I took a photo in Osaka in 2018 while traveling around Japan – a beautiful country where discipline and magic lives in perfect harmony. The picture always reminded me the magical world in Hayao Miyazaki’s stories.

I knew one day I would turn it into a painting, when I have enough confidence to do it justice as it would involve a lot of work and I am not a very patient artist.

Then Covid hit. Four months into lockdown, I thought: well let’s do it! Why not?

An hour painting at the end of every long working day became my calming pill and mind journey. No matter what is happening around and how tight we are sealed in confined spaces, our mind is always free. Free to wander, to create, to connect, and to remember.

132 days, over 100 hours’ work later, finally, I completed it and I have something else to remember this year by. Along with all the familiar or unexpected encounters, connections, friendships and more. 2020 is just another year, unordinary, but really, which year is? Everyday is a brand new big unknown. And I have learnt to have faith. Have faith in things I can’t foresee, and there shall be joy, safety and wholeness.

Recently sold to a very lovely collector in WA Australia. Couldn’t be happier 🙂

No matter what is your interior style. A sophisticated black & white industrial or a stylish & modern Scandinavian, it will work just fine.

This might be the last blog post of 2020 from Lily Iris Art. May be 😉

I want to thank you for all your love and support this year and wish you and your loved ones a wonderful festival season.

Lots of Love from Lily Iris Art xoxo