Composing these thoughts, although a little difficult to get my brain cogs whirring initially, has been largely cathartic. I share a little about the difficulties of this very challenging year and how it relates to artistic self-expression. Read on if you fancy it, and do leave a comment if you like. With love…

Back in May, I went to see a local reflexologist.

I was completely buried under my cancer diagnosis and grasping at any opportunity to feel an iota of control over feeling better.

Over the course of an hour, she masterfully massaged my feet in many slow, gliding, and soothing movements. It was so relaxing, and I was so extremely exhausted by sadness that I fell asleep for a large portion of the treatment.

At the end, she noted her readings of my feet. Of all her findings, the most notable was what she said about my throat. She asked if it had been feeling irritated or sore recently.

Unfortunately for me, the week prior I had experienced an adverse allergic reaction to my chemotherapy, which triggered a tightening of my throat, making it temporarily difficult to breathe (perhaps one of the most alarming experiences I’ve had through treatment). But my answer to her question naturally leant beyond this physical symptom and towards something else that I’d been feeling…

A feeling of being choked for words. A solid pebble of a throat lump, uncomfortable and unwelcome. Feeling like words are on the tip of my tongue but not being able to get them quite in order. Suddenly lacking the confidence to express and share my voice as I did just a handful of months ago.

Is it hormones? Brain fog? Shock or something else? Honestly, as I write this to you now, all these months on, I’m still feeling quite blocked in finding the right words to start to express just how hard this year has shaken and changed me.

And so, feeling like I can’t express clearly, or perhaps correctly, how I’m feeling, I fear that I’ve fallen into a kind of faded quiet.

I think perhaps when we go through something truly awful in life, our words to express the pain of what we’re living through get blown apart, like a million little crumbs of stars in a big, dark, expansive sky. Single letters and half words floating in the ether, waiting for a new planetary orbit to form and pull them back together.

A few months ago, I was matched with a wonderful therapist via the hospital counselling service. Through our conversations (mostly bewildered and tearful on my side), I’ve come to realise just how important speaking authentically is to me. I best enjoy honest conversations about the true reality of things, and strongly dislike sitting on the surface of a swift, impersonal, and emotionally disengaged conversation.

This need to communicate truthfully, in tandem with the side effect of a blocked sense of voice and alongside a feeling of needing to mask some of the weight of a year full of cancer (honestly, it really does become very boring after a while!) left me in quite the internal struggle.

When I realised the depth of this inclination toward authenticity, it made a lot of sense.

My favourite people speak from their heart with aplomb. They’re up for talking about the dark alongside the light. Not only this, but for years now my interest has been in making art that is soulful and true of the human experience. Art that speaks with tender honesty, that comforts and reassures. That is what feels meaningful and important to me.

And so, today, with this huge will for authentic expression and for getting back to a place of confidence in myself, in my body, in my art and in my voice I write to you. Just as things are today. Imperfect and not completely worked out, in the midst of processing.

In a few days time, I have my last chemo treatment. What joy to write those words! It’s been five very long months, and I am elated to be in reach of the finish line (actually, ‘elated’ doesn’t do a good enough job of expressing the full feeling of appreciation of the end of weekly poisoning, but as is the theme of this post, I’m struggling to find the right word).

I hope that as the drugs wear off and my cells recover, my feet will find a new gravity and I’ll come back to a more stable sense of self-expression - in fact, I hope that this blown-apart-and-put-back-together version of myself will have a deepened capacity to understand the human experience, and life for that matter. Perhaps, strangely, it’s a gift to have had the veil lifted and to see some more of the dark. I see that some of you have also travelled there, and so we can now better understand each other.

With love, and to health,

Lauren x

You can support me and my art by shopping with me at:

laurenmarina.com

My PayPal donation link can be found here:

paypalme/laurenmarina

You can become a paid subscriber to Slow Notes here:

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I’m writing to you on this beautiful solstice weekend to share my latest news and to introduce you to some brand new designs…

As many of you know, it is a tender year for me.

(To catch up, read here. TW health-oriented challenges)

Many dark days have come knocking on the door as I work my way through many rounds of ongoing chemotherapy. But there have been lovely, sunny, bright, and beautiful days too.

I am thoroughly supported by the seasons. Moving from spring with all its optimism and into summer with bold blooms and unexpected treats emerging in the garden most days.

