I never know which designs are going to end up becoming the most popular. However, once I’d finished the Mush Love design, I had a feeling that I had a bestseller on my hands. There’s something so natural about it. But where did it come from?
The Inspiration
Believe it or not, this design was inspired by a guy’s t-shirt. I was working in Fat Face last autumn when the new t-shirt line came in – a series of five different mushrooms with cute little faces on them across the top and the words ‘Fun Guys’ underneath.
It sold out within the week.
I loved the humour and joy in the piece, but I also admired the form of the different mushroom species and how each of them had tonnes of character packed into a simple form.
From then on, I knew I wanted to paint a mushroom design at some point.
The Season
Fast forward a few weeks, and we were in the middle of autumn. The trees were turning golden, with a hint of crimson edging the leaves. The chunky knit jumpers made an appearance. The weather turned cold and wet and windy.
I am a seasonal painter. I love taking the mood and feel of nature around me and channelling that into my artwork. So, it is no surprise that the autumn season made me think back to that t-shirt and decide to go ahead and paint that mushroom piece I’d been dreaming about.
The Creation
Somehow, this piece just flowed. The initial sketch came together without my really trying. As if the mushrooms just knew how they wanted to be placed in relation to one another.
Before long, I had the finished linework in front of me. And that was the moment I knew this design was pretty special. I could hardly contain my excitement as I painted the beautiful rust reds, soft browns and gentle oranges.
The Reaction
It is always an interesting moment posting a new design on social media for the first time. But the reaction to this mushroom piece astounded me.
Not only did I get an overwhelmingly high engagement on the posts when I shared this piece, but I also had several people reach out to me privately to tell me how much they loved it. It was such a gorgeous and wonderful reaction to receive, and honestly just lit me up inside.
I am super excited to now be able to share this design with you on giftware! I hope you really love it.
End Note
P.S. The original is still available to buy. Get in touch here if you want to give ‘Mush Love’ a new home!
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