As a child, Lisa watched hours of art shows on TV, doodling away with felt-tips in front of a small fire munching cookies. After studying graphic design and working as a greetings card illustrator, Lisa pressed pause on her career to bring up 3 wonderful children: Lily, Skyla and Sonny. She is now a freelance illustrator, screen printer, and happy mum dancing in her artist studio in the hills of the Holmvalley, Yorkshire. England.
Lisa’s work is inspired by her family life, quality time with her children and a love of children's picture books old and new. Lily and Bear began when her daughter, Skyla, drew a picture of lots of little, coloured hearts and said, “This is the colour of my love for you, Mummy.” Lisa created a screen print based on this drawing, which you can see on the endpapers to Lily and Bear. Some of Lisa’s children’s art including a bird, a girl and a teddy bear appear as Lily’s pictures at the beginning of the story.
Lisa wanted to explore her children’s pictures and their child-like way of looking at the world, seeing everything as fresh and new and brilliant – Lily and Bear was born.
What’s your favourite children’s book? There is no way I can narrow it down to just one. I love all the classics: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
What’s your favourite song? My favourite ‘feel-good dance-around-the-kitchen-when-no-one-is-looking’ songs are: ‘Skindo Le Le’ by Alive! ‘Don't Stop Me Now’ by Queen, ‘I Got Life’ by Nina Simone, ‘Oh Happy Day’ by the Edwin Hawkins Singers and ‘The Candy Man’ by Sammy Davis Jr.
Name one thing you couldn’t live without (not including people) Isn’t it obvious? Books and music – but that’s two things! I think this would be my artist materials – my pencils and sketch books. I’ll never stop drawing.
Illustrator's Website: http://www.lisastubbsillustration.com/#!portfolio