This ever-changing wheel of the year, and the daily changes from ill health to wellness in my own body, are a reminder that everything is temporary.

Even when the clouds are dark and heavy, we can faithfully acknowledge that the sun will shine again.

And so, a seed of an idea was formed for a new selection of designs.

Over the last few years, I’ve been particularly interested in illustrating designs with thoughtful and comforting mottos and mantras. Words to keep close around the home, to give you a reminder just when you might need it.

You may remember my ‘Stay Gentle’ print design, which was the first illustrated motto I created for my shop (it’s still available here). Hearing the very human stories of how you connected with this wording and how it made you feel really motivated me to expand my offering with more words of kindness.

Today, I’m happy to launch a large selection of new designs with you!

The words in these new designs have been inspired by my own recent journaling and from the many soulful words and well-wishes that have been generously sent my way.

This new collection includes four illustrated mini prints. You can buy them singularly or as a whole set.

Shop Art Prints Here

The new products also include eleven brand new card designs, carefully illustrated by me to carry your most tender words to your closest companions. You can also buy these cards singularly or as a full set. My longstanding 3 for 2 offer on cards continues as well if you’d just like a little bundle!

My hope is that each design has flexibility. And by this I mean that I hope their words fit moments and life experiences that other cards might not. I hope they speak to your heart and move you. I hope you love them!

Find them all here!

I’m so pleased to share these new designs with you today. I can’t tell you what a joy it has been to find pockets of time to work on these and be ‘Lauren the artist’ rather than ‘Lauren the patient’ again.

You can find all of these new designs, amongst a restock of my most popular cards and prints, at laurenmarina.com

And if you’re a stockist or would like to become a stockist of my work, please know all of these designs are available to you as well. For more information email me at contact@laurenmarina.com

Until the next Slow Notes,

Lauren x

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My dear friends and gentle folk, thank you for patiently waiting for my next letter to you.

It’s not that I set this newsletter community up with a strict plan for how often I’d write. But honestly, I didn’t think you’d be waiting quite so long for a fresh installment of musings from my studio.

I must have had some good foresight when I decided to name this newsletter ‘Slow Notes’ as it really is living up to its name!

My absence is not due to absent-mindedness or lack of thought for you all. Unfortunately, as many of you might already know, my year began with some upsetting health news.

At the very start of January, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Life, as I usually knew it, blew apart in one conversation.

Over the last few months, my focus has been ripped away from creativity whilst I focus on appointments, treatment, and side effects - and this tear from my normal life rhythms has really broken my heart. At times, I’ve questioned if I’ll ever get back to being my favourite artist self.

Now, as I continue to move forward with the many challenges of treatment, I also move forward with renewed clarity and even more reason to continue making art.

As it always has been, drawing is a solace for me. But even more than that now, it is showing itself to be a liferaft in this utterly scary and bewildering time.

Not only in the way that it calms and reconnects me with myself and the world around me, but also the gift of a like-minded community (that’s you) who are here supporting me. When I shared my news on Instagram I was absolutely honoured to receive the wave of love through comments, messages, and post that came as a result. What an amazing experience to have so much care and kindness turned in my direction. It was like putting my face into the sun and bathing in gorgeous rays!

This life is a gift, and I am very grateful to have built this creative life and have you all here connecting and resonating with me.

I might be moving at a slower pace this year, but art is a tool, and I will continue to lean into it as my main source of support. It is absolutely my best medicine (with side effects of joy and satisfaction!).

This turn of events has naturally resulted in a huge amount of uncertainty in many areas. If you’d like to financially support me at this time, here are some suggestions (without expectation!):

I opened a PayPal donation link. Funds placed here will be used to support our bills and food. Being self-employed and without sick pay at this time is daunting, so donations here are really greatly appreciated.

PayPal Donation Pot

My online shop is still open, and I am posting out regularly (with the help of my partner and bestie!)! I have a 3-for-2 option on all greeting cards as well as a card subscription on offer. I’ve also just restocked my popular illustrated map art prints! Can you spot your hometown?

Shop

I am still open to taking on commissions, and when I’ve been well, I have been continuing to work on some really interesting projects for some wonderful clients! If you have a project in mind, big or small, feel free to email me at contact@laurenmarina.com

Did you know I have a selection of crafting stamps made in collaboration with the English Stamp Company?

You can shop the range here!

I have some wonderful stockists around the country who sell my cards (and some who sell my prints too!). Please keep shopping in independent brick-and-mortar stores and kindly gush about my designs to the excellent shopkeepers!

