LILLUNIA: illustrate illuminate elevate

Happy Spring from Lillunia!

2011-04-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

Lillunia is in the mood for Spring with our Garden Series:

A topiary Elephant, Horse (bucking...of course) and Giraffe celebrate the joy and whimsy of Spring!

All three together add fun and magic to a nursery or little girl's bedroom!

We are feeling very playful this time of year ...so get ready for some fun and new ways to introduce your kids to the magic of the natural world! Stay tuned...

-Laura

WORK WORK WORK WORK

2011-02-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hello Lovely Friends. No excuses- but I am NOT a slacker...even though we have not posted since December 2010!!! So...what has Lillunia been up to since then: We have created 3 new Lines in our Whimsical Series: Whimsical Safari, Whimsical Arctic and Whimsical Ocean We have started our Mommy & Me series with Mommy & Me Safari, our Newborn series with Newborn Bunnies & Lambs and our environmental series with butterflies, frogs and fish!

We have also completed our Safari Alphabet and our Whimsical Alphabet!

So...we apologize for being absentee- but we have been giving you our love with new ART!

Stay tuned for our revamped website with all of our images and for now- please visit us on Facebook to see what we have currently.

xoxoxox - Laura

Merry Merry Happy Happy

2010-12-22T19:53:00.001-08:00

Within the midst of the whirl and blur of the holiday rush- we cherish the moments of silence; turning the lights off on the tree once everyone is in bed, mesmerized by the wash of colorful lights on the street and neighboring apartments from my darkened window, warming my mittened hands on a cup of coffee sitting in Central Park and watching the children play in what seems like a dream.

These moments remind us of the most vital aspects of our lives; the bits and pieces that fall away when we are busy running and rushing; the reasons...in fact...why we rush and run.

We are blessed. We are grateful. We look forward to the new year with passion and enthusiasm and a deep appreciation for the extraordinary people we have in our lives.

Laura Hill Eve Corio

From all of us at Lillunia...people and animals alike...we wish you the warmest, most peaceful and happy holidays.

A Very Lillunia Pre-Thanksgiving Thanks!

2010-10-20T10:58:00.001-07:00

As we at Lillunia move ever forward into the exciting world of independent business ownership, we are learning so much and want to say thank you to everyone who has helped and cared and supported and loved us as we grow.

We want to thank the amazing communities of mothers and artists and bloggers and designers and business people who have shown support, love, shared incredible insight and care.

We want to thank the extraordinary children who live with our art and use their vibrant imaginations to create stories and characters from our images.

We want to thank our customers and the parents, grandparents and friends who have shared our art with their children and decided that environmental education can be taught early and through the magical world of art.

We want to thank the extraordinary world of animal families that we take as our subject matter, who teach us every day and leave us in awe at the diverse and beautifully complex fabric of our world. And

And of course, we want to deeply thank our own families for their endless support and love. We are blessed and grateful. xoxox- Lillunia

2010-09-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

M is for Meerkat

At Lillunia we are busy little monkeys these days.

We have been painting alphabet letters and creating unique and beautiful custom name-art for families and we have been preparing like maniacs for the upcoming ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas!

O is for Ostrich

R is for Rabbit

G is for Giraffe

A is for Antelope

"MORGAN" and "JAKE" from our African Animal series will be on display as well as a host of our art (modern, mosaic, classic...etc). We can't wait! And we hope we will see you there!

The ABC Kids Expo will run from October 10-13 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV.

N is for Nyala

www.lillunia.com

Loving What We Do!

2010-09-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

We Love What We Do

We just received a lovely review of our art from Mommy Moment (www.mommymoment.ca) and we are very grateful for this. One thing was striking, the reviewer mentioned her daughter's reaction to the art now hanging in her room. She wrote:

"I know that Anya's Giraffes will be a part of our daughters bedroom decor for many years. Now she loves to say "Ni Night raffes" as we tuck her in each night. Years from now she may love to look at the Anya's Giraffe print and dream of seeing real giraffes like this in the wild."

There is nothing that means more to us than hearing from parents about their children's' responses to our work. We love animals and art and children...but at our core we want to educate and ignite children's imaginations. And we are finding...to our great excitement, that that is exactly what is happening.

Recently my partner Eve and I went to a trade show (7W baby & Kids Fair) here in NYC. For the show, Eve brought one of our mosaics: Sophia's Vervet Monkeys" http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Sophia-s-Vervet-Monkeys-p73.html. Apparently her daughter (who's bedroom they inhabit) was not so pleased about this. In fact, a bit of a tantrum ensued: tears, crying and screaming "don't take my monkeys mommy, don't take my monkeys!" At 2 years perhaps she is not quite familiar with the term "borrow" and was quite inconsolable.

Alas - her Monkeys have returned to their home where she can dream about them and their home far away in Africa.

Each time our art moves into the bedroom...into the imagination of a child we feel that; we feel a part of their lives and imaginations and this is extraordinary.

We are so grateful...

-Laura

www.lillunia.com

2010-08-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

We Love Dogs (and cats and horses and birds and...)!

Just beginning work on a portrait of two amazing sheep dogs. We are so in love with dogs and all of their amazing habits and talents and charms. They bring so much happiness to people and families...we are just gushing.

When we decided this past year to offer "Pet Portraits" at Lillunia we were not sure what the response would be. Well, it has been amazing. People love their dogs (and cats and horses and fish and birds...) and we LOVE to paint them. We know how special they are and we do our best to translate that for people in a way that they will be able to treasure forever.

We are animal - passionate - people here at Lillunia and we know the amazing bonds that form between people and their animals because we share them. To capture the tenderness between a parent and child in the wild is a similar experience for us to when we capture the expression of someone's beloved animal for them in a portrait.

All we can say is: Keep 'em coming! We just can't get enough of these wonderful babies!

www.lillunia.com

2010-08-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

A is for Alphabet; A is for Africa; A is for Animals!

Lillunia presents its brand new series of African Alphabet Letters. Now you can spell your child's name, while sharing beautiful, original watercolor art and teaching them about the environment!

We have just begun our journey and are very excited to be able to share as we create and develop this new series.

Have a look at the many magical animals we depict in our series and see which animals will spell your child's name!

A Alligator, Antelope
B Baboon, Bullfrog
C Camel, Cheetah
D Deer, Dove
E Elephant, Eagle
F Fire Fly, Flamingo
G Giraffe, Gazelle
H Hippopotamus
I Iguana, Ibex
J Jaguar
K Kingfisher
L Lion, Lemur
M Meerkat
N Newt, Nyala
O Orangutan
P Parrot
Q Queen Bee
R Rhinoceros
S Skunk, Salamander
T Tiger
U Upupa (bird)
V Vervet Monkey
W Warthog
X Xantusiidae (night lizard)
Y Yak
Z Zebra

Sara = Salamander-Antelope-Rhinoceros-Alligator

Ethan = Eagle-Tiger-Hippopotamus-Alligator-Newt

Anya = Antelope-Newt-Yak-Alligator

Brandon = Baboon-Rhinoceros-Alligator-Nyala-Dove-Newt

Lee = Lion-Elephant-Eagle

The possibilities are endless and so much fun! At Lillunia we are also pleased to offer custom work as well. If you or your little one favors a particular animal we will be happy to add it to our Alphabet!

Love Your Families - Love Your Animals - LILLUNIA

www.lillunia.com

Sharing Art & Animals

2010-07-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Sharing our love of animals through our art is what we do and how we educate our children about the world they live in and their role in our planet's health.

By popular demand we have been working on expanding our range of note cards so our friends, supporters and clients can send a little of this love to their friends and family.

In our endlessly digitized culture there is nothing more lovely than receiving a hand written note...quite frankly just receiving real mail from a human and not an institution has taken on an antiquated charm.

We love sending and receiving images of the things that matter to us; in our case we are thrilled to be able to share our art and our understanding of the natural world with the people we love...and we hope you will too!

Lillunia will be showing lots of new work and some of our cherished original pieces at 2 wonderful upcoming venues:

NYC Baby & Kids Fair @7W (7 West 34th Street, 11th Floor, NYC) 8/16 to 8/18, 2010

and

ABC Kids Expo @ ABC Kids Expo at the Las Vegas Convention 10/10 to 10/13, 2010

We hope you will come see us!

Love your Children, Love your Animals...Lillunia

I am so Confused and Happy Too

2010-07-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Lovely Friends... I am such a slow learner, please forgive me. Inadvertently I stumbled upon all of the wonderful comments (international and in the US) that people had left about our posts. I had no idea. Thank you.

We are so happy that people enjoy our discussions and quite frankly it is inspiring.

In preparing for a few big gift shows coming up, we here at Lillunia have been busy little bees. But it is a joy. We know what we believe in and we know how important animals, art and culture are to you and to the way that you want to educate the next generation.

