Sag Harbor Artist Pens Children's Book Meant To Teach About Life, Death And Happiness

It was 30 years ago when Sag Harbor artist Maryann Lucas had a deep awakening. That awakening, all these years later, has manifested itself into a children’s book, “Seven Circles of Light: How They Were Born and What They Became” The self-published book is meant to spark a conversation between parents and children about life, death and finding happiness.

“I was in my 30s when I just had the courage to make myself vulnerable as opposed to be perfect. I found that in my imperfections came true perfections, it was a really real way to be with other people,” Ms. Lucas said.

“I used that notion that in our separateness, we all come from one pure energy,” she added.

In the book, light exists and is lonely. A prism enters and splits the light into the seven colors of the rainbow. But they, too, are lonely, so they enter earth. When they get to earth, two of the colors become little girls.

“I took at scientific truth and I used my imagination to tell the story, and a children’s book gave me the breath to use my imagination,” Ms. Lucas said.

In addition to drawing inspiration from her own personal growth, Ms. Lucas said she was guided by nature and local landscapes. In the book, both of the little girls felt drawn to a park, which is in some ways reminiscent of Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor. The book also features a duck pond, the weather, the water, the trees and the rocks.

In the book, egrets play a very important role. Ms. Lucas does not remember egrets on the East End while growing up, but she remembers them showing up about 30 years ago.

Ms. Lucas said the children’s book gave her a way to break through the current negativity of the world and reach out to people with her message.

“I also feel that people are being so critical right now of judging and tearing each other apart and fiction is fake,” she said. “It felt like a way I could put my thoughts out there and be received.”

“Honestly, I feel like children are open. First of all, I think children are very intelligent and capable of handling big concepts like kindred spirits and healing from nature,” Ms. Lucas added. “I have an enormous respect for the vibrant spirits of children.”

Ms. Lucas hopes that her book will be read to children by someone who loves them and that they are able to talk about their desires and finding their happiness.

“I hope that they learn their desires are unique to themselves and the trick is to follow those impulses to their happiness,” Ms. Lucas said. “If we couldn’t connect with each other, we need to connect with the earth. It was ironic to be write this about these things when these things were being held back from us in some way.”

“This book is me following this dream,” she added.

The book is available at Sag Harbor Books, Southampton Books, Parrish Art Museum Shop, Grenning Gallery and Romany Kramoris Gallery.