Sian Bowman

Hello there, I’m Sian Bowman originally from Wales, a country rooted in music and storytelling that has been my foundation. Now working from my garden studio in Herefordshire, walking the dogs in the beautiful countryside offers me time to reflect and this is where I have my best ideas. I also love the opportunity to chat to other people from all walks of life and watch the hedgerows change on a daily basis. I work in various mediums such as ink, watercolour and digital tools. I strive to encapsulate movement in my work by weaving the energy of the first sketch into my final pieces. I endeavour to capture a balance between subtle and bold strokes and fluidity with careful design. I particularly love adding small details for the reader to find that help to build on the narrative.

I hope my work pays homepage to the stories from my childhood such as Beatrix Potters; ‘Peter Rabbit’ and E. H Shepard ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and I am currently greatly inspired by the composition, colour and design of Mary Blair and keen to explore this further. I am passionate about how books can offer a safe place for people to be themselves and can open our minds and hearts to new possibilities. It was an incredible honour to work with Studio Press and Disney recently on ‘ Winnie the Pooh Five Little Bees’ and it was a dream come true to share the story with my own children.

I am driven by my desire to learn and grow in art. I started a new project on Instagram, called “Cuppa and Story”, where I invite creatives to pop by and listen to a ‘ Live’ chat with a different Illustrator each week. I wanted to create a space for community and real life connection; a place to hear about other people’s journeys, swap stories, and share book recommendations. I also love to meet young Artists and I run a weekly sketchbook club where the focus is to play and have fun. I am passionate about encouraging children and adults alike to keep a sketchbook so that you may look back at where you’ve been, see where you are and continue to dream about where you are going. I love the potential of the blank page.