Artist Spotlight: Laura Reilly
Hello, all! Welcome back to the blog. I am back with another artist spotlight. This week’s featured artist is Laura of Laura Reilly Calligraphy. I had the privilege of working with Laura last year when she did the cover art for my book, Wildflowers in Watercolor. She is a calligrapher and illustrator from Indianapolis. Laura took my vision for the book cover, inspired by prairie wildflowers in the height of summer, and brought it to life so beautifully. It was so wonderful to work with her, and I am excited to share our interview with you today.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you most like to use your art in your life.
I’m a wife and homeschooling mom of four, so currently my art is helping supplement our income so I can stay home and homeschool! Even though art functions as a job for me right now, I love the process of taking someone else’s vision for an art piece and making it come to life. It’s a fun challenge and I get to continually expand my skills and practice new ways of doing things. I like to apply the creative process and my artistic skills to DIY projects around the house as well, making it look beautiful without spending a lot! It’s so satisfying.
What has been your biggest inspiration for your art?
I just have always appreciated art that celebrates the little things in life and showcases the normal things as beautiful things. When I was first learning to paint, I was most inspiring by Van Gogh and Norman Rockwell. One of them turned normal wheat fields and normal people into evocative paintings that impacted people for centuries, and the other told stories of his time with illustrations of very ordinary people in very ordinary situations that helped a country feel connected and nostalgic in a difficult period of history. So when I paint for people’s weddings and homes, I love that I get to turn something “ordinary” into art that celebrates how beautiful the little things are.
What is inspiring you most at this point in time?
Being a mom has definitely brought into perspective of how fast time goes and how sweet the ordinary moments are, so when I create art for people, I love that I’m helping to preserve their sweet moments as special memories!
How do you keep your creative practice fresh?
I follow a lot of artists on social media and try to learn new techniques and skills by experimenting on my own and learning from others. I really enjoy trying new things and know I still have a lot to learn- so I just practice!
What words of wisdom would you give young creatives?
The best way to be an artist is to make art. Everyone starts somewhere, and there will always be someone way ahead of you- so instead of comparing yourself to people, just learn from them! Enjoy the creative process and don’t be afraid to make a lot of mistakes. Learn from others but find your own style and own it.
Connect with Laura:
Laura’s Art
Laura’s cover art of Wildflowers in Watercolor:
More artwork by Laura (from Facebook):
Thank you so much for sharing with us here, Laura. It was wonderful to have you here, and I’m wishing you all the best. Keep creating!
Katie
Artist Spotlight: Kiah Cheney
Hello, hello! Happy April, everyone! I’m kicking off a new blog series this week where I feature a few of the artists that I’ve worked with over the course of my author journey. I am so excited to share these interviews with you, as I have been so lucky to have worked with some pretty amazing people, with such talent and skill.
First up, I’d like to introduce you to Kiah Cheney. I met Kiah back in in 2017, when she was one of five local high school art students that illustrated my picture book, When Mother Read Aloud. The book tells the life story of my great-great-great grandmother, Almyra King Holsclaw, an Indiana pioneer woman. It was a joy to work with Kiah, and I am thrilled to share our interview with you here, as well as some of her beautiful artwork.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you most like to use your art in your life.
I’m a 23 y/o self-taught artist. I primarily use my art in freelance commission work or personal projects. I am, however, working on getting my Bachelor's in Game Art. This includes 3D modeling and rendering, digital painting, animation, and much more. It has been an incredibly fun and educational process so far.
What has been your biggest inspiration for your art?
Some of my biggest inspirations for my art have been my parents. They have always encouraged me to pursue my passions and, for me, that happened to be art. My mother is also an artist and has been somewhat of a teacher to me over the years. I think she’s probably been my biggest overall inspiration over the years. She’s taught me much but also provided a space where I could grow and develop as an artist without any negativity. She’d always be so kind with any critiques, leaning more towards educating me than anything. I account much of my growth in my younger years to her gentle and kind approach to helping me learn.
What is inspiring you most at this point in time?
Lately, I’ve been most inspired by a dear friend of mine, Ireen Chau. She is an indie author and illustrator. Recently, Ireen has been publishing books in her Witches of Olderea series; The Herbwitch’s Apprentice and The Herbwitch Seamstress. I have loved watching Ireen grow and develop as an artist and author, as well as watching her grow her following with these books. She truly inspires me every day to keep doing what I’m doing and never give up. She is also just a wonderful person and friend all around.
How do you keep your creative practice fresh?
I like to push myself out of my comfort zone if things are feeling too stagnant in my art; study the style of another artist, attempt something new to me, etc. I find it pretty easy to feel like I’m stuck in my growth so things like this help break that funk. For quicker, easier practice I like to do a lot of gesture drawings. Mostly when warming up before a creating session. I find this helps warm up my hands and loosen things up allowing my lines to be better and more fluid throughout whatever I’m creating.
What words of wisdom would you give young creatives?
I would say to just be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace. It can be hard but don’t give up. We all start in the same place. I know it’s hard to see the work of other creatives and want to compare yourself to them. You need to remember that art is a journey that we’re all on. Some of us are just in different stages of that journey and this doesn't make your work any less valid or wonderful. Try to stay consistent in your practice and don’t be afraid to lean on other artists you know for support. I am always happy to share what I know with young creatives and help when I can. My DM’s will always be open on my Instagram for such things.
