H&H and Print Hole Collab: on friendship, community connection & goal setting talismans
This is a Humans of Heart & Hands appreciation + cross promotional post of one of our talented H&H clients of which Christina has formed both a professional and personal relationship with. This is a great opportunity to highlight our client’s wonderful, vibrant and joyful body of work!
My soft spoken, warm and talented client, Austin first visited Heart & Hands back in May of 2022 for support managing a panic disorder. And from this first visit, it was absolutely clear that acupuncture was THE modality Austin’s nervous system needed, providing him immediate relief and a profound, deep relaxation. Since then, Austin has been a regular in our Community Acupuncture practice to manage the stressors of grad school, juggling work-life balance and decompressing from the universal experience of late stage Capitalism.
Gradually over time, we became friends bonding over art, music, being recovering grad students and an appreciation of Japanese culture. I also discovered that Austin had immersed himself in a side hustle creating Japanese-inspired block prints and screen printing. It has been inspiring to witness his small business, Print Hole gradually grow and connect with the community, so I promised myself that when the moment was right, I would commission him to create something for Heart & Hands. Late 2023, I was so excited (and jealous…) for Austin when he announced that he was taking a solo trip to Japan. He promised he would bring me back a little piece of Japan on his travels and when he returned, he presented me a 3 inch tall, paper mache Daruma, which in a few months, I would understand the true gravity of this auspicious gift.
A Daruma doll is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, typically red and depicting the Indian monk, Bodhidharma, vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered a toy by some, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.
When purchased, the figure’s eyes are both blank white. The owner selects a goal or wish and paints in the left eye of the figure’s two eyes with Chinese or Japanese ink. Once the goal is achieved, the right eye is filled in.
Austin’s gift was given to me December 14, 2023, which was very timely as we have been looking for a larger location, further away from the grind and chaos of downtown for several years now, but nothing seemed to manifest. A few weeks after receiving my Daruma, I decided to set the goal of looking for a new location again and decisively coloured in the left pupil. March 2024, after passing by the For Lease sign at 2612 Quadra St, our crazy journey of securing our lease and undergoing renos…Several VERY BUSY months later, here we are, July 15th being our reopening day at H&H 2.0.
My Daruma, with both pupils now filled, accompanied me to my first day at work at the new location, July 16, 2024. Since then, he sits proudly at his post on our front desk, watching over everyone who enters and exits 2612 Quadra St, wishing them good fortune and courage.
Summer of 2024, in the midst of renos, I finally commissioned Austin to create 4 block prints of the poster behind our front desk:
We provide for our community:
Compassion (chrysanthemum)
Equality (Yin Yang)
Dignity (Crane)
Respect (Open Hands)
In accordance with
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The finished product is a set of 4 flags that now adorn our front window. A set of principles that we humbly strive for in our practice, day in and day out. They are a reminder of our shared humanity and that building community is an imperfect, organic, ever-evolving process.
Thank you Austin for your beautiful work! It has been an honor to provide you care and to collaborate with you!
You can find Austin’s work on Instagram @print_hole or at printhole.ca
I first visited Heart & Hands on the recommendation of a friend. I had only been to community acupuncture once before, and as a student at the time, I was drawn to the sliding scale and accessibility that H&H provided to its clients. After my first visit with Christina, I immediately felt held by her gentle and calming nature and her almost psychic ability to always know what I was feeling in my body just by checking my pulse. That began a couple of years of bi-weekly visits, which became a crucial part of my routine in coping with my derealization disorder.
Since then, I have visited Christina for several other reasons—heartbreak, injuries, and low energy, to name a few. We connected over our mutual suffering through grad school and our shared interest in Japan. On top of that, Christina always recognizes the band shirts I wear, so she obviously has great music taste.
I started Print Hole in December 2020 as an outlet to share my newfound interest in printmaking. I had no prior art experience—never took an art class in school, didn’t really draw. I liked looking at art but didn’t know how to make it or collect it. I was in the midst of a severe mental health crisis, suffering through intense derealization and depersonalization, and had not yet been diagnosed with a disorder surrounding it. Printmaking became my way of connecting with the physical world, and so I poured all of my time into it. Since then, Print Hole has unintentionally grown into a successful business.
I visited Japan for a month at the end of 2023, and while there, I couldn’t stop thinking that I needed to bring Christina a souvenir. I have a tough time picking things for people, but when I saw a Daruma doll, I instantly knew it was for Christina. For those who may not be familiar, Daruma dolls are symbols of luck. They are hollow dolls with eyes that need to be painted in. The recipient fills in one eye while focusing on a goal. They place the Daruma somewhere they will see it often, and the Daruma can “see” them in return. With the promise that filling in the second eye will grant him full sight once the goal is achieved, the Daruma serves as a motivator. I believe Christina had the goal of opening her new space, so I need not speak to the efficacy of the Daruma.
I was bullied relentlessly for being fat as a kid and teenager, and because of that, I never really felt like I had a community. “Friends” were bullies, my peers were bullies, even my family bullied me at times. Because of this, I had never truly experienced a sense of community and kinship before Print Hole. Being an artist in Victoria is pretty magical—I don’t know that I’d make it anywhere else. But here, I am able to connect with so many people who are all searching for the same thing. We all want to be part of something greater, to create together, and to express our love and appreciation for one another.
So when Christina asked me to design these flags for her new storefront, I was elated! To be able to create something so special for a place that has been pivotal in my battle with mental health—and a place where community is at the forefront—felt like an incredible honor. I am incredibly grateful for Christina and H&H.
