Why stick with your planned episodes when you can add in another one?  Lorna Gibson, joins me for a bonus seasonal episode. Formerly a ski instructor and latterly a personal trainer, she combined her loves of all things wintry, drawing and woodland animals to create the world of Mr. Bear. Hear how both her stories, and her own journey to becoming a stop motion animator are full of magical moments, not least of which is the Stephen Fry connection.

Lorna Bio

Lorna Gibson is the founder of Toots Design. A self taught author and illustrator, she creates powerfully beautiful words and illustrations which touch the hearts of both adults and children. She has captured the hearts of those who are grieving with her resonating story Love Never Dies. Yet she manages to perfectly balance her delicately comforting work with the creation of worlds which are heart-warmingly joyful and which delight in the magic of the everyday. Her illustrated Tales Of Mr Bear have a nostalgic charm which Lorna recently bought to life when she taught herself to animate and created the magical short film Mr Bear’s Christmas. Since creating her first animation, Lorna has continued to bring subsequent stories to life creating further animations based on stories in her much-loved book The Tales Of Mr Bear.

 ● [01:31] – The Edge – up to date creative news and views

● [04:07] – Nikki asks Lorna where her creativity first started

● [05:54] – Lorna’s academic start and her unconventional early career

● [05:30] – How our brains have evolved to react to the new and the different.

● [07:45] – Turning a hobby into a business

● [12:47] – Inspiration for becoming an animator and how that unfolded

● [16:44] – The origins and creation of Mr Bear and his world.

● [18:59] –  Leaning into the uncertainty of creative freedom

● [20:46] – The bonkers Stephen Fry story!

● [26:34] – How to deal with a drop in confidence.

● [26:34] – The benefits of letting go of the idea of a linear pathway.

● [33:36] – Where to catch Mr Bear’s Christmas

● [50:24] – Creative Adventures

Four Creative Nuggets

   “What if I had no one telling me what to do? What would I do?.”

    Ideas are “A bit like having something tugging at your coattails. It's like an idea that just keeps coming and keeps coming.”

    “Sometimes you have to wait a little bit and that space can be uncomfortable, but I think keep repeating a bit of faith and patience and belief.”

    “I would choose to focus more on the thing that feels more in my heart than in my mind.” Trust in the process and yourself.

Links

Lorna

https://www.instagram.com/tootsdesign

https://www.tootsdesign.co.uk/

The Edge

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/20/wallace-and-gromit-studio-aardman-animations-running-out-of-clay

Nikki