Thank you for your support- we intend to keep creating art that resonates with kids and inspires their imaginations; that cherishes the natural world and pays homage to its beauties and its sublimity.

Thank you for journeying with us.

LILLUNIA www.lillunia.com

Why We Do What We Do

2010-06-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

I know it is fashionable and popular to be "green" these days; and I think a lot of companies have jumped on the eco-bandwagon because they know doing so broadens their market. Good- at a certain point- who cares WHY companies "go-green" so long as they really do.

As consumers become more educated and conscious about the every day decisions we make for ourselves, for our families and ultimately for EVERY family on the planet, we start to see that all changes matter. Our actions have consequences far beyond our small worlds.

What the BP catastrophe has taught us (and that is what it is, as we will be feeling its effects for 20 years directly and who knows how long for residual damage we cannot directly link) is that we are all absolutely connected. Nobody can say "that doesn't effect me" "that is happening to them."

The greater our technologies become, the more interwoven our economies, the smaller the gaps between cultures and nations and people and animals. The facts is both profound and very simple: we are all in this together. We are all responsible for what happens to each other.

There are so many lessons we can teach our children from what we have seen so far and what we all will experience from the tragedy in the gulf. Don't shelter them from this, there are ways to make it less scary but still real and important to them. This is now their problem too!

Love Your Families...Love Your Animals!
LILLUNIA

Lion Cubs are Lions Too!

2010-05-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Alright- babies are the cutest things in the world...there...we said it! And after our own, there is nothing as adorable as baby animals. We know- because they, and their families are the subject of our art.

What we think is particularly mesmerizing about young animals (like our own monsters) is their joy and innocence and their un-blemished sense of themselves. LION CUBS ARE LIONS TOO!

lee's lions

After all, little boys and girls are just young men and women...they are people and although they are learning the ways of the world from their parents and families, they have all of what adults have latent inside- ready to burst out and ROAR.

It is our responsibility and priviledge to help them along their way!

Please come visit us at www.lillunia.com

Lillunia Art : LIVE

2010-04-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

Showing art on the Internet just stinks. It is a fact of life we all have to get used to. There is no way a flat 2-dimensions can fully articulate the dynamic qualities inherent in art.

Oh well...

Resolution: Lillunia is so happy to be able to share our work with you IN STORES. What we have learned as we travel down this amazing road of business-building- is that art really only speaks LIVE. WE feel certain you will agree.

We do hope you will be able to come visit at the stores we are working with now. And as we build new relationships we will keep you posted and will hopefully be coming to a beautiful store near you SOON!

Please come see our art at the following lovely locations starting in May, 2010:

Hildreth's in the Hamptons
51-55 Main Street
Southampton NY 11968
631.283.2300
800.INC.1842
http://www.hildreths.com/

Broken Colour Works
27 Hampton Road
Southampton, New York 11968
631.259.3612
http://www.brokencolourworks.com/

Always the Children
14 South Greeley Avenue
Chappaqua, New York 10514
914.238.7500
http://www.alwaysthechildrenc.om/

Tickled Pink...or Orange!

2010-04-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

We are always dazzled when parents let us know how their babies react to and enjoy the Lillunia art in their environments.

We always feel confident the parents like the work because they acquired it...but the little ones always make it magical!

A new mom, just contacted us to let us know how her little boy has taken to Anya's Giraffes above his changing table.

She wanted to let us know how absolutely charming and beautiful Anya's Giraffes looks in his nursery - but beyond what she thinks, she told us that that her son's response to it is simply amazing.

He is always staring at it and smiling and giggling and raising his little hands in the air. She said it is absolutely amazing to see.

We adore these little interactions.

Our goal is to educate our little ones about the environment and the animals with whom we all share this beautiful world...but my goodness, to know that what we do also makes them so happy and engaged- that is priceless!

This mom chose a green theme for her son's nursery and at right is the actual image that is in his nursery.

www.lillunia.com

Kids and Their Animals

2010-03-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Kids and Their Animals

It is clear to us that animals teach us many lessons, if we are willing to listen and learn them. Children are WONDERFUL in this regard because they know so well that you don't have to speak the same language to communicate perfectly. Adults, with all of our rational nonsense forget this all too often.

This magnificent past weekend, the first in Spring, reminded me of how amazing the relationships between kids and animals can truly be. Yes of course we all hear the horror stories in the news about troubled children who torture and kill animals...but that is an extreme abnormality. Most often we see amazingly loving relationships.

Of course, at Lillunia we love to expose babies and children to animals that they might not otherwise see- like Tigers and Monkeys and Polar Bears. But just to watch the magic between a girl and her pony or a boy and his dog or any endless number of loving and respectful relationships between our kids and their animals is true magic.

And the magic works on so many levels. "Pets" teach our children responsibility to be sure, but they also teach kids how to share, how to play "together", how to think about the needs of something other than oneself...and ultimately how to appreciate the diversity of life that is enjoying the world with us!

We love watching these relationships and fostering them whenever possible. We hope you, and your kids do too!

www.lillunia.com

On Nurturing Communities You Keep

2010-03-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

On Nurturing Communities You Keep

The founders of Lillunia were fortunate to go to The Chapin School in New York together. Besides being an extraordinary place to learn and to grow and to evolve, the community at Chapin has served us long after our tenure ended, fostering an unparalleled alumnae community that is endlessly supportive, receptive and nurturing.

On March 2, 2010 Lillunia visited Chapin in order to give a talk to an Upper School Art class called Pencils to Pixels. Characteristic of our experience with the school, the head of the art department who is teaching the course was a dearly beloved teacher of ours when we were in school and a very special person who we have kept in touch with all of these years.

We had a blast to be sure, and were reminded of the fundamental...in fact, essential value of communities like Chapin; communities that teach children to constantly learn and to be inquisitive, to follow their dreams and to believe in themselves.

We are so grateful to the school for all that they have given us, and to our parents for having had the wisdom to send us there.

We hope that we will have the wisdom to put our children in environments that foster such positive growth and enduring relationships. These are truly the types of communities that make humanity such an interesting thing to be a part of!

In some small way- we at Lillunia are trying to foster a community as well; a community of like-minded, responsible children who learn early in their lives all that they have to give to our planet and their individual communities; nurturing being at the heart of this all...

Embrace the Unusual: Animals outside the Box

2010-02-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

Embrace the Unusual:

Animals Outside the Box

Don't be afraid of strange! The

world is filled with extraordinary creatures big and small...and our experience tells us that for our little ones- the more unusual the better!

Nurseries are filled with little lamb and bears and giraffe and monkeys-- and we love these creatures- they are the stuff baby dreams are made of.

But there are thousands of unusual creatures- that our little ones may NEVER meet (except perhaps in the Zoo) - but they are just as important to their understanding of their own place in this big beautiful shared world.

Anyone who has watched "Meercat Manner" http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/meerkat/meerkat.html has certainly fallen in love with these smart and complex little mammals whose nurturing and endearing family relationships make them an ideal example of for our children of how other families work in the wild.

Our Meercats will be on our website any day now. If you are interested in them (and we can change the polka dot boarder to any color scheme you would like- blues, greens, yellows etc) please let us know at info@lillunia.com.

Love your Babies! Love Your Animals....

Embrace Strange!

Green Babies

2010-02-16T14:19:00.001-08:00

How young is too young to raise green children? And what exactly does this mean?

As parents we have an endless stream of information about behavior, food and products in order to live very healthy and proactively environmentalist lives; and this is true for us, and of course our children.

Yes, this means waisting less, recycling & reusing, trading our "disposable everything" habits for more sound practices (clothe diapers, wooden toys...). But it also means reading books with ecological messages, reading books about "real" animals in the wild world, about nature and environmental preservation. They are NOT too young to understand we all share one precious home called earth.

Children never cease to amaze with their sharp minds and generous understanding of concepts in which adults become tangled. Similar to the languages babies and young children learn with such apparent ease, environmental conservation is a language that will come naturally to your little one.

It is an interesting time in that adults are learning the language of environmentalism at the same time that we are teaching it to our children. Pretty soon, like all things digital, our children will be telling us the best practices...and as usual, we will be learning fro them.

We can and will raise a new generation of adults who do not think twice about building in environmental consequences into every decision they make...effortlessly. They will have learned very early, in the crib, in the stroller, in the park and the Zoo- what a vital role they will play in the future of our planet and its myriad and magnificent life forms.

So...no...it is never too early to lead yur babies down the road to "green-ness"- it is natural to life to want to protect and nurture one another...even little babies know this!

I get shivers thinking about it!

www.lillunia .com

*the images above can be found at http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Dierdre-s-Dolphins-p62.html and Penguins by special order at info@lillunia.com

Giving a "Little" some Big Love

2010-02-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

At Lillunia we try to give all we can to the people, animals and issues that matter to us. Like so many of our friends and people in our social/working communities, we have so much to balance- it is a challenge.

