1. Happy June! Care to rest in the shade of a friendly tree? We can watch this loving mother, baby, and happy ducks while being soothed by the gentle trickle of the stream.

This relaxing scene was created by Maryland artist-illustrator Elisabeth (“Lis”) Dorrian — a nice way to anticipate the coming of summer, with its slow, drowsy days conducive to daydreaming and enjoying the outdoors. Lis is self taught, has been drawing since childhood, and works in gouache, acrylics, and digitally for her folk art style pieces.

Becoming a mother inspired me to revisit my passion for drawing after 14 years in the Coast Guard. Watching a child grow makes you realize how quickly time passes. Today, my illustrations are largely inspired by simple living, the changing seasons, motherhood…. I hope my illustrations inspire viewers to slow down and take notice of the ‘little daily miracles,’ as Virginia Woolf calls them, like lighting a candle for dinner or feeling the weight of a sleeping child on your chest.

Love her use of soft colors and the feeling of nostalgia. Since she’s moved around a lot with the Coast Guard and has had to adjust to many new places, perhaps she’s been instinctively creating a sense of home in her pictures — a place of calm, comfort and safety.

Learn more about Lis’s work at her Official Website, Instagram and Etsy Shop, where you can purchase signed and dated archival prints in various sizes.

*

Continue reading →