Many of us could do with the reminder that we're still artists, even if we haven't picked up a paintbrush in years. The same goes for musicians who haven't played, writers who haven't written, and crafters who haven't crafted. 

Life gets busy, and the creative thread you held so tightly during childhood slips out of your grasp as a million other responsibilities take over. Just know, you can always pick that thread back up.

For Lydia, the illustrator behind LydiaMae, painting was something she loved at school before life took her in other directions. It wasn’t until her son started nursery that she picked up a paintbrush again, sharing a few gouache illustrations online for fun. A couple of independent shops asked if she would turn them into greeting cards, and from there, something small began to grow.

"School put me off art in the end as everything had to be created large and to specific requirements."

I asked Lydia some questions to understand her artistic world and what inspires it. Firstly, I wanted to know how long she'd been making and selling her art, which revealed the surprising story of how her business came to be. 

Lydia has always been an artist and a creator, having enjoyed Art GCSE at school, but being put off by the A-Level course. "In hindsight an illustration course probably would have been better suited to me, however that wasn't an option in the 6th form I attended."

The idea that illustration simply wasn’t an option feels sadly familiar now. In recent years, creative subjects such as art, illustration, photography and music have gradually been side lined in many UK schools, as budgets tighten and academic priorities shift. In fact, enrolment in arts subjects has fallen by around 47% since 2010.

And yet, stepping away from a creative path as a teenager doesn't mean it's disappeared. It might be a bit overgrown, but it's still there. 

For Lydia, it was time spent crafting with her little boy that reignited her arty spirit, and when he started attending nursery, she had some time to really delve in again. 

"My son is definitely featured in my work several times," 

Lydia's illustrations look as though they've stepped out of the pages of a well-loved children's book. Much of her inspiration is drawn from nature, particularly children in nature, something shaped by forest school days she shared with her son.

You can see it in the tiny woodland babies sleeping in acorn caps, in moonlit skies alive with moths and fireflies, and in the little girl who climbs ladders between stars to find the perfect reading nook, a personal favourite of mine. Her worlds are rooted in seasonality and imagination, filled with small details that reward you as you look closer.

These are the type of illustrations that hold different meanings for different people. Lydia tells me "Lots of my illustrations have stories behind them, but also people often have their own connection or story to fit with them." It's no wonder, then, that people began asking for her paintings to be printed onto greeting cards, as mini, giftable pieces of art.

Take Lydia's design, "Under the Rainbow", as an example. A woman and a younger child sit together beneath a beautiful rainbow, they're both holding a pink flower. Perhaps they're mother and daughter, maybe they're sisters. It isn't made explicit who is giving the flower and who is receiving it, and that ambiguity makes it so special. The meaning shifts depending on the viewer, or the intention it was gifted for; it could work for Mother's Day, a Thank You card, or a sweet way to say "I'm thinking of you". 

Today, Lydia works from her shop and studio in the town of Steyning, West Sussex, selling her original paintings, prints, and a small selection of pieces from other local makers. “I like Steyning as it is a small town with lots of independent shops, lovely historic buildings and a community feel,” she says. “I particularly like being part of the annual Steyning arts trail.”

A creative path once closed off now runs through a high street shop filled with art and stories, in a community where local artists are celebrated. Her work is hand painted and printed here in the UK, supporting the kind of independent creativity that we seek at Babipur. 

And that's why we're so excited to welcome Lydia Mae and her art to Babipur. In a time where creative subjects can feel pushed aside, stories like Lydia's remind us that imagination still matters. The artist you once were hasn't vanished. The spark can be reignited. Sometimes all it takes is finding the thread, picking it up, and following where it leads. 

Discover LydiaMae's beautiful greeting cards here.