Ballsy butterflies

Been thinking about butterflies recently, how they are exquisite to look at but also have great meanings in our lives. Butterflies symbolise courage. Whenever I see a tattoo of a butterfly, I think that person must have had a struggle and led a courageous life (or they might just like them to look at, not everyone looks for meaning). They symbolise our own metamorphosis, how we change as we grow and, well, what happens when we shuffle off this mortal coil. Butterflies are cool. I love butterflies.

Just completed a logo for a Dutch based company using the image of a butterfly to represent transformation and metamorphosis on a psychosocial level and they are very pleased with the design! (phew!). Now on to their website.......

Actually, there are so many levels and strands that I love to the creative process but whatever I draw is like a meditation upon the subject that I draw about. I get to know my subject matter. It is part of the illustration process. There are many learned illustrators out there (although I can't really put my hand up here) who are a font of all knowledge and are quietly fascinating people. Hergé, when he wrote his adventures of Tintin, was too busy drawing to travel to all the places Tintin visited, but he was forever reading and looking at photos. He knew many friends from around the world who would describe their environment and he built up a very knowledgable understanding of all these different places. So much so that you would have believed Hergé himself had trekked in the Himalayas.... and I would know, because I have been there.

Have a lovely day all.... until next time. Happy creativity in what ever you are doing x

Welcome to my new website and Merry Christmasssss

Hello and welcome!

Please feel free to plump up a cushion, sip a cup of tea and peruse through the work in your own relaxing time.

I have to say I have had a bit of a disruption from illustrating due to illness and moving to a completely different part of the country, so, hello beautiful Pennine hills and hello fabulous, fine pencils!! Having a break is a good and healthy thing, though, I have returned to the drawing board feeling refreshed and brimming with ideas and it feels pretty damned great to be able to sit at my desk and just draw, draw draw! 

And as for the beautiful Pennine hills, well, we happen to be very artsy, craftsy here you know, and there seems to be a high proportion of artists in the village where we live. I've been getting myself involved with different local collaborations over the last few months; as a guest artist (jointly with artist husband, Ronan) for a Yorkshire calendar with a, umm, fun gnome theme; selling work at a couple of vintage shops here, hello to Al's Emporium and Homebird (I will write more about them on another blog) and exhibiting work at an open show with the Todmorden Art Group in our very own grand Town Hall. I've kind of fallen in love with this creative and quirky place, but that is not surprising, I have strong Yorkshire roots in this area, so it feels a little like coming home.

I'm still getting used to this new site and in the next few days will embed a mini Etsy shop, so I can't navigate you at the moment, and I'll be sorting out a few tweaks that are needed here and there.

And since it is the start of the festive season for many, I want to wish you a beautiful and happy and healthy break and an exquisite New Year.