A Children's Illustrator's Autumn/Fall Moods, Insights and Website Updates.

The Crisp coldness is now felt again in the air and this welcomes the changing seasons around me in England.

Black and white picture of a single leaf

Autumn/Fall is my season, not only does my birthday fall in the middle, I truly love everything from the changing colours, the falling leaves, the crisp as you step on these and the smells. Best of all, it is not too cold nor too warm. It is the season in which I hold some of my fondest memories, one being a dark evening walking with my father under a full October moon, wrapped up warm with the cold touching my cheeks, my breath is seen like dragon’s breath and my father teaching me the words to “I see the moon, and the moon sees me”. It is a special memory that replays in my head every time on a chilly October night to the fullest of moons. 

A painting in my sketchbook inspired by the season

October time is when I am most naturally reflective. More so than the forced nature of seeing in the New Year. Snuggled under my layers and blankets, my soul is most at ease and I am kinder, gentler and more mindful of myself. So it is with this in mind, that www.Emclemmie.com is having a makeover, a refresh and new touches. So far there is a new seasonal header, an image based on the young me, with REALLY long hair and hearing aids. The Season inspires childlike illustrations, which is perfect as a children's Picture illustator.

New website header.

For my Blogs, I hope to post more often… However, I will be changing the format a little. I will still do posts that are designed to help illustrators and inspire more disabled people by sharing my journey. But, this is not all that I am and I think it is fair that between these posts you get to know me behind all this. After all, all this feeds into my creativity.From the younger me, to who I am today behind this screen typing away. The refresh does not end with my website, I am going to start prioritising my health. Over the last 13 years, I have put the needs of everyone above my own. Motherhood can do that, something I never intended, I do not think anyone does. Just you forget, lose track of time and a sense of yourself. At the Rock Retreat in May, I had a week away from life. It was a system shock and made me realise I was treating myself badly, and formed so many bad habits when it came to myself. I got to eat good, healthy food. Not, that I eat badly, the main issue is I don’t eat and then eat to just keep going. An oversight I am going to fix!

A woodland walk in Fall with my daughter.

One of the biggest curses, was I no longer walk the kids to school every day, they both are at the age that would be the world's biggest embarrassment if I tried. I love walking everywhere, I do not drive… So it is handy that I like walking really! I keep meaning to have a walking schedule, however, life keeps throwing a curveball and it is the last thing on my mind most days. Maybe I could start a project that means I have to walk every day, maybe record the changing of seasons, pick items along the walk to take home and sketch every day. Something that I may be able to turn into patterns, and illustrations for products expanding upon my creative offerings.    And, it is the perfect season for homemade soups (If anyone has any autumn lunch recipes to share, please do) Autumn means adultness and maternity, I do not feel my years at all. But, I think there is a calmness I now find in adulthood, which feels softer and more of a sense of belonging. I think this could be I found my people and my place. Having a sense of purpose and goal in my career helps aid this newfound acceptance in my life. I love the knowledge and research I am gaining in my studies, these are challenging my creative outlook and making me feel grounded, and secure in what I know. Makes me wonder if I could be a mentor one day, or a tutor so I can share all these gems of information I gather as an illustrator. Let me know what you think of the change of pace in my blogs, would you like to see more?