Finally, there is also a paid option for this newsletter. Here is the info:

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Phew! That was quite a lot of information. Let’s take a breath together. Perhaps the longest breath you’ve taken all day. Breathe it right into your belly, and exhale deeply.

May we all be well. May we all be healthy. May we all find a little beauty in each day.

Thank you for being here, for supporting me, my art, and the gentle creativity that I keenly want to continue offering the world.

Until the next Slow Notes,

Lauren x

Not the kind we have to earn, or justify, or plan carefully around productivity, but the deeper rest that comes from letting the body, the heart, and the nervous system feel held and heard for a while. The kind that arrives when the days grow shorter, and nature shows us how to pause.

Before we step into that stillness, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for supporting my work in all the ways you have this year. Through client commissions, markets, and online orders, new shop stockists, workshops, mentoring, and the many collaborations that have woven unexpected magic into my days. Your encouragement and belief have helped me lay strong, hopeful foundations for projects that will unfold in the year ahead, and I don’t take that lightly.

This year has also carried its share of challenge, for myself and many others in my circle. Moments of uprooting, navigating health, and moving through a world that often feels loud, uncertain, and tender all at once. Through it all, my hope has been that my work might offer a small place to land: a pocket of love, kindness, nature-connection, and reassurance. Something steady and soft you can return to when things feel too much.

As we move deeper into the mid-winter weeks, I’d love to gently invite you into a moment of reflection.

✨ What would rest look like for you this season - really?
Is it slower mornings, fewer plans, more time outdoors, more warmth, more boundaries, or more doing nothing at all?

If it feels right, I’d love for you to reply to this post or leave a comment sharing one small commitment to rest you’re making for yourself. Not a resolution, just a kindness.

As a final little thank you for being here this year, I’d love to offer subscribers 20% off in my shop throughout January. You can use the code MARINATHANKS whenever you feel drawn to it.

May the closing days of this year hold you gently.
May the winter offer you rest without guilt.
And may you step into the new year feeling nourished, supported, and deeply at home in yourself.

With festive blessings and the warmest wishes,
Lauren 🤍

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Moving, and buying our first home has been a dream for such a long time. I’m so proud that we’ve been able to do it, especially as two self-employed people working in the arts, both earning a very modest wage in amongst a very unsettled world.

Despite feeling proud and glad, I’ve also felt homesick for my old space and familiarities, fearful of crumbling bricks and hidden leaks, and generally just quite uprooted and unsettled.

Getting back into work and unpacking my studio has helped tremendously. Art always soothes me, and I’m so grateful for its ability to anchor me through challenging times.

It’s been a move wrapped up in logistics and longing, and for a while, it quietly took over every corner of life. But as the dust (and cardboard) begins to settle, I’m so happy to be back in the flow of drawing, making, and restocking, ready to share an abundance of new things with you.

Shop ceramic tiles

I’m so pleased to announce that I’ve just added lots of new stock of some of your favourites, including:

• Ceramic tiles: My hand-illustrated square tiles are made in small batches, each one a little talisman for your home. I’ve also added new designs, including a trotting fox, a gazing hare, and ferns based on your requests.

• Tea towels: Printed on organic cotton, sewn in the UK, and designed to bring a touch of calm and beauty to daily rituals. These have been out of stock for such a long time as I needed to switch and find a new supplier, so I’m really glad I’m able to offer these designs to you again!

• Art prints: Including some much-loved favourites, now freshly restocked.

• 2025 Christmas card sets: A collection rooted in peace, simplicity, and hope. There are 8 cards in each pack and £2 from every sale will go to Medical Aid for Palestinians.

• Plus, somehow, I’ve also squeezed in a flurry of new card designs for all of life’s gentle moments. The new designs include a sweet hedgehog who is off on an adventure (just like me!), see if you can spot him below...

  Have a look around

Shop new

As I settle into my new surroundings (and find my new drawing rhythm), I feel deeply grateful. Grateful for this creative life, for your ongoing support, and for the sense of continuity that art always brings, even in times of change.

With warmth,
Lauren x

As the seasons turn and the hedgerows tip into blackberry-ripe abundance, I wanted to share a few things I’ve been working on lately alongside the moments of quiet joy I’ve been gathering for myself.

