I recently read something that clicked nicely in my brain and heart. It was along the lines of - an artist doesn’t make work to express themselves, they make work to understand themselves. Painting to “express” yourself has always sounded a bit egocentric. The idea of trying to gain a better understanding of yourself and how you fit into the world is about exploration and discovery which I find far more interesting and engaging.

Stuff like “life” and “the Universe” are big pills to swallow, so I thought making a big painting would help in the exploration department.

Lessons of a Lifetime is based on the pilgrimage that Lolly takes in the Lolly and the Talisman book. The painting’s panoramic view is inspired by the accordion test book piece used for working on the book’s layout. The story follows Lolly on a journey that spans a day from sunup to sundown.

Last month’s eclipse was incredibly inspiring. The experience fit in nicely with the whole “seeing the bigger picture” kind of thinking and sparked the idea for a new painting called Dream Guide. The eclipse wasn’t the only thing that influenced the work’s making - I needed to illustrate the habitat of a magical critter named Ona who you’ll meet in The Lolly Stories section below.

TINY GUYS

My newest story idea is inspired by a little clay critter named Ona. She started off as a fox but I felt compelled to repaint her. She’s far more mystical than the other clay animals and has been hanging out on the sidelines waiting for her mission.

Somehow, the perfect ingredients (made from some good quality studio time, a series of dreams, and a reading frenzy) were combined to reveal Ona’s story. And who is she? She’s totally a Dream Guide.

In the past, I had a clear idea of what animal I wanted to make before picking up the clay but the newest batch was different. Without any specific critter in mind, I’d work an ounce or so of polymer clay until it was super soft and then let the little guys tell me what they wanted to be.

Is this mode of working a direct reflection of a woman who spends each day in the trenches alongside a fantastically spirited 3.5 year old? Does it stem from a recent and insatiable need to gobble down stacks of dreamcatcher-y, granola books? Absolutely and I’m rolling with it.

The shop is now stocked with a heap of new paintings from my latest series, Talisman! Fun fact: Quite a few of the small studies come with the option of being purchased either unframed or framed. (The walnut frames measure 12”x12” and are pretty darn lovely.)

To view the complete list of available Talisman work, click the button below.

Documenting my landscape through paintings and storytelling.

www.laylaluna.com | contact