Camilla was probably one of the very first artist’s blogs I came to know. Maybe you too remember the moment when you suddenly became aware of just how deep the well runs with such amazing, creative, people who share a little bit of themselves, their work and their lives online.

For me that has always been Camilla. For years, at least six or so, I’ve been quietly visiting her blog. For some reason it took me until this year to finally comment. I think it was when I found out Morran wasn’t well. Because, if you follow Camilla, then you also follow Morran.

Morran inspired so many of us for so long, that I think that when we found out she wasn’t doing well ~ it was all we could do to express what she has meant to us. A number of artists started sending Camilla drawings of Morran and then last month Camilla came up with the idea to create a book made entirely of Morran drawings. She put a call out for submissions and hundreds of illustrations came in. The book will be available for purchase with all of the proceeds going to a charity. Oh. the drawings of Morran that Camilla shared so far. I cannot wait to have this book. These are the illustrations I submitted. The first painting was inspired by a favorite photo of Morran next to one of Camilla’s crochet characters and the second was inspired because I painted the first.

How can we feel so connected to a little dog that we have never met? Because that is the world we live in now. That is the amazing part of this online space that we all share. That we can be half a world a way and feel like we know and care for someone {and their sweet little dog} who we have never met. 

Camilla’s genuine spirit and wonderful work always inspire me. Her print that is hanging in my living room is still one of my favorites. Every time I visit her blog, I feel good. I feel inspired to be more. More genuinely myself ~ in my person and in my creative expressions, in my art. In fact I’ve always wished that I could write such perfectly succinct posts, in the way that she does ~ without almost every sentence being peppered with the words love :) But then again. I guess that’s just me. Visiting Camilla and the chance to follow along on the adventures of Morran is just one more thing that I love.

Morran left this week. Camilla posted about it yesterday. Oh how she will be missed. It was an honor to paint her.