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The biggest news is the launch of my new Somerset illustrated map, now available as an A2 art print through my online shop. It’s part of a growing series celebrating the landscapes and landmarks of the South West, sitting alongside my Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset maps.

Explore prints

A particularly special project that launched this month was illustrating the cover and endpapers for Neurodivergent, by Nature, a new non-fiction book by Joe Harkness exploring the meeting point between neurodivergence and the natural world. To celebrate its launch, I created a window installation for Westbourne Bookshop, a joyful chance to see my work spill into the street and catch the eyes of passersby.

Will you be picking up a copy? Have you read it already? I’d love to know!

Leave a comment

Time to get crafty with these new stamp designs…

I’ve also been busy collaborating with The English Stamp Company on a new set of stamps that are perfect for card making and crafting. This includes hand-lettered “Thank You” and “Happy Birthday” designs, as well as oak leaf and acorn motifs, and a pair of lively hares.

Find my stamp collection here

There are fresh greeting card designs in the shop too, and I’m so pleased to have welcomed nine brand new stockists in the last month!

3 for 2 on all cards!

Amongst my stockists, I’m pleased to attract some lovely indie bookshops. Here are a few that have just started stocking my cards:

• Imagined Things Bookshop in Harrogate

• Westbourne Bookshop in Westbourne

• Nettle in the Wirral a beautiful cafe and bookshop rolled into one.

Want to stock me?

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of bringing my work again to the Frome Independent Market, setting up a little table on Catherine Hill and meeting so many lovely people in person. It’s got to be one of the best regular markets! It’s thriving and attended by so many talented traders…and so many visitors. It’s just great fun so I’m always really happy to travel to it to share my art.

Outside of the studio, I’ve been trying to stretch the summer as far as it will go, snorkelling at Kimmeridge, wandering the Sahara Longe exhibition at Arnolfini in Bristol, and joining Birds of Poole Harbour for a magical night walk to hear the soft churring of nightjars. Most evenings, I find a handful of blackberries to snack on during my strolls, and I took myself on an Artist Date to sketch outdoors at National Trust Stourhead, letting the gardens and reflections ripple into my pages.

With my birthday falling in this soft, golden month, I’ve been especially grateful for each slow evening and all the creative sparks it brings.

And you?
I’d love to hear what balmy summer evenings have looked like for you. Have you been making, wandering, reading, or simply resting? If you’ve found a pocket of creativity, whether it’s a sketch, a recipe, or a few lines in a notebook, share it in the comments so we can weave together a little tapestry of late-summer moments.

Leave a comment

I’ve been considering what I can offer you as a small treat this month. I’ve landed on a simple creative writing prompt based on my own nature mindfulness poetry.

This is a quiet …

Read more

‘You can rest here’ and ‘Breathe with me’ are simple invitations to pause, reconnect with the rhythms of nature, and return to the breath. You can read them below, and also listen to the audio recording of a reading of each poem by me.

I hope they offer you a moment of calm wherever this note finds you. Please leave a comment or share with a friend if the words speak to you.

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‘You can rest here’

Audio recording:

‘You can rest here’ was inspired by some solo summer excursions that I’ve been on in recent weeks! I visited Brothers Flower Farm in Wimborne and was stunned by the beauty of the different species grown, and how stunning it was on a hot summer’s day. Just a few days before, I camped along a river on Dartmoor, Devon, and was able to wade up through the water in the morning. It was time well spent, and I’m often amazed at how small pockets of adventure in nature can translate into drawing or writing inspiration so quickly!

‘Breathe with me’

Audio recording:

‘Breathe with me’ is available as an art print and is a gentle offering from my studio - a poem illustrated in my signature black-and-white style, born from quiet moments spent sea swimming and breathing with the earth. It’s about the present moment, the pull of salty horizons, and the way nature invites us to come back to ourselves.

Find the art print here

I created this A4 art print as a reminder to slow down, soften, and breathe deeply. Printed on beautiful, sustainably sourced paper, it makes a calming addition to any space - ideal for mindful homes, ocean souls, and lovers of slow living.

May these words and lines offer you a quiet place to land for a moment - like shade on a warm day, or the hush between waves.

Until next time,

Lauren x

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Reflecting back on the last six months from my studio here in the South West, there have been lots of artistic highlights. And while we bask in the dog days of summer and the long days stretch out with endless possibilities, this post is about looking back at my creative journey so far this year. From sketching on the Jurassic Coast to Dorset nature walks that have formed the foundation for verses of my poetry, here are some of my highlights.

