Midsummer fairy dance ... happy summer solstice, a day when the veil between humans and the fairy realm is thin ✨ #tinymagic #fairyland #fairyillustration #kidlit #kidlitartist #childrensbookillustration #childrenillustration #illustrationwork #illustrationforchildren #picturebookartist #kidlitart #gouacheillustration #mixedmediaillustration #summersolstice2023 #midsummermagic

Growing a garden in my sketchbook 🌸🌷🌻 such a nice way to warm up before client work each day and thanks to everyone who made suggestions of favourite flowers including sunflowers, tulips, lungwort, Lily of the valley, lilac, echinacea, pansy, bluebells, foxgloves, hyacinth, poppy, fritillaries, cowslips and buttercups. I had fun adding in some of my favourites too- nasturtium, dog rose, cherry and blackthorn blossom, cuckoo flower, daisy, shepherds purse, clover and wild strawberries #illustratenow #inmysketchbook #gardenideas #insideillustration #illustrationwork #illustrationaday #illustrationforkids #natureillustration #childrensillustrations #kidlitartist #paintedflowers #illustrating #sketchbookartist

At the bottom of the garden Is that a fairy, elf or gnome? I'm sure I saw among the bluebells A tiny snail shell home Some say fairies live in foxgloves With their fluted purple bell If they can sleep inside a flower Could they live inside a shell? Happy May! I've been writing more and more poetry over this last year and loving it, thought I'd share a snippet from a poem based on this painting. #kidlit #kidlitart #kidlitillustration #kidlitartist #illustrationforkids #illustrationforchildren #picturebookillustration #picturebookartist #childrensillustrations #fairyart #mytinyworld #gemmakoomen

Forever inspired by the natural world 🌱#earthdayeveryday #signsofspring #springillustration #illustrationforchildren #illustratingnature #illustrationwork #kidlitillustration #kidlitartist #childrensillustrations #illustrating #gouachepaintings #myartprocess #gemmakoomen

Spring scenes from my studio.. lots of original work in progress, and some completed pieces. I've been very busy tying up lots of work and spending some time away from the studio so I'm really looking forward to getting back to these paintings. The shop is currently closed for the next few days while we do maintenance and sort various things out behind the scenes but as always I'll let email subscribers know first when originals will be ready for sale 🧡 #originalartworks #onmydesk #artiststudios #styleonmytable #fosterthoughtfulness #gouachepainting #gouacheillustration #gouacheart #slowmade

Happy spring! ✨ like the hares and lapwings I'm welcoming in the change of season #springequinox #welcomespring #hellospring #illustrationart #illustrationdaily #illustrationwork #kidlitartists #kidlit #kidlitartist #illustrationforchildren #natureillustration #natureillustrationart #illustratingnature #slowlived #gemmakoomen

Scenes from slow Sundays, finding moments to capture some of the new collection of spring cards and prints now in the shop. As always the cards are printed on 100% recycled FSC paper by a living wage company and the archival art prints are made by a small carbon neutral company, all based in the UK. Thanks so much to everyone who has placed orders over the last week ✨🧡 #artprints #fineartprint #ethicalshopping #shopsmalluk #myartworks #fosterthoughtfulness #slowandsimpledays #slowlived #slowlivingforlife #gentleday #slowsunday #slowsustainablehome #gemmakoomen

Crocus season ... right now my crocuses are hiding under a blanket of snow and the sparrows are staying sheltered in the hedgerow but spring is creeping closer! Last year I got on a bit of a roll with my flower ladies and birds, I've painted snowdrops and goldfinch, Robin and rosehips, sparrow and crocus.. what other seasonal birds and flowers would you like to see? #gouachepainting #flowerillustration #illustrationartists #illustrationdaily #illustrationwork #illustration_art #kidlitartist #gouachepainting #gouacheart #gouacheillustration #holbeingouache #birdloversofinstagram #birdpainting #gemmakoomen #slowlived #slowlivingforlife

Getting in a spirit of experimentation and playing with materials to make 40 faces of women in my sketchbook, following an exercise by @sarahdyer_illustrator. I could have made 40 more and 40+ more again without running out of variations, our endless diversity. I love working from my imagination and playing with different materials to make so many different colours and textures. I've used a variety of colour pencils, liquid watercolour, acryla gouache, walnut ink and more. It would be fun to do 40 children's faces too. It's tempting to stay in my comfort zone but I find little challenges like this so helpful for my creative practice to keep evolving Ceramic palette by @sugarhouseceramicco #creativeplay #mixedmediapainting #mixedmediaartwork #kidlitartist #kidlit #diversitymatters #diversityisbeautiful #inmysketchbook #draweveryday #sketchbookartist #illustrationwork #illustrationforkids #illustrationdaily

There is a seconds and samples sale going on in my shop at the moment ✨ a big thank you to all my email subscribers who came and cleared out many of the prints! There are still some mystery card bundles and a few prints left looking for homes tho. Thanks for helping my tiny studio stay a bit tidier! 🧡 #secondssale #inmystudio #tinystudio #slowlivingforlife #slowlived #gemmakoomen #shopsmalluk

Happy world book day! In honour of the day here's a closer look at the original artwork for the cover of The Treekeepers, the paperback version of Flock, I loved making these characters, particularly all the busy scenes where there are a lot of detail and activity going on. Thanks so much for everyone who has sent me photos of their kids dressed up as characters from the book and the lovely messages and feedback I continue to get, it always makes the journey of making a book like this so so worth it! Signed copies are back in the shop #kidlitartists #kidlitart #kidlit #kidlitillustration #kidlitartists #treekeepers #gemmakoomen #illustrationforchildren #illustrationart #illustrationforchildrensbooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #picturebookartist #picturebookillustrator #worldbookday

Happy love day, apparently the day some medieval bird watchers decided was the day that birds choose their mates. This painting was inspired by the homely house sparrows who live outside my studio leaving their footprints on the frosty deck in February. Sparrows can be monogamous, remaining faithful to their nest site and each other all their lives according to the RSPB. #valentinesillustration #loveillustration #gouachepainting #gouacheart #gouacheillustration #holbeingouache #natureillustration #natureillustrationart #kidlit #kidlitart #kidlitillustration #illustrationwork