Connect with Kiah:
https://www.artstation.com/kiahcheneyart
Kiah’s Art
Kiah’s illustrations from When Mother Read Aloud:
Recent artwork by Kiah:
Thank you so much for sharing with us here, Kiah. It was wonderful to reconnect with you, and I am so glad you are still pursuing your art. I’m wishing you all the best. Keep creating!
Katie
Little Bird Woman: Cover Reveal
Hello again! Welcome back to my blog. Come on in!
I am so thrilled it is finally March! There are crocuses and daffodils popping up in my garden, and my magnolia tree is beginning to bud. The robins are singing at dawn, and the sun is rising earlier every day. The earth is coming back to life where I live in Indiana, and it’s just beautiful.
For this year’s spring equinox, I am doing something extra special to celebrate: Little Bird Woman, my newest book, releases March 21! And today, I get to share its cover art by artist Shelley Wallace.
I am just in awe of the work that Shelley has done. Her piece beautifully captures the essence of my story. The Northern Cardinal high in the bare tree sings out a clear message of hope in uncertain times. Yes, my book is a story of grief and sorrow, but it is ultimately about hope, and following the light in the dark. I am so thankful for Shelley’s stunning artwork. It embodies my book’s message so profoundly.
Little Bird Woman
Nature always lets me be
just how I am.
She is my refuge.
She draws out my grief.
Only wilderness
can restore my peace.
It is a bitter cold February day in 1875 when eleven-year-old Geneva Stratton returns to her old family farm in northern Indiana. Forced recently to move to a nearby town, she misses the peace and beauty of the farm and its surrounding woods and fields. But what she misses most of all is her mother, whose funeral she’s come to attend.
Geneva knows she’ll have to return to town soon. But now, in the depths of grief, she needs the wild desperately. She needs the care only Nature can provide. And so, just for today, into Nature she goes.
Based on the life of author and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter, Little Bird Woman follows young Gene as she wanders the land she loves and communes with the natural world around her. There she might find peace and comfort, and the hope to carry on.
Little Bird Woman will be available in paperback and ebook on March 21.
I will be at a few local events in April and May with my books, so if you are in the Indianapolis area, please be sure you’re following along for those announcements, and come see me! You can subscribe to my email newsletter and follow me on social media for that news.
My deepest hope for Little Bird Woman is that readers, especially young readers, find in it a sense of comfort and hope in any grief they may be going through. When I was a child, I experienced my own tragic loss, and I drew on this in my writing. This, and of course the life story of Gene Stratton-Porter, who herself lost many loved ones, but who still saw the world with a bright outlook. She always wrote her own books in such a way that uplifted her readers. I couldn’t help but follow her lead.
Be sure to stay tuned for purchase information, as well as where I’ll be with the book. Hope to see you there!
Happy (almost) spring!
Katie
Meet Katie!
Hello there! Welcome to my blog. I’m Katie. Come on in!
This is the place where I’ll share a little bit each month about my writing and my writing journey. You can also subscribe to my monthly newsletter for a closer look behind the scenes, as well as a free short story (and more!).
About Me
Hey, I’m Katie! I’m a lifelong creative– a novelist and poet. I write for the young and young-at-heart. I draw my inspiration mostly from nature and history. I am happily married to my husband of sixteen years, and we have four awesome kids, plus three kitties and two pit bulls. Our family lives in the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana.
I love to hike, camp, garden, paint, draw, and I’m kind of obsessed with Broadway musicals. I especially love Hamilton and Hadestown, and a favorite since middle school is Newsies. Last summer my oldest was in a production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, so that’s a new favorite, too. My favorite movies are Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, and my favorite book is Jane Eyre. A longtime goal is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.
About my Writing
I wrote my very first book in Kindergarten– and then ended up writing a whole series about its main characters (who were pretty eccentric). I wrote all throughout my childhood and teenage years, often filling spiral bound notebooks and illustrating my stories. In high school, I created an imaginary planet and set many stories there.
I wrote my first novel, Going over Home, while I was in college, and published it in 2012. Its sequel, Going over Jordan, released in 2015. They were my first books, and will always have a special place in my heart.
In 2017, I published my first picture book, When Mother Read Aloud: The Life Story of Almyra King Holsclaw. The book tells the story of my great-great-great grandmother, an Indiana pioneer woman. It includes a pictorial biography of Almyra, and the story was illustrated by five local high school art students.
Last fall, I published my first book in verse, Wildflowers in Watercolor. The story follows three sisters as they navigate their healing journeys and are taken care of by the fairies who have promised to always watch over their family.
This March, I will be releasing Little Bird Woman, another story in verse based on Indiana author and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter. The story follows 11-year-old Geneva on the day of her mother’s funeral as she wanders her old family farm and its woods, and communes with her beloved Nature in her grief and sorrow. The book releases at the spring equinox.
You can keep updated on my writing and books by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. When you sign up, you’ll receive a free short story, based on a heartwarming childhood experience of my grandmother. In my newsletter, I’ll share all my book news, plus updates on author visits.
Well, thank you for stopping by my blog! Be sure to subscribe, and I hope to see you soon!
Katie