The Joy Drum Pendant: Art, Heart & A Cause That Matters

What happens when a painting becomes something you can wear close to your heart?

I’m excited to share a new way to experience my artwork, and one that brings together several things I hold dear: creativity, meaningful connections and giving back.

My painting, The Joy Drum, has been transformed into a beautiful wearable art pendant through Queen of Hearts Canada. And if you’re already thinking about meaningful Christmas gifts, this is a lovely way to give someone something unique — a piece of art with a story and a cause behind it.

Each month, Queen of Hearts Canada features five Canadian artists. I’m one of the 5 for November. Our artwork is transformed into pendants, and each artist chooses a charity to support. With every pendant sold, a portion goes to the artist, their chosen charity and Queen of Hearts Canada, helping sustain this creative community project.

It’s a wonderful way to connect art, artists and causes that matter. And in my case, the cause is a very personal one.

If you’ve read my earlier post about The Joy Drum, you’ll know that this painting emerged as part of threeworks exploring surrender during a period of personal processing.

Its message, joy at our core, is one I hold particularly close.

Through time in nature and dancing and chanting on my mini-trampoline, I can more easily reconnect with my True Self and remember that joy can still be present, even when life brings challenges.

I love that this artwork now has another way to share that message.

My connection with Melanoma Canada began after my arrival in Ottawa. I’d come across a Facebook announcement about the Mole Mobile and had signed up for notifications. On May 1, 2026, it made its Ottawa stop as the official kickoff of its cross-Canada tour before heading west.

The Mole Mobile brings free skin cancer screenings directly into communities, making it easier for people to have suspicious moles or skin changes checked. With only about 800 dermatologists serving nearly 40 million Canadians, access to timely skin checks can be challenging.

I was glad for the opportunity to have a skin check, as I had a small red mole on my calf that had been calling my attention. I arrived at 6 a.m. for the 10 a.m. opening and was second in line. By the time I left, there were over 100 people waiting.

That May screening led to a referral to a dermatologist, followed by a biopsy. Near the end of July, I received the melanoma diagnosis. I’m still waiting for further surgery and testing, including a sentinel lymph node biopsy, to find out whether the melanoma has spread.

While waiting in a Walmart parking lot that early May morning, I spoke with others who had been trying for years to get their skin concerns checked. It really brought home just how valuable this service is, and how many more people need to know about it.

I’m profoundly grateful that I happened to see the announcement and that the Mole Mobile was there when I needed it. Supporting Melanoma Canada now feels like a natural way to give something back to an organization whose work has already made a difference in my life.

I hope my participation will help more people discover their work in prevention, education, early detection and support for people affected by melanoma.

I first discovered Queen of Hearts Canada when I saw another artist sharing that her artwork had become part of the project.

I was moved to tears by the concept.

Jewellery + Charities. Art + Giving.

It felt so aligned with what I believe art can do, and so beautifully applied. I knew I wanted to be involved.

Founded by Caroline Séguin, Queen of Hearts Canada has an especially meaningful story of its own. Caroline has been creating and selling jewellery for more than 25 years, but the inspiration for this particular project goes back to a collaborative art installation she participated in in 2014.

The installation was created in honour of a local woman who had faced cancer during her pregnancy. Following the project, Caroline and another participating artist created pendants using imagery from the installation as keepsakes for some of the artists involved.

Caroline kept hers.

Years later, in 2025, Caroline faced her own cancer journey at the very same hospital where the artwork had eventually found a permanent home. The pendant took on a whole new meaning, bringing back memories of the original collaboration and the connections held within a piece of art.

That experience helped inspire Queen of Hearts Canada.

I find this particularly moving. Something that began as a collaborative artwork became a treasured piece of jewellery and eventually helped inspire a project that brings together artists, their stories and charitable causes.

Caroline also hopes to support emerging artists who can find it challenging to get their work seen. Her vision is that people who purchase the pendants become ambassadors for the artists and their chosen causes. A pendant might spark a conversation, introduce someone to a new artist or help them discover a charity they didn’t know about.

I love that idea. It’s about more than selling jewellery; it’s about creating connections and helping good things reach further.

When Caroline contacted me, her enthusiasm was wonderful. Once I’d been selected, she sent me a mock-up of the pendant featuring The Joy Drum. We connected with the fundraising team at Melanoma Canada to make sure they were on board, and everything unfolded with such ease and grace.

Caroline is on the ball! She’s fast, professional and genuinely enthusiastic about bringing this vision to life. She handcrafts and packages every piece herself.

She even came to see me at my exhibition at Prana Shanti Wellness Centre on the weekend to personally deliver my pendant. The timing was perfect because I was able to wear it for a professional photo shoot for a magazine cover that afternoon. More about that exciting experience in a future post!

I’m thrilled to see The Joy Drum take on a new life in this way. Its message of remembering the joy at our core feels particularly meaningful right now.

Whether you’re treating yourself or looking for a thoughtful Christmas gift for someone special, I’d love for you to consider the Joy Drum Art Pendant Necklace.

At $35 CAD, you can choose a gold or silver finish, each with a matching chain, or opt for a black cord.

And $7 from every pendant sold goes to me as the participating artist, with another $7 going directly to Melanoma Canada.

It’s a way to wear a piece of my artwork while supporting both an artist and a cause that matters.

I also invite you to explore Queen of Hearts Canada and discover the other participating artists and their chosen causes. And if you see something you love, sharing it or leaving an encouraging word is another lovely way to help these artists reach new audiences.

Thank you, Caroline, for dreaming up this beautiful project and inviting me to be part of it.

Here’s to more art, more connection, more generosity and remembering the joy at our core!

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