This year marks my fifth year working full-time as an artist, illustrator, and poet. As time’s gone on my work has synced more and more with the wheel of the year and with each turn of the wheel, I stop and take note of what’s gone the season before. I’ve continued to find inspiration in living gently - those small glimmers that spark creativity; the sun warming your bones after a chilly sea swim, foraging for wild garlic with friends, feeling the history in fossils, or losing hours watching the birds.

Then there’s the moments with lovely humans that really fill your cup, like working with a local youth group to host bird drawing workshops, or linking up with my wonderful wholesale fulfilment lead, Emma, to find new stockists on Faire.

There’s even been not one, but two front covers. As a book lover, designing a cover was on my bucket list and it was a dream come true to create the design for Neurodivergent by Nature for Bloomsbury. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy when it’s released in July. Additionally, I worked with Pier Journal to create the front cover for their tenth issue. This brilliant independent magazine is supporting local creatives, small businesses, and the community. So it felt special to be a part of their publication.

And then there was the delightful Frome Market - which gave me the most wonderful opportunity to connect with people over my work. I’ve been twice so far this year, cramming as much as I can onto an unusually small table on the wobbly cobblestones of Catherine Hill. The market is filled with like-minded souls and creative energy and both times the sun has shone for us. I’ll certainly be heading back there soon.

In a full circle moment, the landscapes that nurtured me as a child continued to shape my work today. I felt lucky to collaborate with Visit the New Forest to create supporting illustrations for their 2024 New Forest Guide. Having grown up there, this was a deeply personal project and conjured many fond memories of a place where I found my early understanding of the beauty of nature.

The stars truly aligned this year, as zodiacs were a common theme in my creative practice. I worked with Wanderlust Life to launch a series of celestial pendants. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the different star signs and translating each one into my own artistic interpretation. You can read the story behind the collection here.

It was an absolute pleasure to be part of The Great Tail Trail too, a Dorset sculpture trail in aid of children’s hospice, Julia’s House. My sculpture was a reminder to check in with yourself and step away from the day’s stresses. I hand painted the words “I breathe with the waves and the waves breathe with me” — a line from my poetry reflecting how the waves move like our in and out breath.

My tail sold for £4,000 at auction and the charity made over £200,000 in total from all 46 tails that were auctioned, supporting their vital work for children.

And if you’d like a reminder to sit and take a mindful pause every now and then, you can buy a print of the full poem here.

Stepping outside of my studio and into the wild elements has really shaken up my creative process this season. The results have been transformative and drawing from life has helped me loosen up my sketches by looking more deeply at the things around me. Beyond the technical benefits to my art, I’ve found profound joy in these moments connecting with nature. Most importantly, it’s a grounding nudge to stop and appreciate the world I want to capture.

Finally, the solstice gave me permission to sit still with the sun and my thoughts. I swam out in the June sea at 6am, then sat on the sand to watch the sunrise. It felt good to journal my intentions for the next half of the year, stepping forwards with lightness and ease, letting go of tension and remembering the bigger picture.

Thank you for reflecting back on the past six months with me, I’m forever grateful for this community.

My kindest wishes,

Lauren x

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It’s always a joy to see which of my work you resonate most deeply with, and this year some real community favourites have emerged from my little Dorset studio. These pieces have found a special place in your homes and hearts - each of them made with care, rooted in the art of gentle living, or inspired by my love of nature.

‘Happy Birthday You Lovely Soul’ card: The gift of connection

My top pick, and your favourite by far - my ‘Happy Birthday You Lovely Soul’ card is flying off the shelves faster than we can print them. I believe in the quiet power of human connection and what better way to pause and mindfully write a note of love and care, than with this card.

This birthday card bestseller is printed right here in the UK, on recycled sustainable card that feels just like an artist’s sketchpad. Not only are they plastic-free, they’re also 3 for 2 when you buy directly from my site, so you can spread happiness far and wide.

Shop cards here

‘You Are So Loved’ tea towel: An important reminder

The perfect gift to deliver a lift, this tea towel is made from soft organic cotton, and is printed and hand sewn in the UK. It’s a thoughtful and comforting reminder for their kitchen.

Find it here

Map prints: An ode to their favourite places

Dorset, Devon, or Cornwall; my contemporary illustrated maps are a special way to remember special places. Each print is full of life and is a portal to their favourite memories. These highly detailed maps are for the wild at heart, the people who know some places live in your soul.