One of Lillunia's founders, Laura Hill, participates in Big Brothers Big Sisters Workplace Mentoring program. In the program she has a "little" who she adores: a super talented, precocious go-getter from the Lower East Side in Manhattan. Together they are quite the pair- always giggling, creating and enjoying each other's company.

One program day Laura's little excitedly told her about her little Chihuahua "Rocco." Laura though her little might like a portrait of her little pup:

Voila!

We are so happy to share all we can with our favorite people: Big and Little!

www.lillunia.com

Living with Art: Children

2010-02-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

I guess it is pretty unusual that all "the lovely ladies of Lillunia" were born and raised in NYC ("natives" as they say). With all of the difficulties associated with raising a family in the city, there are some extraordinary benefits; benefits that we are all certain we feel and experience to this day.

One of the amazing gifts of the city has been a life-long immersion in and engagement with art. The exposure and resources were staples of our childhoods and, although our individual experiences may have been different, the art in each of our lives had profound effects on who we are, what we care about and what we do with our lives.

Anyone who has experience with children and art (both viewing/experiencing and making their own art) is aware of the transformative effects upon them.

Children have wide-open, unspoiled imaginations...just ready for a spark. They learn so fast and furiously, that when they are given the chance to look at, process and make their own sense of images and sculpture and installations- the sky is truly the limit. It is a beautiful process to watch.

We feel so fortunate to have had such broad exposure to art when we were children and we feel this gives us special insight as adults; we understand the wide and magnificent world we present to our children when we expose them to art.

You don't have to live in NYC or a city at all to do this for your kids. With all of the digital resources and the library, we have so many ways to introduce art into the lives of the little.

Don't be afraid to show your little ones "sophisticated" images: even if you feel challenged by the "meaning"- let them engage in whatever way they do. I will never forget my then, 3-yr old niece at MOMA in NY viewing a Jackson Pollack- her words "I did that"...priceless!

*Picture 2 of the Ladies of Lillunia as kids in NYC- Lillunia founders Eve Gianni Corio and Laura L.M. Hill (1980s)

www.lillunia.com

Our Animals

2010-02-05T05:41:00.000-08:00

OUR ANIMALS

Lillunia is devoted to education, art, animals and the environment. We know that animals have so much to teach us about nurturing our little ones while not upsetting the balance of the natural world we share. In countless ways they teach us to nurture the world that nurtures us.

We also know that the people we love, LOVE their animals the way we do. They are absolutely a part of the family. This is why we decided to incorporate pet portraits into our collection of work.

The unbelievable inter-species bonds between people and their animals is something that constantly amazes and charms us- from our own extraordinary interaction with our cats and dogs and horses - to our friends experiences...the stories are all different, but all share that inexplicable, magical connection.

Love your Families, Love Your Animals...

*Melvin in the Garden and many other pet portraits are currently being incorporated into our website www.lillunia.com. For ordering information, please contact us at info@lillunia.com

A Poem About a Goat

2010-02-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

A Poem About a Goat

Here at Lillunia we are moved by simple things. We are profoundly influenced by the sound of the ocean at night, the quiet murmurings of dreaming cats, hungry baby birds calling for their mothers and the moon- always the moon.

Last night I read a poem (I am perhaps the last standing poetry reader I know) in the New Yorker. I was moved. I know it is bad wrong and awful to reprint a poem that is not ours- but I am giving full and ecstatic credit to The New Yorker for publishing it and to Mark Doty for composing it. It is called PESCADERO. Lillunia has NO right to this poem except we have the right to love it. If you love animals as much as we do, please read- you will enjoy:

PESCADERO

The little goats like my mouth and fingers,

and one stands up against the wire fence, and taps on the fence board
a hoof made blacker by the dirt of the field,

pushes her mouth forward to my mouth,
so that I can see the smallish squared seeds of her teeth,
and the bristle-whiskers,

and then she kisses me, though I know it doesn't mean “kiss,”

then leans her head way back, arcing her spine, goat yoga,
all pleasure and greeting and then good-natured indifference: she loves me,

she likes me a lot, she takes interest in me, she doesn’t know me at all
or need to, having thus acknowledged me. Though I am all happiness,

since I have been welcomed by the field’s small envoy, and the splayed hoof,
fragrant with soil, has rested on the fence board beside my hand.

-Mark Doty
*published in The New Yorker,

issue dated February 8, 2010

Social Media: New Communities

2010-02-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

Lillunia is an intimate company, and as such, when we first thought about “social media” in relation to our company we felt awkward. It all seemed so impersonal- trendy and quite frankly, confusing. We were wrong.

Blogging has been a wonderful outlet for our thoughts, yes, but also for our message and expressing our goals as a company (and they are not small). We consider ourselves educators, contributing solid building blocks in the development of our children’s minds. Of course we take this role very seriously.

Blogging has been a way to share our insight and experience with friends and like-minded people.

Facebook, while challenging for businesses, has been a rich experience by allowing us to connect with friends and their friends, and their friends to share our brand philosophy, our art and the wonderful responses we have had from parents and their children. It has also allowed us to keep up with other wonderful blogs and companies that inspire us.

Strangely, Twitter, which I must say, I was afraid of and absolutely resisted, is my favorite of all. It is so odd, yet satisfying. It is, in my opinion, the daily “personality” of our company—Lillunia’s voice, each day, expressing what we are in small bits and pieces. We tweet about child education, baby development and play, about animal welfare and safety, about art and design, about children and their pets, their experience with art and creating art, and about our families and animals—it is personal yes, but Lillunia is a very precious and personal company…committed to real goals and beliefs far beyond the market.

All of this to say simply, social media is amazing in that it has changed and enhanced our community. We love our friends, fans and followers- we feel very much “a part” and that is amazing. Thank you.

www.lillunia.com

Nurturing Mothers and Their Babies

2010-01-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

The inception of Lillunia took place in a nursery, with an original watercolor made to celebrate the birth of a certain baby during the feeding of that baby during her first months of life.

Sustenance.

What we know about our art, is that it is nurturing as it portrays animals in the wild nurturing their own babies. What is unique, is that Lillunia art nurtures both mother and baby.

Through endless hours of nursing her newborn, Eve, Lillunia's co-founder, was inspired, moved and, indeed, nurtured herself by the loving portrayal of a mother Giraffe and her young calf. There was something there, so tender and simple that spoke to her- that speaks to all of us, about nurturing our little ones and being a fundamental part of this great and glorious landscape of life.

At Lillunia we nurture parents and their children; our work places them in a context with other parents (elephants, dolphins, lions, horses, hippos, koalas)- all of whom share the world and love, protect and NURTURE their offspring.

Our art speaks to children, of course, they are our future, but our art first speaks to their parents...the nurturers of all that we collectively hope for.

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

www.lillunia.com

A Commitment to Animals: Portraiture

2010-01-27T07:17:00.000-08:00

In the larger Lillunia family there are many four-legged members: from Thurman to Kimba to Pudding to Jack to Putty to Melvin to Charlotte—we adore them and thank them every day for bringing so much love to our lives and for helping us teach our children how to care for and respect other living creatures.

It is no secret that Lillunia parents and friends, in large part, share our enthusiasm for our non-human companions. And we have realized that there is an endless demand from our constituents for portraits of their animals. Certainly, beyond Lillunia, our artists are fluent in the genre of pet portraiture; we just never considered it as one of Lillunia’s genres.

BUT – alas, by overwhelming demand, we are excited to offer unique, aesthetically Lillunia portraits of peoples’ very own beloved animals. In this endeavor we will still strive to illuminate, and to infuse each portrait with our fundamental message to: “nurture the world that nurtures us”. After all, we know all too well the kind of nurturing that our animals bring into our lives; in many ways it is a vital part of our sustenance- what actually makes us human.

And so- we are honored to offer our family, friends, community and customers Lillunia’s “take” on your most magnificent non-human family members.

We are currently working on a new section of our website to house Lillunia pet portraits, for now, please contact us directly at info@lillunia.com for information about price and timing.

www.lillunia.com

From Disaster Comes Opportunity

2010-01-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

We hate to sound trite or cliched, but there is some consistent truth to the notion that out of difficulty, indeed out of disaster, comes hope- even opportunity.

We are far from learning or even being reflective about the indescribable tragedy that is Haiti. We are still in the throws of urgent reaction-- which is exactly where we should be. But from this horror we will learn many many lessons about ecology, climate change, politics and economics, the fragility of human life and its endurance, grief and perhaps most important, humanity.

There is still so much work to do, care to give, support to rally, funds to raise and aid to distribute to the most brutalized nation. Most of us will be doing what we can directly, but from afar; and this is extraordinary.

But there is something else we can do with this time- perhaps similar to what so many parents found themselves doing after September 11, 2001; talking to out children about what is happening. There is an opportunity here to show our children how precious life is...every life; and to help them see themselves in the big WE of the world, a vital part of it and a contributor to our collective future.

