I have been a busy little bee in my home art studio lately. I have been very motivated and inspired to work on illustrating some children’s books I have written. But it’s hard. Very hard. And harder than it sounds – harder than I thought. I have big visions and plans for them (like any creative person does when they have a mind to create something). I also take the responsibility very seriously because of the very nature of the project and the fact that it involves kids and trying to inspire and delight them. And of course children’s books aren’t only for the children, but for grown ups as well! That’s another factor I keep pondering that has been making it difficult for me. So basically, I have been working, creating, dreaming about these books I have written and have realized that I have been too much in my head about the illustration part of it and that I need a break.
Not a break from artistic expression, but rather a break from trying to find that “style” for the books that will be the “perfect” fit. The style will come if I just keep on creating. I know that from past experience. It’s funny though because sometimes outsiders looking in think that artists just have one particular style when really I believe that MOST artists have several different styles – almost to the point that some work from the same artist looks like a different artist created it altogether.
So I have taken an official break from the children’s books this week and have started doing a personal painting that I have had in my head for a while. I want to do a mama-made portrait for each kid’s bedroom and I have had so much fun working on this piece for M’s room. The inspiration is from a favorite photo that B snapped almost two years ago on Easter Sunday. It’s been fun to paint just for art’s sake and without a specific project in mind other than to delight and inspire our own kids.
I do plan to get back to my book illustrations soon though because I know that the dream has been put in my heart for a reason…and we all know that whatever is IN your heart is what will come OUT. It must.
#instudio