Explore my art prints

‘Hare’ illustrated tile: Modern talismans

My illustrated tiles are thoughtfully adorned with unique emblems; chosen to act as modern-day talismans and bringing protection, warmth, and nature-inspired elegance into your space.

The ‘Hare’ tile is my personal favourite, as hares represent the cycle of the seasons. I particularly love how he looks over his shoulder while leaping through the leaves. It’s a little prompt to always appreciate the journey you’re on.

You can order these tiles individually, or if you’re dreaming of a specific set, I’m always happy to chat about designing a bespoke collection perfectly tailored to your home.

If you’re here and supporting that, thank you.

My invitation is this…would you be willing to support my art as a paid subscriber? For £3.50 a month or £35.00 annually your membership would mean the world to me - and I’d invite you to join my close-knit creative community here on Substack!

A while back, I read a book which stuck with me. The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer, explores the strength in vulnerability and how, as humans, we must get comfortable asking for help. Just as people bloom best when they’re supported, art blooms best when tended to by kindred folk.

Connection to my community has always supported my creative intentions. I believe that kindness ripples outwards, which is why I made this small corner of the internet; a space for you to slow down, pause, and observe the little joys in life with me. It’s an invitation into my creative world, an insight into my work, from seedling sketches to fully fledged works, musings to mindful mantras. My hope is that these things might spark something in you too.

So this is my act of asking - to those of you who resonate with my work or take solace in these pages, to consider directly supporting my art for the price of a mindful cuppa each month.

Why? Because it allows me to continue sharing these things with you and allows me to nurture this community dedicated to quiet reflection. My aim is to hold space for anyone looking to live life more gently.

As always, I’m grateful to you for engaging with my art and if you’re considering joining as a paid subscriber, thank you - your subscription is affirmation of our shared values. You’re part of a community who are watering the seeds of future creations and by leaning on one another, we can thrive.

My kindest wishes,

Lauren x

This is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

Hi, I’m Lauren, an artist, illustrator, and poet living and working by the sea in Poole, Dorset. I create hand-drawn work that’s largely inspired by my mindful appreciation of local nature. My creative practice has a few different touchpoints, for example, I work on client commissions while running my own home and gift brand, and simultaneously writing poetry! Throughout all my projects, the energy and style of my work is consistent, and I’m interested in sharing kindness, reassurance, and comfort with my audiences.

Take a look around my website

Do you have a memory of your first creative endeavour? When did you first discover your love and intuition for drawing?

I was brought up in a very creative household, so I was often encouraged to paint and draw. Artistry was always encouraged in me at a young age, and I think this supported the natural inclination of my leaning towards a creative path. I’m grateful for this open-mindedness and encouragement of my art that has been a consistent support throughout my life and has bolstered my unshakeable dedication to making and creating!

You live and work in Poole, Dorset. How does the coastal landscape inform and shape your work?

It would be really hard to live in this part of the country and not be moved to creativity by the natural landscape. There is both dramatic and subtle beauty to the environments here. We’re currently in my favourite month, May, where everything shoots into aliveness and the scenery is in such lush abundance. There’s wonderful coastal paths, woodland trails, sea dipping, fossil seeking…not to mention the incredible array of bird species that are attracted here. I love to draw from the landscapes and species here, but moreover, I think I’m moved to creativity by the sheer beauty of the place.

Find the Dorset Map print here

What’s particularly striking about your homewares and stationery is your distinctive black and white aesthetic. I really LOVE it! Was this a conscious decision to limit the colour palette, or is it something that came intuitively in your creative process?

I have a history in printmaking creating wood and lino prints. I think my work now is a result of this practice and my love for printmaking aesthetics. When I draw now, I often start with a solid black base colour and ‘carve’ my cream coloured lines into it. To me, the limited palette gives me some rules to work within, as well as a recognisable style which feels really valuable.

View my portfolio

Hiking with your sketchbook is something you’ve mindfully committed more time to. How do impromptu bursts of creativity in the outdoors impact your practice?

To me, carrying a sketchbook gives an opportunity for two things. One, a moment for mindfulness with nature. When I stop to draw a tree, a leaf, a stone, a vista..I’m focussed on that one element. It attunes me to what is right there, in the present moment. Secondly, drawing in my sketchbook is ‘drawing for joy only’! It can be free and loose, without expectation or a client - it is for my own enjoyment only.

