Sharing The Magic

"All that we see or seem 

 is but a dream within a dream."

                                                                                 Edgar Allan Poe

I'm a lucky woman. Being an artist is fun! I've got dragons in all my closets, and fairies chasing monsters under my bed. Life’s exciting but they need to get out more. They've been hiding in my cozy home for long enough. Since I wrote a book about sharing ideas, I've had the urge to do more of it. Seems to me, that’s what art is all about — sharing the magic! It's a human attempt to give others a glimpse into our own imaginations. We all try our best to communicate but paintings need a viewer, and words need a reader. Thankfully, some genius thought up the internet for us to inspire one another. So I made up my mind to use it and, with the help of my daughter, I created this blog. And now here you are! We haven't even met, yet here you are peeking in my head and dreaming up your own magic. Isn't that astounding!

    

 "I dream my paintings and then

I paint my dreams."

                                                                             Vincent Van Gogh

 My Old Friends

These are a few of the paintings I've done over the years. Most of my work is inspired by the many wonderful stories I've read. Words paint pictures in my mind, and every picture tells a story. When you combine the two together it’s twice the fun! That’s what attracted me to picture books. I fell in love with them as a child, and have been collecting them and creating my own ever since. 

From The Hobbit  

Bilbo and Smaug

A Visit With Gandalf

Treebeard

Just Fishing

 The Owl & The Pussycat

 The Reluctant Dragon

Dragon Noir

Inspired by The Game of the Thrones and the wonderful old poster Chat Noir.

And for the love of David Bowie and the movie, Labyrinth

The Goblin King

The Babe 

DREAM BUBBLES

"You can have all the fairies you want in your garden.

 As long as you know you put them there!"
                                                                                                                                                Ray Woolam

I love painting pictures and making up stories about them. I think storytelling is a game every imagination likes to play! We're all telling stories all the time, even when we don’t notice it. The stories we tell ourselves about the world around us can change how we see things. That’s empowering! But it can also be dangerous. These are some pages from my book "Dream Bubbles". BE WARNED! This is what happens when an artist lets his imagination run amuck! It's wise to keep on a leash on them so they don’t get out of hand. Otherwise, as he finds out, things can get frightening!

 

PICTURES

While wandering around a gallery thinking about pictures and the stories they tell, the ideas for this book popped into my head. Pictures have always seemed magical to me. This book celebrates that magic, the wizardry each viewer brings to a picture. I was blown away by my own gift when I saw a drawing by "The Little Prince" which revealed that I can turn a hat into an elephant inside a boa constrictor. Just by changing the way I look at it. Anyone can. I'm not as clever as him, but I hope this book might show you how amazing you are! It's for the artist in each and every one of us. (And for those who say they have no imagination, take another look at that hat. It may surprise you!)

 from "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

HOW TO FLY

I have also been lucky in life to have had a mother who taught me to always believe in myself and follow my dreams. This book is dedicated to her. No matter what challenges life throws at you, "Stay shiny! And keep flying!" (Wise advice from Firefly, my husband, and my mom.)

All the words and pictures on this site are copyrighted. ©Kathleen Lanier (unless otherwise stated.)

If you wish to use any of my work, have any questions or would like to see more of it, please contact me.

My Email address is:  kathleenlanierart@gmail.ca

MY OWN MAGIC

The world wouldn't be magical without the most important ingredient of all — loving! This story was inspired by my beautiful daughter Deanna who brings magic and mischief to life every day! She's a gifted artist, animator and writer and, as this book proves, she's an expert at loving. Keep on dreaming darling! You make the world a lovelier place.