It is a beautiful and moving experience to see so many people and families rallying to do all they can to help untangle the disaster; this is something to share with our children.

For those of us with babies too young to understand what has happened, perhaps we can think about our own part in the global community- and what types of people we want our children to become; what will matter as we fill those beautiful little minds with all that we can. What decisions can we make now.

Each life matters. Haiti will teach us many many invaluable lessons from the breath and scope of its tragic circumstance. We owe it to ourselves, our families, our global community and certainly to those who have lost their lives, to learn these lessons and to teach them well.

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

Social Responsibility: Ecological Content

2010-01-22T13:38:00.000-08:00

When companies say they are “green” or “eco”, to me this means that they are using ecologically sound materials, ingredients etc. in order to make their product (or at least it should mean that). And this is terrific (under regulated- but terrific).

But what does it mean for a product to be ecologically sound AND have an ecologically sound message? That is harder- because what kind of message can organic pureed pears have besides “mmmm, yummy”? or organic combed cotton P.J.s besides, “mmmm, soft and cozy.”

Certainly, we understand that ecologically sound products send a resounding message to the world and to our smaller communities about what kind of world their purveyors hope to live in and what kind of place we as consumers when we purchase them, want to leave to our children and the animals with whom we share this magnificent earth.

When we, at Lillunia, talk about an ecologically sound message- we know that what we create is uniquely situated to deliver a powerful message about our hopes and goals for the environment; because our content is ecologically sound. Every image we create, every subject matter we fall in love with and then lovingly portray sends our message to the babies, children and parents who live with our art.

Our message is a simple as it is powerful: Nurture the world that nurtures you. As a company we live by 3 simple principles in order to do this: Illustrate, Illuminate, Elevate; by illustrating for our children that the world is filled with nurturing families in the wild, we are able to illuminate their imaginations and their intellects, with the precious goal of elevating their sense of self in a great human and animal community and instilling in them an understanding of their vital role in our collective future.

We LOVE that we can do this. We are so lucky and thrilled to share what we create with you!

www.lillunia.com

Lillunia Art in the Nursery

2010-01-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to share with you, some beautiful nurseries that feature Lillunia Art.

Enjoy!

hayden's koalas and olivia's koalas are installed in Ava's nursery (Central Park West, Manhattan (NYC))

lily's lions, liam's lians, lola's lions and anya's Giraffes are featured in Sebastian's nursery (Chelsea- Manhattan (NYC))

all three lions are hung in a row above a love seat near the crib...

anya's giraffes in a cozy corner of sebastian's nursery...

anya's nursery picks up on the warm earthy tones from emily's elephants and sophia's vervet monkey to complete its tranquil African theme (East Hampton, New York)

Please visit us at www.lillunia.com see all of the images shown here, and our collection of animal-family themed nursery art and accessories.

Ava and Her Koalas: Some Inspiration

2010-01-20T07:29:00.000-08:00

We installed Hayden's Koalas and Olivia's Koalas in a beautiful custom nursery on the Upper West Side of Manhattan this past weekend. A cherubic little one-year-old named Ava has the most charming chocolate and petal pink nursery: so unexpected and cozy.

We are always thrilled when we watch the munchkins interact with our art for the first time- never solicited or prompted- they always have amazing reactions.

Ava was immediately drawn to Olivia's Koalas (a huge focus image of a mother Koala with her baby on top of her head). Ava was transfixed…giggling and pointing and speaking her still incomprehensible language of excitement. The image framed was nearly as big as her crib and we hung it directly above.

Ava's reaction to Hayden's Koalas was entirely different. She started pointing to the Koalas in each of the 4 images in the frame. With her tiny little finger she pointed and said "mama" "baby" "mama" "baby" as she

worked her way around the images. Her mother and I chimed in asking "where is the mama" "where is the baby" "which baby is in the tree" "which baby is sleeping" – to each question she responded with e giggle and pointed to the correct image; Truly inspiring (with no wires or animation or digitized voices)!

Of course we believe in what we do and in what we create, our goals and the people, animals and principles we hold dear- BUT we feel overwhelmed with satisfaction when we see that a little child understands, in her own sweet and perfect way – just exactly what we mean.
please come see Hayden's Koalas at: and Olivia's Kolas at: http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Olivia-s-Koalas-p63.html
and Hayden's Koalas at: http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Hayden-s-Koalas-p57.html

The Little Bears That Could: Real Generosity

2010-01-15T08:26:00.001-08:00

For as often as I am driven completely mad by my fellow humans and want to swear off the species entirely- I am consistently taken aback and overwhelmed by the decency and genuine kindness I find in so many people.

Lillunia is a young but mighty company and we are so grateful for the wonderful reviews and press we have received so far in our brief lifetime. Our work is currently being reviewed by The Eco Chic (www.theecochic.com) … and yesterday they sent us an e-mail. They let us know that they had received our work…and had some very kind words to say about it. Then to our surprise and delight, the generous woman writing the email asked for our permission to allow them to use the art for a silent auction at her church…as they are trying to raise money for Haitian relief efforts.

I can’t tell you how I felt…so touched by her gesture, so honored to be a part of the relief, as well as feeling the great satisfaction in knowing that something we created was being used in such a noble way.

The “things” we create…children, animals and art included—we send off into the world and hope they will do something wonderful- affect positive change and bring happiness…and, in this case, something we created has done exactly that.

Thank you The Eco Chic for being wonderful and generous and making us feel happy to be human.

you can find ashley's bears at: http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Ashley-s-Bears-p69.html

www.lillunia.com

Why Content Counts: Art Changes Lives

2010-01-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

There is no question that we humans have a profound effect on our shared planet and have made some pretty brilliant and some pretty stupid decisions over the past several centuries.

We need to attempt to learn from both the good and the bad. And I think many of us try to do this (challenging as it is with all of our other responsibilities).

But what is it that we can learn from other creatures on the earth? Certainly we are able to look at contributions to the earth in terms beyond physical skills or mental acuity…(the same mental acuity that would allow us to essentially destroy the shared space we live in—don’t forget). Are there other attributes to admire, learn from and even emulate? Yes- Many.

Anyone who has spent time with animals does not have to be told how much joy and happiness they bring into our lives- but that is not why they are on this planet…to slavishly make our lives better places to be.

Is competing, ranking and judging the only way we can perceive value and contribution? All you need to do is watch a mother Robin guarding her nest, feeding her hatch-lings and eventually coaxing them to fly out on their own; see a mother Koala carrying her little cub around on her back or belly for months and months until s/he is able to walk, climb and eat on his or her own; or a heard of Elephants with a new calf, fawning and doting and all making certain he grows and lives a healthy Elephant life. They are magnificent nurturers. That is something we all share.

What else can we learn? Animals don’t worry as much as we do, they seem magnificently well adapted to deal with and anticipate danger (we generally run head-long into it) and they don’t fear death. Believe me; it is not because they are unaware that death happens…anyone who has seen a heard of Elephants mourning one of their dead will see something extraordinary. And this is true of many animals.

Domesticated animals become our partners and helpers, and they make as many choices (believe it or not) in the animal/human relationship as we do.

We love animals as a topic for children’s art because we know how many lessons they teach us about life and love and nurturing. We know that what we surround our children with has a huge impact on their understanding of the world and their roles in it. There is no question about this.

Lola's Lions and Lilly's Lions above can be found at www.lillunia.com

How Lucky We Are!

2010-01-13T06:54:00.000-08:00

We, at Lillunia, spend an amazing amount of time looking at and thinking about animals and art and their effects on our children.

HOW LUCKY ARE WE?

There is no doubt, I do an amazing amount of dry, miserable paper/busy work each day...BUT, lucky me, when I have a moment, I get to re-focus on just exactly what I want to be focused on...what I love!

I have often thought, if people did, each day, what they loved doing and what they had real aptitude for- what a pristine and serene world we would all share. The reality is that many/most of us have to keep "the day job" while cultivating the magnificent kernel of joy and creative energy on the side...as a second and/or third job. Oh yes, and then there is baby, and husband and fury babies...YIKES! There is a lot on the plate.

But when we do what we love, what we have real talent for, that is the essence of a good life; the exquisite spirit of productivity and satisfaction- which I can't help but believe is the heart of what it means to nurture.

Because, what exactly is it that we pass along- that we teach and give to the next generation if not passion and conviction and the love of people, places, animals and goals to which we are committed.

For LILLUNIA: Children, Animals and Art

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

Ecologically Sound Toys

2010-01-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

In many ways our media saturated digital culture drives me mad. Gone are the days when you could take a drive and quietly spend an afternoon without the cell phone ringing and the blackberry e-mailing. Gone are the days when people made "friends" looking at each other in the eye, rather then "friending" and "being friended" on line. Ok...c'est la vie- we must go with the flow (Luddite though I am)

At the same time, I am eternally grateful to be alive at a time, when medicine and science are so advanced that an ever growing percentage of people and animals in my life are ALIVE and healthy because we live when we do...breathtaking really.

