Interview #3: Lily Corcoran
I’m delighted this month to be talking with illustrator Lily Corcoran.
Lily Corcoran is an illustrator and graduate of Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork City. Under the name Petal to Petal, Lily illustrates and designs a range of fine art prints, paper goods and textiles and also collaborates with other artists and companies.
Working from her studio in West Cork, each design begins as a single hand-drawn illustration which is coloured digitally and applied to paper goods and homeware. Lily works in a unique hand-drawn style which plays with subject and space, highlighting the detail in her abstract floral designs. Lily draws inspiration from the beautiful countryside surrounding her home and is inspired by patterns in nature and Japanese and Scandinavian design. Lily's aim is to create unique, beautiful objects and pieces of art that people would love to have in their homes.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into illustration?
I have always been drawn to pattern, colour and detail and knew that I wanted to do something creative. I also knew that I wasn't yet ready to leave Co. Cork so I applied for what is now Visual Communications at Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork City. The first year was wonderful as we got to study so many different things- from photography, to illustration, fine art to typography. I was mostly interested in illustration and even though it was such a busy full-time course and I worked weekends and some evenings in restaurants and bars I still made time to draw. Friends started asking if they could buy work for themselves and as gifts so I started doing fairs on a very small scale. Soon after I graduated I moved to Berlin for 2 and a half years and studied surface pattern online while working at a paper goods and homeware store. I continued to sell greeting cards, art prints and original work and when I moved back to Ireland I decided to give it my best shot and see if I could do what I loved for a living.
How has this last year impacted your creativity/outlook? Have you gained any insights or created any new work?
The last year has impacted both hugely. It has been one of the busiest and fullest years of my life as my husband and I renovated and extended our first home which was a huge project. We had to take it back to a shell and redesign the whole interior ourselves. It was my busiest year to date work-wise and it was such a juggle trying to fit in designing new work and packing orders, admin and everything else around daily life while looking after my little daughter as my husband built our home. I learned that I can only do so much and how important it is to have a healthy work/life balance.
What awakens life in you and where do you draw inspiration from?
Swimming. Nothing awakens me more than cold sea water! I only started swimming in the sea a few years ago and don't get to go as much as I would like to but when I do I find that it really helps me to clear my head and feel invigorated. Although inspiration is everywhere you look in nature, there is nothing quite like the rawness of being out in the elements. Colour combinations such as a dark purpley grey sky against seafoam green water compliment each other so perfectly. Details like the sun glistening on the water creating a gradient of colour or a pattern in rock formation stay with me and can appear as elements in my work. There is something about the sea that is both calming and powerful at the same time so that balance never fails to awaken life in and inspire me.
How has motherhood impacted your creative life?
I have never created as much work as I did during my pregnancy. I had the most beautiful view of the sea and could even see The Baltimore Beacon from my studio window which inspired my beacon print. Work was starting to get busy for me and I think it was a fear that this was my chance to make a living from my work so I think I panicked a little and probably worked too much. Two days after I got home from the hospital I started working again packing a stockist order! I found it a lot easier to work around Emilia as a baby as I would work during her nap or have her next to me at my desk in her highchair. Now that she is four, it can be a lot more challenging to work around her but she has a little desk where she draws as I work in my studio, and we have also turned a big wall in our kitchen into a giant blackboard for her which is in constant use. It's all about balance and I feel fortunate to be able to have a job that I can fit around family life.
What does art teach you about yourself? and the world?
Art enriches our lives and just one aspect of that is the colours, pictures and textiles we choose to create our home and express our personalities. I have noticed that as I mature and grow as a person, it becomes more important to have meaning in my own work. When I first started illustrating I was inspired by Florioraphy and the Victorian Language of the Flowers where every flower and colour had different meaning. My latest work uses dandelions and ginkgo leaves which represent hope, longevity and endurance and they are beautiful meanings which I hope bring feelings of positivity to others.
Do you have any daily rituals or routines to get your creativity flowing?
I sit down every morning and read my emails over a coffee. I am an avid list maker so every day I write an achievable to-do list in order of priority. If I am feeling in need of inspiration, going for a walk and taking in nature is always a good place to start.
How do you take care of yourself when you are feeling a bit blah, blocked or uninspired?
Walking always helps me to clear my head and focus on what I want to do next. It's rare that I get time alone so when I do I savour and enjoy it.
What do you enjoy most about food? Do you have any favourite ingredients or recipes?
Even before banana bread started trending on social media I was a big fan. There is a lovely recipe on the Nutshed blog which uses their chocolate peanut butter and that's a firm favourite in our house.
Can you share with us any books, podcasts or music that are currently inspiring you?
I have just finished Rootbound by Alice Vincent which is a biography about dealing with grief through the nurturing of plants. It is such a beautiful book and was just what I needed. It is so gently and beautifully written and deals with a heavy subject in the lightest of ways.
Do you have any future creative projects plans/dreams?
There are so many things that I plan on doing at some point but it all depends on how much time I have. I love to collaborate with different makers and companies and have worked on collaborations with ceramics, silk textiles and notebooks. I love having the opportunities to see my designs on different products. My head is full of dreams- the challenge is putting them into practice but you'll always find time for the things you love.