Bunnies and Blooms
My adorable niece is turning seven. One minute I was changing her nappy and next thing I know she is educating me on how butterfly wings have scales (I seriously didn’t know that). I really wanted to paint something special for her birthday and was keen to explore a different illustration style from what I’ve done before. Georgia has a thing for bunnies (lets be honest, who doesn’t), so I knew they had to be a feature of this painting.
I’m a bit of a fan-girl when it comes to pattern, florals and folk art – influences from my studies in fashion and textile design back in the day. It’s rare you will see a dress in my wardrobe that doesn’t have some kind of pattern, flower or animal on it (I’m trying to dress a bit more like a grown up these days). I was keen to illustrate this piece in a cute folk-sy kind of style, with more refined imagery than I have done in the past.
This piece was full of firsts for me as an artist; painting on wood, painting with acrylics (a medium I’m not so familiar with) and in a style that is new to me. But I really enjoyed the process of playing – from first bunny sketches, arranging the composition, preparing the circular wood panel for paint and selecting a colour palette that was feminine but not too typical.
I think seven year old Georgia was pretty chuffed with her gift, although I think the two guinea pigs she received may have pipped me at the post for best birthday present.