That said- our time also has given us (more recently) a wonderful number of choices as consumers...and ever increasingly "green" ecologically sound choices. This is awesome.

For parents- there have been many scares in recent years about products made with dangerous chemicals. There have been a number of recalls making everyone feel vulnerable and suspicious...for good reason. The good news is that there are now so many wonderful and safe choices choices we can make when finding the right toys for our little ones.

In our wanderings we have found some really nice places to look for ecologically responsible toys.

For wonderful wood toys, we suggest having a look at North Star Toys:
http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/

Green Toys has a terrific selection of recycled material toys:
http://www.greentoys.com/

And Tree Hollow Toys has a great mixture of all types of responsible and safe toys.
http://www.treehollowtoys.com/

We have been browsing and buying- but you need to make the decisions for yourself...we just want to share our excitement about the possibilities we are finding in this brave-new-world- options that simply were not there, or very remote just a few years ago.

As you go forward and look around..we found the following really useful checklist courtesy of: http://www.toxinfreetoys.com/general/eco-friendly-fun-4-ways-to-identify-green-kids-toys/

1) What Materials are the toys made of?
Identifying what is classified as a ‘green toy’ starts with the materials used to create that toy. Choose toys which are made with natural or easily recyclable materials. Choose toys made with:

Leather
Wood
Organic cotton
Metal (aluminum is easily recycled)
Fabric
Avoid toys made with plastic as plastic is a non biodegradable oil based product.

2) What country are the toys made in?
Surprisingly the location where the toy is manufactured has a large impact on its ‘greenness’ . Most toys these days are produced in China and as a result incur an enormous environmental ‘carbon footprint’ due to the distances travelled. A Toys ‘Carbon Footprint’ increases every mile that toy has to be transported.

3) Will this toy break in the first 10 minutes?
Well made toys are inherently green because they can be passed down and are not designed to be used for a week before they break. Select toys that are robust, made with quality materials and designed to stand the test of time.

4) Can the toy eventually be recycled?
All toys will eventually find their way to the landfill unless their components can be recycled. Some toys are manufactured in a way that allows for their parts to be easily disassembled.

www.lillunia.com

Nurture the Source

2010-01-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

Nurture the Source

http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Daniel-s-Dragonfly-p70.html

At Lillunia, we believe all of the system of life on the planet begins with nurturing (from food, to love, to education, to play). We believe in nurturing our families and our animals, the people and animals with whom we share the earth and nurturing the larger environment that nurtures us all.

Do take time, however, to nurture the source: YOU. What does this look like? Well, it does not have to mean the "me me me"-centric version of "personal time" of the last 2 decades. There are ways to nurture yourself that allow you to remain YOU to your and to everyone else who needs you.

http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Emily-s-Elephants-p54.html

We just want to remind you that you too are a part of the big system we all share- if you spend all your time giving to everyone and everything else you will be 1) exhausted, and 2) lose the beautiful and independent you that is doing all the giving. So-simply - take care of yourself. Don't forget to sleep a bit later- perhaps take a long bath in the evening- buy a really nice bottle of wine- and/or dinner at your favorite place (for no particular reason).

So much is expected of us these days- jobs, families, second careers, hobbies, animals, charities, parents etc. - we must have the energy to handle it all or we will begin to resent. No good.

Keep doing what you do- there is a lot of work for us all in these endlessly changing times, and that is alright. We do it all and will continue to rise to the challenges, and continue to nurture our little ones, our spouses and partners and our shared environment.

Take a deep breath- we are all in it together...and that is awesome!

2009 Lillunia "Coming Out" Party

2010-01-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Lillunia "Coming Out" Party 2009

a beautiful fall evening,

a beautiful manhattan venue, an enchanting celebration of the birth of Lilllunia

...warm grey and tangerine, small gestures of fall...

...art interspersed in an elegant environment...

francesca's foxes

emily's elephants

...the lovely ladies of Lillunia and patrick's polar bears mosaic ...

...lucas lions and ashley's bears...

...una festa tutta aranciata e pieno di vivere...

...friends countrymen...(women)...

...cheers!...

www.Lillunia.com

Lillunia's Own Animals Part 1

2010-01-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

Lillunia's Own Animals : Part 1

By popular demand- we are proud to present the marvelous mammals in the Lillunia family.

At Lillunia we love animals for their beauty and grace, their strength and intelligence... and of course, for the many lessons they teach us.

What we have here are some VERY spoiled animals the we dearly love and who live with us, inspire us...and sometimes drive us completely mad: Part 2...coming soon (yes...there are more!)

"Putty" ...in repose...2 views

"Christmas Pudding" - licking the delicious tasting wall... mmmm

"Christmas Pudding" ... sun bathing (warmy)

Princess Kimba-Cutie Clementine singing

We adore them.

Part 2...coming soon:

Jack, Thurman, Melvin Neville Jackson, Charlotte and Remy...

Love your families...Love your animals!

http://www.lillunia.com/

News from the Nursery 2010

2010-01-05T08:19:00.001-08:00

News from the Nursery 2010

Ok- yes, we hate to gloat, but nothing makes us happier at Lillunia than hearing from parents about their children responding to our art.

WE LOVE IT!!!

Here is a new one: one mother hung Emily's Elephants over the changing table in her daughter's nursery. Her little one- looking up at the new image began to tell the most enchanting story. She let her mom know that the little baby on the left was looking for his mommy; that the daddy elephant was hugging the baby in the middle so the little one didn't have to be scared; and then finally the baby found the mommy in the last image and they were taking a walk together "holding tails" instead of hands.

It was the most enchanting tale- interspersed with ideas like "the baby needs the mommy...and the mommy needs the baby" "they're a family and they need each other-- so the baby's happy".

We could not be happier to hear this adorable story. What we love most is that the little girl started the conversation. The images intrigued her and inspired her imagination.

We love when children's imaginations work on their own- without the need for electronics interfering with the natural magic a child's mind creates.

We are so happy that our art has this kind of effect on kids...it is truly inspiring!

Visit us at www.lillunia.com to see more!

*emily's elephants http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Emily-s-Elephants-p54.html

Lessons of a Decade

2010-01-04T07:12:00.000-08:00

Lessons of a Decade

This past decade has been an eventful one. We are undeniably different people (all of us) than we were in 2000. Of course the changes inherent in life have certainly come to pass (births, deaths, illness, puberty, pets, marriage, new careers, moves, new homes etc.), but beyond the more predictable events, as a "people" we have changed.

We have seen horrific acts of terrorism, war, economic fraud and deceit on a global scale and we have seen profound acts of political bravery and hope. We are not the same people as we were at the dawn of the new century.

We are key actors in our collective destiny and at Lillunia (small BUT mighty) we really believe- in fact our prime mover is our understanding of the word "NURTURE"

We are entering this new year, this new decade with a renewed sense of responsibility...and it is good. We will teach our children what it means to be a part of this big life system; we will teach them "we" before "me" and we will try our best to learn these lessons also for ourselves.

Sometimes it is difficult to re-invent our understanding of our place in the world, and sometimes it is as natural as air. This is natural.

Everything we do, take, eat, make, break, destroy, build or create has a consequence far beyond ourselves. It is not hard to imagine what these consequences might be. Once we do this, we get to make informed choices about what affects we want to have on the world and its myriad progeny. Choice is good. We wish this for every child.

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

*single images above from the 10-frame Lillunia Mosaic entitled Tanner's Ducks http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Tanner-s-Ducks-p74.html

"Nurture the World that Nurtures Us"

2010-01-01T13:09:00.000-08:00

"Nurture the World that Nurtures Us"

The message is "NURTURE" for 2010 and for always. To watch animals, in our homes, in our gardens and parks is to see what is fundamental to all of us: nurturing is the key to our survival.

What does it mean to nurture? It can mean nudging a young chick from the nest when the time has come for her to fly; carrying a fuzzy young Koala cub around on one's back for the first months of life, reading a much loved bedtime story for the 160th time.

We are all a part of this incredible system of life on the planet. We all have had the privilege to be born- to come into the world a helpless bundle of cells, and to learn and grow and breathe the air. When its our turn, we must "Nurture the World that Nurtures Us." www.lillunia.com

I was driving to the barn last week and flipping through the radio as I am apt to do just starting out on the Palisades off the GWB. It was a Sunday morning. Some few words of what sounded like a really interesting lecture caught my attention, so I paused. I soon realized it was a sermon for mass at All Souls Unitarian Church on 80th and Lexington in Manhattan. I forgot the pastor's name, but he was amazing. I think he used a metaphor about jumping a 4 foot oxer (which caught my attention) and I kept listening.

What has held fast in my head (other then the oxer) was his urging statement that we must nurture the world that nurtures us. YES! this is what Lillunia is all about: nurturing the world that nurtures us!

