Martha Link Walsh will introduce her new book, A Paper-Cut Christmas: The Twelve Days of Christmas, at her gallery on Friday, Nov. 13 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The evening will be a celebration of the release of her second book and the start of the holiday season.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Holiday traditions may vary among cultures and generations, but the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has lasted the test of time through both. Its unwritten origins and references to mythology and pagan beliefs, together with the intriguing meanings given by Christians, add to the enduring magic of this Christmas classic.

For this second book in the Paper-Cut Christmas series, Walsh said she was inspired to create two interpretive styles. Representing the traditional style, cut-from-one-piece white and red images illustrate the verses as we know them today. The layers-of-color collages, in the manner of Henri Matisse, connect to the ancient origins of this carol. The spirit of the season is captured by these paper-cuttings and, together with the text, add new dimension to this memory song, she said.

A self-taught artist, Walsh has maintained a gallery in Branford for 40 years, selling her original creations and one-of-a-kind paper-cut family heirlooms. Each is designed to tell a story, a birth, a wedding, a retirement, a celebration in paper-cut images and symbols that capture memories. Her first book, A Paper-Cut Christmas: Legends of the Gift Giver, was published in 2013.

The Martha Link Walsh Gallery is located at 188 North Main Street in Branford. For more information, contact Martha at 203-481-3505, or visit www.marthalinkwalsh.com.