I was thrilled to see your work transition into tattoo artistry. How did the opportunity arise to explore and train as a tattoo artist?

I’ve always been interested in the tattooing world and have obtained quite the collection myself over the years. My work and designs translate well to tattooing and I would often have people at markets asking if I also offer tattooing. This felt like a bit of a prompt from the universe and I asked a friend and established tattoo artist if they would be interested in mentoring me, which they enthusiastically agreed too! I’ve now been doing a little tattooing alongside my main illustration practice for a couple of years. It’s a really wonderful way to meet new people and connect. I very much enjoy holding space for my customers and offering them a gentle and kind environment for a new tattoo!

Your practice also involves working on large scale canvas, such as sculptures, murals and buildings. What are the benefits and challenges of working on such different scales and canvas?

I love receiving a mural commission! It’s a great way to step away from the desk and screens. It’s also brilliant for bringing some movement to the body with all the reaching, crouching and stretching it involves! It is really fun to see the impact one of my designs can have on a space, especially at a large scale. It can be a challenge when, unlike when I’m drawing digitally at my computer, there is no ‘undo’ button so you can’t be making big adjustments during the mural - there is a lot of planning involved to create a successful piece.

Alongside your freelance illustration work, you offer creative mentoring. What inspired you to branch out into nurturing and supporting other creatives?

In my late 20’s I spent a period of time working in a communications, storytelling, and marketing role for a global brand. I picked up lots of skills in messaging and running campaigns that have been really beneficial to how I communicate my work as an artist. From experience I know that this part of running a freelance creative business is not always taught in traditional learning environments and I know I can offer support in this area. I also have a good commercial eye for spotting opportunities and find it refreshing to look through the lens of someone else's work for a change! I truly believe that art is needed and necessary in our increasingly testing and chaotic world, so if I can offer a step up or platform for a fellow artist, I’m in.

Reflecting on the last year of business and being a freelance artist, do you have a particular focus, or creative goal you wish to nurture in the coming months and year ahead?

My focus is to make more focus! I notice that I get excited about all the different avenues I can explore and work I can make, and at the same time, there is only one of me so I need to tighten up my areas of focus and not try and do ‘everything’ (I find this very difficult!). I’m bringing more focus to my greeting card brand this year and developing new designs to broaden my offering in this area. I absolutely love this realm of my work and feel that cards have this wonderful spirit of human connectivity and give us an opportunity to slow and handwrite a note to our most loved people. It also means I get to connect with brilliant spaces and places such as yourselves, please know that I am so deeply appreciative of your support by stocking my designs in your shop.

If we headed to Dorset and your neck of the woods, which 3 small businesses or creatives should we check out?

What a great question! This is tricky to whittle down as there are just so many…

1. Folde - A truly wonderful and thoughtfully curated bookshop in Shaftesbury at the top of the iconic Gold Hill. Folde specialise in nature-writing so I am in heaven when I go there.

2. Bad Hand Coffee - You’ll find that most indie coffee shops around the Bournemouth area grind Bad Hand beans, it’s because they are the tastiest and it is run by top-tier human beings who are all about cultivating connection and community.

3. Talking of community spirit…Pier Journal is a local free publication that is really doing an amazing job of giving a platform to local small businesses and creatives in a meaningful way.

Many thanks to Lucy at Nottingham Contemporary for inviting me to do this interview!

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Dear gentle folk,

A warm welcome to Slow Notes: Art and reflections from a creative life lived gently. Thank you for showing up.

I’m Lauren, an illustrator, artist, and poet living and working near the sea in Dorset. My art has always been about connection: connection to one another, to self, and to nature. So the decision to launch this little corner of the internet just felt right.

This reflective safe space is for anyone and everyone, whether you’re a budding artist or poet, a fan of my work, or you’re looking to connect with your creative kin. Whatever reason you’re here, I hope you find the thing you’re seeking.

Each month I’ll share my poetic journals, seedling sketches, and monthly mantras, plus stories from my studio, mini adventures that have shaped my work, and an insight into my creative process.

Curious for more? Paid members can unlock all articles, group chat, creative prompts, product discounts, and other exclusives. Not only this but each and every paid subscriber supports the continuation of the evolution of my art - all for 70p a week (when subscribing annually)!

And as always, thank you for being here.

My kindest wishes,

Lauren