For us this means our families-- growing our children's minds, imagination and curiosity; it means loving and caring for the animals we share our homes and our lived with; and it means caring for and participating in the health of the people and animals with whom we share our world.

This certainly seems like a lot of "nurturing" to do...but that is exactly what we do. We protect and teach and feed and love and help and give-- that is why we, and all of the other animals on the earth are still here doing what we do for the next generation. This is the essence of life.

Love it. Own it. Be a part of this world in the biggest way possible.

NURTURE THE WORLD THAT NURTURES US!

Lillunia 2010 New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-29T12:54:00.000-08:00

Lillunia 2010 New Year's Resolutions
to Share www.lillunia.com
with Family and Friends

Here at Lillunia, we have come up with some 2010 New Year's Resolutions that we hope you will find useful-- if only for thinking about the things that matter and that we treasure.

Happy New Year!

1) We plan to do one new "green" thing each month within our homes. At the end of the year we will be able to reflect on the 12 ways we worked to heal the planet for our future and the future of the next generation.

2) We plan to give our time, $ or talent at least twice this year to a cause or charity that we feel committed to. If possible we hope to involve our families in this process.

3) We are going to work hard to implement a 1 - 2 hour per evening no-electronic entertainment period: No TV, no radio, no computer or video games-- in an attempt to reclaim this time for talking, reading and non-digitized play. (Yes- I am a closet Luddite)

4) We will try to spend more time outdoors every weekend.

5) We will plant one new plant in the garden/ terrace/ windowsill that we were otherwise afraid of planting (for fear of failure).

6) We will smile every single time we realize we are frowning or pouting (unless deliberately to be sexy).

7) We will spend 5 solid minutes every single day of 2010 feeling palpably grateful for all of the gifts and treasures we have in our lives -- and with respect to the ones who are alive (both furry and not) -- we will let them know how we feel.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FROM

LILLUNIA

(www.lillunia.com)

Charity and Children

2009-12-24T06:56:00.001-08:00

Charity and Children

At this time of year, when the whole world seems to be worshiping at the alter of consumerism, is there any way to salvage the season and teach our children about charity: the fundamental heart of this season?

http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Dierdre-s-Dolphins-p62.html deirdre's dolphins

There are many opportunities that this season presents to start our children down the path of philanthropy and charitable giving. And it is pretty easy. Some ideas:

1) Have an Annual Clean-Up & Give-a-Thon. Children grow up and out of clothes and toys at lightening speed. How about each year, at the start of December, we roll up our sleeves and fill a big box of toys and games and (gently warn) clothes to donate to a local charity. All those goodies your little one has outgrown are sure to make another child as happy as pie.

2) Have a Holiday Card- Craft Afternoon,: lets call it directed doodling...turn off the video or TV, pull out the coloring pencils, crayons or markers and some simple coloring paper. On-line you can identify a number of children's welfare organizations in your community or in the country, write down their addresses and buy some standard size card envelopes (any craft store will have them). Explain to your little one that you and s/he are going to send some holiday cheer to people you don't even know. Why? Because we can, its fun, and it will make them feel loved and happy as we do in our homes and families at this time of year.

3) Bake for a Cause: take one afternoon of holiday baking and spread the joy beyond the cozy warmth of your family. Most charities have holiday food drives and bake-sales or simply holiday meals for homeless families or indigent people. Call a few and ask what their policies are. Make a couple of boxes of home-baked yum and share them with others.

There are so many opportunities at this time of year, to teach our kids about the wider world and their vital role in it's progress. We love our families so much, and want to give them everything, but sometimes reflection is a very important gift...and if each year, at this time, we can help our little ones reflect on who they are in the larger world-- that seems to be the best present we could ever give them.

PEACE

From Our Family to Yours

2009-12-22T11:46:00.000-08:00

From Our Family to Yours

No matter how busy we become this time of year, we are always reminded of what this season is truly about: love, family and community.

There are many different peoples and cultures and religions that celebrate at this time of year-- but at the heart of each is the understanding that we are all people who share this world with one another and myriad incredible animals and plants and resources. We are truly blessed.

From our family at Lillunia, to your family, we wish you all of the magic of the season for now and for the years to come. We are celebrating with our loved ones and cherished animals and hope, for all of us and for all of you, that the new year is merry and bright and filled with hope.

Happy Happy Joy Joy !!

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

Your Child's Imagination

2009-12-17T08:27:00.001-08:00

Put down the video games and digital toys, turn off the TV and computer and watch your child's imagination blossom!

We love hearing stories about how Lillunia art effects parents and children. After all, Lillunia began because of the effect Anya's Giraffes had on Anya's mother while spending hours nursing and thinking about what family, and nurturing and community really means.

Well, we have just heard from a mother who has hung the 10-frame Sophia's Monkeys in her 2-year-old's bedroom. We could not be more pleased. Not only do the parents love the effect of having an entire magical tree filled with Monkeys in their daughter's room (an effect which they feel is astonishing in scale and in that it changes everything about the space)- but we are particularly thrilled with the little girl's reaction.

http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Sophia-s-Vervet-Monkeys-p73.html

Jumping and laughing and dancing around like a little monkey herself she fell in love with her new tree! No digital media, no video game can do what art does for a child's imagination.

The possibilities are endless- just like her imagination!

Share this magic with your children...watch what happens, it is breathtaking!
www.lillunia.com

Content Matters: Babies, Animals and Art

2009-12-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Content Matters: Babies, Animals and Art

We are sure at Lillunia...so sure, that content matters. When people talk about their desire to be ecologically sound- or green, we say YES- go for it, its not that hard these days, but what does it mean and at what level.

It is vitally important to buy environmentally safe and sustainable products...we are convinced, but what about the content. Yes, we want to wrap our kids in organic cotton, paint their rooms with non-toxic and biodegradable paints, and to feed them the most wholesome foods- but what do we want to put in their minds?

Can we be ecologically minded in what we teach the little monkeys? YES! Lillunia is all about education...and sooner rather than later our coloring books (in process) will help drive this home. We want to help parents feed the minds of their little ones with a steady diet of nurturing elements from the wide,wild world. We want to give children a window on the greater planet and all of the families that share our common goal: NURTURING OUR CHILDREN-- giving them all the tools we have to be the best Person, Lion, Robin, Elephant, Fox, Hippo, Kangaroo, Horse, Giraffe, Dolphin or Polar Bear they can be

LILLUNIA:
ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

visit us at:
www.lillunia.com

2009-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

Kids and the Environment:
Challenge But Exciting

There is no doubt that teaching our children about the challenges we all face with our changing environment can be daunting. There was a really funny article on GreenMuze recently describing some of the pitfalls. ("Eco Lunacy Parenting")http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs.html. There are ways, however to start the learning without adding fear and worry (leave that to us for now). At Lillunia we love the Canadian site Eco Kids http://www.ecokids.can for helping teachers and parents move children through the issues and the big questions we all face. But what I like most is that they start from stewardship and the idea that we can all play a constructive role in the health of our planet and the creatures that live here; ie, starting from a positive place.

Making it fun

There is no reason why feeling like a member of a larger world with responsibilities to it, has to be scary...or even boring. Children love to feel important to processes and projects...and the wonderful part of environmental stewardship is that they (our children) really are important-- its not make believe- our children will inherit the earth we leave them.

More and more school programs are adding environmental topics to the standard curriculum-- and this is fantastic. But these lessons we can certainly start at home: recycling, backyard nature outings, certainly reading and coloring, healthy food choices and eco home projects.

Embrace the opportunity to mold their lovely little minds- as parents and teachers we can make the serious issues about our world accessible and fun. That way-- their children may not be in the bind we find ourselves in now-- and if they are still "cleaning up" they will be better equipped to do so!

ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE: LILLUNIA

2009-12-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.lillunia.com/-MODERN-ART/Devon-s-Deer-p85.html
Devon's Deer

Plant the Seed of Charity

There are so many wonderful stores and companies and websites featuring myriad organic baby products- it can make your head spin. But aren't we lucky? Aren't we lucky that we live in a time (finally) when all of this is available to us; at time when we don't have to buy chemically laden baby toys and furniture, when we can choose to buy "corporate" baby products or local, artisanal or handmade.

I think that what we do now, the choices we make for our families are the first lessons children learn when they are confronted with making their own choices about sustainable products, about chemicals in their food, about pesticides and about animal welfare.

I would go so far as to say these are the first seeds of charity. Teaching children that our choices- the basic ones we make everyday- are the building blocks to healthy environments for children all over the world and for animals in the sea, the sky and those that share the land with us. This is where children start to understand their unique and special role in this great web of life.

As parents it is both daunting and exhilarating to be so fundamental a part of this time in a new person's life. Teach your children well and they will reward you and their community in kind.

We are working to be a part of the solution- www.lillunia.com

Love your families- love your animals!

