The way of watercolour: finding inspiration with Polly Mabel
"I would just love my paintings to bring a sense of joy and warmth, and, I guess, a nostalgic joy from when you were younger - being in the garden, being in nature, reminding you of a loved one..."
Converted from a pigsty on a farm in Cheddar, Polly Mabel's studio is brightly decorated with intricate pottery, books filled with detailed illustrations and walls adorned with her own artwork, delicately sketched in pencil and painted with watercolour.
Deeply inspired by the natural world and her upbringing, floral motifs and pottery patterns guide Polly's illustrations. Looking at her work you can feel the playfulness and joy of her brushstrokes, with watercolour as a medium mirroring the natural movement of flora and fauna.
"It kind of does what it wants to do, a bit like nature; I love how the green from the stem bleeds into the petal"
Polly's work reminds us of the simple pleasures of being outdoors, and the inspiration and lightness that it can bring us. As spring draws closer, her images feel particularly uplifting - a quiet celebration of the season’s renewal.
