My Illustrations Will Take You To A Dreamworld

You know that feeling when you hop into a warm bath or open the pages of a good book, that 'aaaaah' feeling of relaxation, the feeling that 'you're home' after a long day, that is what I'm aiming for when I create my paintings.

Our days are full of rushing, many of us are feeling like we can't possibly manage another single thing, and yet every day, we are asked to do extra, to try harder, to accomplish more. I am trying always to bring a balance into my own life, through my art, each painting or drawing, is a little reminder to myself, to slow down. I'm also attempting to restore happy memories of childhoods past to my grown up viewers and by triggering those memories, restore a balance and a sense of purpose, place and hope in anyone who's feeling depressed or hopeless, in anyone who's lost faith in themselves and others.

I recall my own childhood, the things that really made me happiest were books with illustrations that took me somewhere else, where I could loose myself for a while.

In order to be inspired, I spend a lot of time in nature, photographing insects, leaves, shells, waves, seascapes, landscapes and raindrops.

I hope my paintings take you on little journeys outside the normal everyday sphere of living, into dreamworlds and other realms where imagination can flow unhindered by the troubles and worries and stress.

More info: redbubble.com

I love the idea of unusual animal friendships that I've sometimes seen on tv. I thought that a hedgehog and owl would make a splendidly sweet couple. Here they are, extending a hug and a gentle kiss. This was also created as a pencil drawing first, later I used a stylus pen to paint it in Procreate on my iPad.

This is all about sweetness and love. I started with a pencil drawing on paper, later I used a stylus pen to paint it in a software program called Procreate.

I just can't get enough of painting foxes, they are one of my favourite subjects, I love everything about their sweet faces, colouring and graceful swiftness. They are a very interesting animal to observe, I particularly adore baby foxes, or baby animals in general. Here we have a sweet little fox family, with a couple of birds and butterflies, as well as stars, to mark the time as twilight. This was painted after I'd drawn it in pencil on paper, in Procreate for iPad with my stylus pen. I go through a LOT of stylus pens by the way!

Sloths are the most adorable creatures, I love how they remind us to take life more slowly, I adore the markings on their beautiful faces and how sweet they are. I created this using my stylus pen in Procreate for iPad.

As a little girl, I had the amazing experience of being surrounded by tiny baby foxes nipping at my heels with their very sharp little teeth. Seeing animals like this at such a young age, imprints upon you, so that you are either in love with them, or afraid of them. I love foxes, but am a little afraid of dogs, due to a bad experience. I thought this pairing of a cute fox and owl would be just lovely, by the light of the silvery gold full moon. This began as a pencil drawing, which I hastened to paint in Procreate for iPad with my trusty stylus pen.

I painted this as a reminder to myself (and others) of the importance of stopping, of the importance of punctuating our days with commas (little rests/breaks) to reset and recharge our batteries, to remind us to walk outside and spend a little time in the sunshine and in nature each and every day, for maximum wellbeing, health and wholeness. This started off as a pencil drawing, which I painted in Procreate with my stylus pen.

It is so important to me, to get across the idea of friendship, love, affection, kindness and empathy. The only way I know how, is to draw something in some way shows it in action, simply with a tender look, as in this painting. Two little deer, affectionately greet, accompanied by two very cute hedgehogs. This was painted in Procreate for iPad with a stylus pen.

This was inspired by my great love for nature, I especially love tiny plump birds, that are all fluffed up. This comes from the ornaments I used to love to look at in my Grandma's house, especially the heavy transparent glass birds on her mantlepiece. I love giving my children large oversized heads, because it impresses upon us that maternal love we feel towards babies. Another reminder painting, of how important it is and what a blessing it is, to stop and pause in nature for a little while each day. I promise you will see things, you never even knew were there. This is also a pencil drawing, painted in Procreate for iPad with my stylus pen.

This painting was so much fun to create, I enjoyed creating the waves with the boat perched on top, and the sweetness between the two figures and little puppy dog, going for a little walk along the beach, in the bright sunshine, there is a rainbow in the background. This is a pencil drawing, painted digitally.

I painted this in honour of my friend's new baby girl, I wanted to convey how happy I was for his new family. I began with a pencil drawing on paper, and it was then painted in many layers in Procreate for iPad with my stylus pen.

A dear little fairy, I've always been enchanted by stories of fairies, and so here, have attempted my own, which I was very pleased with, the soft colours were important, as fairies do blend into nature, it's their way of camouflaging and protecting themselves you know. A pencil drawing, which I painted digitally.

Art can be a balm to our busy lives, providing gentle reminders to pause and cherish the moment. Just as one strives to incorporate serene and uplifting elements into their artwork, we're reminded of how important it is to find simple pleasures in everyday life.

Exploring this idea further, check out how certain reminders can enhance your daily routine by visiting this engaging piece on helpful life inspirations.