Teaching Our Children to Respect Animals

2009-12-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

Teaching our Children to Respect Animals

Children naturally gravitate toward animals. I am constantly enchanted when walking down the street, by the little hands that extend to touch a fuzzy dog or the outstretched arms pointing skyward at tweeting birds.

The park is even more captivating...with ducks gliding and squirrels twirling up tree trunks. There is an indescribable beauty and peace in the activities of animals. They are pure, they are childlike in this way.

Without anthropomorphizing -- there is no need too, animals are a spectacle that is never tiring for children. When we actively teach our children to respect animals we teach them about their place in the larger world. It is not "all about me" -- a lesson that they are constantly taught in the media.
dylan's dolphins http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Dylan-s-Dolphins-p53.html

It is easy for children to learn the kind of self centered, materialistic lessons that are so abundant in our world these days- but it is just as easy to teach them respect and empathy and the benefits of community. This lesson must start at home (and hopefully be continued in school).

We owe it to our children and our world to raise the best people we can. I know that animals are a part of this lesson. Living with animals myself, I know what they bring to my life and the life of my family.

dereck's deer http://www.lillunia.com/-MODERN-ART/Dereck-s-Deer-p83.html

Start young. It works.

We love this link to the Humane Society. Browse around the site- it has so much to offer for families.

http://www.hsus.org/humane_living/living_in_harmony_with_animals/kind_newstrade_teaching_kids_to_care_about_animals.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYA!

2009-12-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Anya!

The little girl who launched Lillunia turns 2 today, December 2, 2009.

See her Giraffe's, Lillunia's first image, also featured in Hampton's Magazine "Eco-Fabulous" column.

anya's giraffes

http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Anya-s-Giraffes-p56.html

Looking to the bright future- Anya, we wish you all love and happiness and joy!

Tis the Season - Give Love and Learning

2009-11-30T08:06:00.001-08:00

Ti's the Season- Give Love and Learning

Against the backdrop of and endless supply of electronic, plastic, endlessly commercial gadgets destined for the land-fill, we would like to suggest a different path.

There is no question that children are bombarded by an endless array of media and product and that children are an enormous marketing demographic. For a parent, this is one of the most challenging situations. As much as we want to protect and educate our children, we have to maintain a dialogue (for better or worse) with what they see, hear and do, which we can't control or at least supervise.

anthony's giraffe's

http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Anthony-s-Giraffes-p64.html

At Lillunia, we do believe, in fact we are certain that there are ways to prepare your children (and the other children in your life that you love) for the cacophony of commercial product, while instilling in them a fundamental understanding of what holds real value in life.

Regardless of our many different political, religious, ethnic and even ethical identities, we are all human and are all trying to raise smart, caring, responsible and loving people-- who will do the same for the next generation.

The achievement of these goals start at home; in how we love and how we treat other people and the world of animals with whom we share this magnificent planet.

liam's lions
http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Liam-s-Lions-p66.html

We encourage parents to be strong and smart this holiday season. Open a new world to your children; teach them about charity, about sharing and about embracing the challenges of their future.

Help them learn about the environment, about the animals we share the environment with, about children who might not have the same advantages. This is what the holidays are for. Sharing the wonderful gifts we have all been given with each other and with the people and animals in the world that have less.

At Lillunia, we have so much to be thankful for.

www.lillunia.com

Room for Art - Room for Animals

2009-11-25T07:59:00.001-08:00

Room for Art - Room for Animals ashley's bears
http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Ashley-s-Bears-p69.html

Children respond in amazing ways to art. Besides all of the research conducted on the effects of art on children's intellectual and emotional development, its just cool to see the range of responses that young children have when exposed to art.

I remember once going with my, then 3-year-old niece Charlotte, to MOMA here in NY and watching her interact with neon rich Richard Serra sculpture. She walked back and forth in front of the piece several times then laid down flat on the floor in front of it-- as if to say-- well obviously I need to experience this from another point of view (perhaps her cat's).

Then we went on to look at the MOMAs amazing collection of Jackson Pollack's work. I believe the first thing she said is response to his art, was "I made that". I was not sure if she meant that she had made something that looked very close to that (quite possible) or what? At any rate, it was a beautiful afternoon looking at and watching her interact with so much amazing work.

The same interaction with art happens in the home. I grew up in a house filled with art-- art which I always engaged with, asked questions about and never tired of exploring again and again.

Art in the home (as in the museum or gallery) is a constant source of information and instruction. Whether the child's curiosity begins with the abstraction of color and form, with size, scale and frame and then moves to subject matter and all that the subject illicit from their ever curious minds-- there is nothing so rich- and certainly nothing so rich in value to be found in digital toys and gadgets; all those insipid plastic toys which occupy a child for about an hour and then make there way to the ever growing land fill. emily's elephants
http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Emily-s-Elephants-p54.html

Lillunia Art is a timeless way to bring art into children's lives and to instruct them about the wonders of the natural world. They say that respect for others and for animals starts at home. We agree. In the relationships we foster with the art on our walls and the living animals in our lives - our children learn from us and what we do- Thank goodness!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving from all of us at Lillunia!

Love your families- love your animals!

WE LOVE BEARS!!!

2009-11-24T07:51:00.001-08:00

We Love Bears!

In America, we live with Black Bears, Brown or Grizzly Bears and in the farthest parts of the north, the magical white Polar Bear.

Children are also fascinated with Bears. I have never known a child who did not snuggle and love and plush little stuffed teddy bear.

Because there are so many myths about bears and yet so

Alexandra's Bears (www.lillunia.com, not currently posted)

much fascination, it is important that we introduce our children early to this extraordinary group of mammals. A nice introduction for children is:

Bears For Kids (2007) by Jeff Fair was updated and republished in 2007 and is perhaps the most authoritative children's book on black bears. Photos and text emphasize northeastern Minnesota.

In America's collective imagination, we have the lovable Teddy Bear, named for President Theodore Roosevelt, as well as the cherished Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear, Yogi Bear & Boo Boo, Care bears, Smokey the Bear, Fozzie Bear (from The Muppet Show), The three Bears (friends of Goldilocks), Gummi bears, Rupert, Corduroy, Little John (from Disney’s Robin Hood cartoon) and the Berenstain Bears. Baloo, from the Jungle Book is a Sloth bear.

With so much cultural love for the bear, we owe it to ourselves and our children to try to understand them and educate our children early about what bears are, how they live and raise their cubs and to show them the importance of our collective effort to preserve the world we all share so we...and bears can thrive.

Please visit Lillunia.com and share our bears with your little cubs!

We have:

-patrick's polar bear (Lillunia Mosaic)

-ashley's bears, and

-alexandra's bears- brand new and will be on the site shortly (if you are interested in alexandra's bears- just send us an e-mail at info@lillunia.com)

Teaching Our Children to Love Nature

2009-11-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Teaching Our Children to Love Nature

Below images:

Sophia's Vervet Monkeys - http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Sophia-s-Vervet-Monkeys-p73.html

Stella's Robins http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Stella-s-Robins-p55.html

At Lillunia, we are well aware of the importance of the natural world, both conceptually and materially, to our childrens' development. We encourage you to read a lovely little piece called which discusses this issue called:

Teaching Children to Love Nature - by Chaitanya Prakash at:
http://www.indiaparenting.com/intelligentchild/data/105.shtml

Chaitanya Prakash relates a genuine concern for the absense of nature in so many childrens' lives today. And as more and more families move to cities, nature will become more of a fantasy than a reality for children. Certainly most children in the world will never see Vervet Monkeys in their natural environment:

but sadly, today, more and more children will not even see Robins in thier natural environement.

It is our hope at Lillunia to bring a little bit of the natural world (from afar and from the garden) into our chidlren's environments from earliest childhood.

We believe that images that portray the universality of family nurturing in the wild will foster the kinds of responsible and caring adults we hope our children will become.

Bring the natural world into a child's environment with Lillunia Art and start them on a road of curiosity and exploration- of appreciation for the natural world and all of the creatures surrounding us.

Customize the art with a baby's birthdate and name for a truly memorable and prescious souvenir of a child's birth.

Please see the wonderful animals we portray at www.lillunia.com or ask us for a special animal of your choice!

Lead by Example- Babies are People Too

2009-11-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

Patrick's Polar Bears http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Patrick-s-Polar-Bears-p75.html

Lead by Example- Babies are People Too!

There is no doubt that all children develop differently and at different rates. However, anyone with children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren or friends with children know that imitation is a fundamental part of how children learn and become socialized as adults.

As adults, we make so many choices for ourselves and for our children, and sometimes the necessities of life overshadow the kinds of subtle decisions we make every day- decisions that our VERY adept children detect even when we do not.

Many families are doing their best to "go green" or to be as ecologically minded as their time and budgets allow. This is a wonderful trend. Whatever we believe politically, religiously or even socially, we all can agree that we would like the natural world to thrive. We would like all of the animals we share the planet with to continue to be able to live and nurture their own families.

