creative highlight
from our community
CLARE OWEN
Hello my name is Clare. I am a wife and mother to two young children. We live in the United Kingdom in a small town. God put it on my heart to be creative with His word and it is something I am deeply passionate about. I really enjoy writing poems and have recently launched a children’s collection. All my art work is hand drawn and is inspired by nature and the bible. I sell prints and wooden postcards and hope to add more collections in the future. I have a monthly blog on my website, which is based on what God has put on my heart to write about. Me and my family are part of a thriving church in a small village and my husband is the parish nurse for it too. I hope to inspire and encourage people with my work. Finally, I decided to call my business Praise and Bloom because I believe when you praise God you start to bloom. Clare
Instagram: @praiseandbloom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PraiseandBloom/
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.praiseandbloom.co.uk
Twitter: @praiseandbloom
Instagram: @praiseandbloom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PraiseandBloom/
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.praiseandbloom.co.uk
Twitter: @praiseandbloom
Can you tell us about your introduction to art? How did you know you had a creative gift?
I have always grown up around art. I watched my mum - who is extremely talented at drawing - create all sorts of creations at home. Throughout Primary School, I adored getting involved in school art projects, and would take enormous pride as a little girl in my efforts. This continued through high school, where my final art piece for my exams was based on pansies and all their beautiful colors. I absolutely love flowers! My creativity however took a back seat and lay dormant for over 10 years until I had my second baby. So back in the winter of 2018, I felt such a need to start being creative. I ordered an electronic pen online and began drawing on my iPad to see if there was any life in it. Well that kick started a whole host of designs, doodles, ideas and calligraphy. I knew something special was growing and I just knew I was meant to do something with it, so in February 2019 Praise & Bloom was born.
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
I never thought I’d be selling my artwork as prints or writing poems for other people to read. This is what is so exciting about following your God dreams, it opens up new avenues of life and you don’t know who you are going to bless with your art.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don’t find themselves in a creative background or field? Life family/friends/strangers?
It can be a challenge explaining what I do and what I hope to achieve with Praise & Bloom. Some friends and family do not have faith, which can be difficult for them to understand why I am doing what I am doing. Other close family and church family have been completely encouraging and enthusiastic about the whole process and are right behind me. Like the Bible says in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord."
I have always grown up around art. I watched my mum - who is extremely talented at drawing - create all sorts of creations at home. Throughout Primary School, I adored getting involved in school art projects, and would take enormous pride as a little girl in my efforts. This continued through high school, where my final art piece for my exams was based on pansies and all their beautiful colors. I absolutely love flowers! My creativity however took a back seat and lay dormant for over 10 years until I had my second baby. So back in the winter of 2018, I felt such a need to start being creative. I ordered an electronic pen online and began drawing on my iPad to see if there was any life in it. Well that kick started a whole host of designs, doodles, ideas and calligraphy. I knew something special was growing and I just knew I was meant to do something with it, so in February 2019 Praise & Bloom was born.
Did you ever think you’d be selling your art, or teaching art?
I never thought I’d be selling my artwork as prints or writing poems for other people to read. This is what is so exciting about following your God dreams, it opens up new avenues of life and you don’t know who you are going to bless with your art.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have in explaining what you do to others who don’t find themselves in a creative background or field? Life family/friends/strangers?
It can be a challenge explaining what I do and what I hope to achieve with Praise & Bloom. Some friends and family do not have faith, which can be difficult for them to understand why I am doing what I am doing. Other close family and church family have been completely encouraging and enthusiastic about the whole process and are right behind me. Like the Bible says in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord."
How do you encounter the Lord in your creativity?
I have found that being creative with God’s word has enabled Him to work through me to produce my designs. I have encountered God in my creativity from writing poems when I was bottle feeding my son at night to feeling such a purpose and a calling while drawing. I find playing worship music and spending time with Him inspires me to be more creative. I feel God is cheering me on from heaven and there’s no better encouragement.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
I feel God is calling me to write more poems and focus on the children’s side of Praise & Bloom. I feel it's so important to teach the next generation about God and having illustrations up or reading poems together inspires conversation and brings faith to life. I feel it is a responsibility to steward my creativity well and use what God has given me.
Any encouraging words, words of wisdom from what you've learned to help other creatives on their journey to being abundant and thriving artists/creatives/makers?
I would say if God has planted a seed in your heart and you can’t shake the dreams you have, then I’d say go for it. Stepping out in faith can be scary, but I would rather give it a go then have it be a question mark later in my life wondering what could have been. It’s such an amazing thing to see what you have designed come to life and hold it in your hands. It’s a joy to create and work for the Lord and bless other people with it. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” NLT
I have found that being creative with God’s word has enabled Him to work through me to produce my designs. I have encountered God in my creativity from writing poems when I was bottle feeding my son at night to feeling such a purpose and a calling while drawing. I find playing worship music and spending time with Him inspires me to be more creative. I feel God is cheering me on from heaven and there’s no better encouragement.
What do you feel God is calling you to in this season with your creativeness?
I feel God is calling me to write more poems and focus on the children’s side of Praise & Bloom. I feel it's so important to teach the next generation about God and having illustrations up or reading poems together inspires conversation and brings faith to life. I feel it is a responsibility to steward my creativity well and use what God has given me.
Any encouraging words, words of wisdom from what you've learned to help other creatives on their journey to being abundant and thriving artists/creatives/makers?
I would say if God has planted a seed in your heart and you can’t shake the dreams you have, then I’d say go for it. Stepping out in faith can be scary, but I would rather give it a go then have it be a question mark later in my life wondering what could have been. It’s such an amazing thing to see what you have designed come to life and hold it in your hands. It’s a joy to create and work for the Lord and bless other people with it. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” NLT