Art postcard No. 06: Empathy with ‘No’

This postcard is number 6 in the series: ‘Being empathetic towards another person’s “no” protects us from taking it personally.’ A sentence that says a great deal about non-violent communication if you let it sink in for a moment.

It was illustrated by Christiane Lesch, born in 1940. She studied graphic design in the late 1950s, is a mother of three and a renowned children’s book illustrator. Alongside commissioned work, she devotes herself to painting for her own pleasure, using colour etchings and watercolours. The quotes for this series of cards come from her friend, the NVC trainer Dr Gitta Zimmermann. Christiane was allowed to choose for herself from Dr Zimmermann’s list which statements she wanted to illustrate: “And these quotes really struck a chord with me,” she explains.

Christiane describes how the pictures came about as follows: first, lots of sketches, in consultation with Gitta, then setting them aside to let them mature, “it’s just like yeast dough”. The result is a vibrant, child-friendly colour palette that captivates viewers of all ages.

The card is one of a total of 10 art postcards from Christiane’s studio, which you can buy individually or as a discounted bundle. The designs are also available as a pack of 10 in business-card format, perfect as gifts or as inspiration for workshops and practice sessions.