muster enough energy to put one foot in front of the other, figuratively and literally, and that is when you begin a journey of self-discovery, and hopefully self-love. People who have been in this place, tend to do their best to make the world a kinder place for those who cross their path. That is where this deck was born, and where it lives.

You could read the guidebook front to back, and it would read like a multi-step recovery program. It's like a roadmap to renewal. You begin in the black hole, commit to self-love, grow through discomfort, challenge your ego, acknowledge your faults, make space for grief, learn to forgive, and finally embrace the new version of yourself. The familiarity of this formula makes sense because the creator, Emily Wilcox, pulled inspiration from Jungian psychology, 12-step programs, chaos magic, and an anti-capitalist and anarchist ethos. While some self-love decks can feel like condescending products of a capitalistic industry, the messages from The Local Honey Picture Box feel genuine and comforting.

There is a sincerity in the way Emily depicts people in this deck. The faces of the people in this deck are tangible, approachable, and familiar. These look like the people I see each day on my social media feeds, or that I see on local news features, or people I see at the local farmer's market. I can see the essence of the models who sat as inspirations for these art pieces.

When Emily originally contacted me to review her deck, I was intrigued and thought that it would be interesting to our followers. I had no idea that I would find it such a validating experience. When you're in that dark place that I mentioned earlier, you think that you are probably the only person going through it (despite the fact that you know this isn't true), but to have a visual representation of the journey out of the dark place into the light is something really beautiful. I am honored to have this deck in my collection.”

-Havana James, Indie Deck Review

(abridged version; full version available for IDR Patreon subscribers)

Next

ghost-bear sorrow-skin (2016)