To me, art has always of a great comfort. From crocheting amigurumi in bed, to doodling on napkins in cafes. It is also an outlet in which I push the limits to my imagination and creative abilities. I am burdened with severe deaf-blindness, so not all activities are possible for me. Illustration, however, allows me to really forget about all the challenges I have to go through just to navigate the real world. I do not allow myself to be confined by colour, medium or texture – I work with acrylic paints, watercolour, wool and wood! I love to create sensory art, something that can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what physical constraints they may suffer.
‘Mr Lynch’s Toy Emporium’ is perhaps a project I have been the most passionate about in all of my time of being an artist! It follows the story of a doll (‘The Wanderer) and a stuffed dog finding each other in their own feelings of woe and isolation, and developing a friendship based on their wanderlust. I used watercolour to create ‘swatches’, which I then manipulated into different shapes to create compositions. The bright colours and textures very much aid in bringing the illustrations to life, with no need for any narration or dialogue. From the outset, I wanted this to be an accessible piece of art, suitable for individuals who may struggle to read but still want to enjoy the magic of stories.
I am also transgender, so I wanted the gender of the two characters to be undefined, to help demonstrate that love should not be limited between certain genders. I would love to show to any LGBTQ+ readers that even if they feel isolated and alone, there will always be someone who comes their way to free them of the box they find themselves in, only to discover what adventures await them!
Lora Flora Gaal | Illustration