At Lillunia, we start with the belief that what we do really effects what are children will become. We know this as we make big and little decisions- for ourselves and for them.

At Lillunia we grow children's environment from ART-- Art based on natural scenes of animal family's in the wild. We want our children-- and your children to know about what is out there and why we do what we do each day to preserve this magical planet for them ... and for us!

Share Lillunia with your child today! www.lillunia.com

Infant Visual Stimulation and Growth

2009-11-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

Stimulate Baby Eyes!

An infant's vision may be one of the least developed senses at birth, but visual input during the early months may have the most profound effect on your baby's developing nervous system.

Isabella's Zebras http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Isabella-s-Zebras-p60.html

At birth, a baby's brain cells are disorganized. While the infant grows, the brain receives input from all five senses. This input causes nerve cells to multiply and form myriad connections with other nerve cells. This is why visual stimulation is so crucial.

If a baby was kept blindfolded the visual center in his brain would never develop and the child would never see. On the other hand, if you provide continuous visual input into your baby's eyes, the retina thrives, the optic nerve grows, and the visual part of baby's brain develops in ever more sophisticated ways.

At the earliest stages of your baby's development, black and white and strong contrasting colors are a great way to begin stimulating your baby's vision. Research has shown that black and white contrasts register powerfully on the youngest babies retinas and send the strongest signals to the brain. Stronger signals mean more brain growth.

Lillunia recommends there magical Zebra art to begin the visual journey with your child. Isabella's Zebra's, Alexander's Zebras and our magical full-wall Lillunia Mosaic called Zoe's Zebras (http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Zoe-s-Zebras-p76.html).

Once your baby is old enough to understand what the images portray the can begin to learn the beautiful lessons about nurture and nature and the planet that all Lillunia Art strives to teach.

Please visit us at www.lillunia.com or send us an email with any questions or to learn about Customizing our Art for your unique Baby!

LILLUNIA Holiday Cards have Arrived!

2009-11-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Send a little LilluniA to the ones you love!

Holiday Polar Bears and Holiday Penguins (10 for $25)

Adapted from the LilluniA original water color art "Patrick's Polar Bears" and "Penelope's Penguins", LilluniA Holiday Cards are the perfect way to send your warmest holiday wishes and cheer! The message inside Holiday Penguins reads "peace on earth" and the message inside Holiday Polar Bears reads "PEACE HOPE JOY"

Each package of 100% recycled Holiday Cards comes with ten 100% recycled envelopes. A percentage of each holiday card sale will benefit charities that support the welfare of children and animals.

Please visit us at http://www.lillunia.com/ for Holiday Cards and for beautiful, educational and ecologically minded gifts for the nursery this Holiday Season.

Art and Your Child

2009-11-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Art and Your Child

Research has consistently shown that arts in education are fundamental to children's emotional and intellectual growth.

The Visual arts, it has been shown, improve children's content and organization of their writing; promote sophisticated reading skills and interpretation of text, and improves their reasoning about scientific images and reading preparedness.

An all around- education in the arts (dance, drama, visual arts, music etc.) Helps children learn to read, and their verbal and math skills. It has been shown also that arts in education improves children's ability to collaborate and to develop critical thinking skills.

"Notions that the arts are frivolous add-ons to a serious curriculum couldn't be further from the truth," says James Cantrell, education professor at the University of California-Los Angeles.

Schools often complain that arts programs tend to be the first cut in schools facing budget deficits. In the current financial climate, the arts in education will certainly be dealt a blow.

Bring the Arts into The Home

Parents can and should augment their children's exposure to the arts at home.

Please visit us at www.Lillunia.com. We can help parents fill a child's room with inspiring visual magic -- that contains a message of responsibility to the planet and the many wonderful creatures with whom we all share the earth.

Art and Baby Brain Development

2009-11-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Brendan-s-Lions-p43.html brendan's lions

Lillunia - Baby Brain Development

"As few as twenty years ago scientists believed that the genes we were born with wholly determined the structure of our brains. The facts recently discovered by neurologists and psychologists, however, prove that how children develop, learn, and grow depends on the critical and continual interplay between nature (or genetic endowment) and nurture (the surroundings, care, stimulation, and teachings received); ... both of these influences are crucial." (US Dept of Education)

http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Emily-s-Elephants-p54.html - emily's elephants

Studies have shown that the arts can awaken children's senses and make them more aware of the surrounding world with which they interact.
Exposing children to art from birth nurtures the intellectual process. This has been studied widely with respect to disadvantaged children and the benefits exposure to the arts has on their intellectual and emotional development. Such art exposure helps all children's social and cognitive advancement.

Grow with us!

Lillunia helps parents create stimulating and thought provoking children's environments with art that helps build children's environments where they will grow intellectually and emotionally.

Please visit us at www.lillunia.com

Play time - Bath time - Bed time

2009-11-03T10:41:00.001-08:00

Play time - Bath time - Bed time

All babies play- play is an essential part of learning. Little fox cubs jump and run and roll as they learn about being a fox and what will be expected of them as they grow.

detail from Fiona's Foxes http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Fiona-s-Foxes-p77.html

Every baby needs a bath. Each animal, in its unique and loving way makes sure that their little ones are clean and neat and safe from harm; little lion cubs are no different.

lola's lions http://www.lillunia.com/-FOCUS-SERIES-ART/Lola-s-Lions-p68.html

And when the day is all done and night is approaching, its baby's bed time. Young horses need lots of sleep to grow strong and big. They play and eat and run and jump and at the end of the day they too need their sleep.

detail from Mathew's Spring Horses http://www.lillunia.com/-ART/Mathew-s-Spring-Horses-p59.html

Come visit us at Lillunia, and allow us to show you and your child all of the wonderful things young animals do...and how alike we all are.

LILLUNIA: ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE

WWW.LILLUNIA.COM

2009-11-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

All too often parents simply do not know all of the small steps they can take to encourage their children's intellectual and emotional development. Reading to children, talking to them and providing them with visual stimulation are all elements that contribute to a baby's health and well being.

In the earliest years of your baby's life, their environment is crucial. A loving and attentive environment is fundamental, but remember that their visual environment is also essential.

At Lillunia, we know that the first few months of a newborn's life are filled with endless new sites and sounds and magical people, places and animals. Studies suggest that by 3 months the content of what babies see starts to matter and they begin to give images meaning. For this reason, Lillunia thinks the road to responsible thinking adults who understand that the planet is a place of shared lives and interwoven communities, starts in the nursery.

Please visit us an www.lillunia.com and bring some of the enchantment of the natural world into your baby's world.

2009-10-30T06:52:00.001-07:00

The Lillunia mosaic is a unique way to capture the magic of nature and show your child that they live in a magnificent world with many other families. http://www.lillunia.com/-MOSAIC-ART/Zoe-s-Zebras-p76.html

Each mosaic, from 5- 10 frames depict animal families in their natural habitats. Each frame is surrounded by one of our signature borders that can be used to coordinate the colors of your baby's space.

Lillunia also creates complimentary decoupage accessories (frames, tissue boxes, light switch covers) that compliment our images.

Experts understand that the youngest newborns can distinguish subtle shades. As early as 9 weeks old, infants’ contrast sensitivity becomes 10 times greater, allowing them to see large patterns or objects that have less than 0.5% contrast. This is nearly as good as their parents’ contrast sensitivity (0.2%). This means that by about 2 months old your baby is capable of perceiving almost all of the subtle shades and patterns that make our planet so rich and magnificent.

Content matters at this critical time in a child’s development. Lillunia understand this and takes it seriously.

All of the animals our world have parents and babies and families As a child’s visual capabilities strengthen s/he will also be learning his or her first words, matching objects with sounds and creating meaning.

By showing our children, from the very beginning of their lives, that all of us share the same planet, air and water, the same bonds between parents and children, we allow them to see and create a place for themselves in a community.

2009-10-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

LILLUNIA: illustrate illuminate elevate

Welcome to Lillunia's first blog post!

Our lush and unique watercolors and limited edition Giclee pieces are created by a select group of artists committed to – and driven by – the Lillunia mission: to create visibly accessible and effortlessly inspiring depictions of animals and their young in nature in order to teach our children about the wonders of our world and their vital role in its future.

At Lillunia we create individual works of art as well as the "Lillunia Mosaic"; a unique twist on traditional children’s wall art and nursery décor.

The Lillunia “Mosaic” is a contemporary take on the classical mosaic and the mural. The Lillunia Mosaic is a collection of frames that depict animals and their young moving through their environments. As they move through the frames and up and around and above a child’s bedroom walls, the art wraps the child’s environment in a magical story that captures the imagination and inspires the mind.

Lillunia is part of the solution. In all that we create and do, we leave the smallest possible ecological footprint. If life is filled with the lessons we can teach one another, we take our role in the lives of your children and ours very seriously!

Please visit us at http://www.lillunia.com/