In Our Hands

“With her signature sanctification of the ordinary, Bonnie Smith Whitehouse declares that craft supplies are holy, letter-writing is resistance, and creating anything—even a page-margin doodle!—is sacred work. When so many of us languish in "What to do?" and slide into daily dread, this book lifts us up from the inside, calling us back to the truth that making things is an ancient gift from our ancestors—and rehearsal for the future we are stitching, sketching, and sculpting through the body. This radiant handbook is hope made doable.” 

“A luminous and deeply humane manifesto for reclaiming agency in a fractured world... An invitation to step away from noise and despair and remember that meaningful change often begins, quite literally, at the table.” 

“This book was like a warm hug from my grandmother, who gifted me buttons and baubles and taught me to use glue guns and needles and thread. In Our Hands invites us to embrace the slowness, the messiness, and the humanness of making things—to see that, in a world of tech-driven, profit-motivated, instant gratification, crafting and creating are radical, transformative acts.” 

“Bonnie Smith Whitehouse is the queen of embodied spirituality, consistently teaching us practical ways to effect wonder in our daily lives. In this book, she nudges us one step further, beckoning us to participate in acts not only of soulful rejuvenation but of creative insubordination... In Our Hands reveals that art-making is more than a pastime or hobby, more even than a form of self-expression or ritual. It is an ancient form of non-violent protest, a revolution of the soul. For the many who feel convicted yet powerless, this book gives us inspiration, but more importantly it gives us agency, and in doing so, it gives us hope. All we need to do is unclench our fists, open our palms, and take matters into our own beautiful, capable hands—with Whitehouse as our guide.” 

“ Timeless and urgent! In Our Hands beckons us all to be a creative force in this world and warmly offers steps we can take to counter the destructive elements in our current moment and beyond.” 

"A poetic and powerful manifesto on the healing force of creative love. With a rare blend of passion and expertise, Bonnie Smith Whitehouse invites readers to awaken curiosity, imagine new possibilities, and rediscover the deep truth that when our hands create, our hearts heal. This is a book the world needs now more than ever." 

“In Our Hands burns with honesty, passion, soulfulness, and a ferocity of earned life wisdom. I can't recommend it highly enough for these days we find ourselves in.” 

“Read In Our Hands and feel your heartbeat steady, your mind calm. It's for artists, yes, but also anyone with a soul.” 

“Whether we realize it or not, we are all makers. This book is a guide to becoming a citizen maker in this chaotic world. It offers insight, tools, and exercises for anyone who is looking for a way to get into good creative trouble.”

"Bonnie Smith Whitehouse offers us refuge in a world of military aggression, capitalist oppression, and quotidian devastation. In Our Hands presents us with a series of habits, rituals, and invitations that enact the divine spark of our human spirit... and preserves the fragile web of our humanity." 

“Upon completing this book I immediately headed into the studio and painted with my hands. Don't worry if that is not your thing; the beauty of Whitehouse's offering is that it provides a feast of constructive examples for personal expression. Read In Our Hands, as it is an ideal primer for making something meaningful.”