Sacred Bee: the cards of Kelly Burton
Early morning in Boulder, Colorado. Sunlight through the studio window, cards spread across the desk, hexagon patterns and sketches of bees and butterflies covering every surface. This is where Kelly Burton works.
From graphic designer to deck creator
Before Burton drew her first card, she worked as a graphic designer. That background still shows — precise lines, strong colour palettes, geometric patterns. But Sacred Bee is about more than aesthetics.
“For me, it’s about connection — between humans and nature, between intuition and understanding.”
Publishing independently under Sacred Soul Productions, Burton funds her projects through Kickstarter and BackerKit. Each campaign gathers hundreds of backers, turning Sacred Bee into something more than an art project — a community.
Four chapters
Journey of the Sacred Bee (2020)
A 78-card deck rooted in the Rider-Waite-Smith system, enriched with keywords. Abstract patterns, hexagons, bold colours. The Kickstarter raised over $29,000 — more than triple its goal. Welcoming for beginners, layered enough for experienced readers.
Wisdom of the Sacred Bee (2021, reissued 2025)
A 68-card oracle working with five elements: earth, water, fire, air and aether. Cosmic and circular, the cards look like miniature universes. Popular among intuitive readers. A revised second edition came out in 2025.
Keeper of the Sacred Bee (2022/2023)
Burton’s completion of the Bee trilogy. 78 cards, darker and more refined than the first two. Draws together the threads of Journey and Wisdom into something more complete. For advanced readers who want a rich symbolic universe.
The Flight of the Butterfly (2025)
A new chapter. Outside the bee theme but in the same spirit: transformation, change, emergence. Inspired by the myth of Psyche. The metamorphosis logic of Sacred Bee continuing in a different form.
Each deck opens a different door, yet together they tell one story: connection, transformation, and our place in the larger whole.
