Maria Blackman Creates
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mariablackman.bsky.social
Maria Blackman Creates
@mariablackman.bsky.social
160 followers 370 following 170 posts
She/her
Artist 🖌️
Writer ✍️
Reader 📖
On Noongar Whadjuk Boodjar (Perth, Western Australia)
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mariablackman.bsky.social
Perth folk, what happened to the Writers Weekend component of the Perth Festival? I can't see anything on the website or in the physical program about any literary happenings
#perthfestival
December 5, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Maria Blackman Creates
leguinbot.bsky.social
War as a moral metaphor is limited, limiting, and dangerous. By reducing the choices of action to “a war against” whatever-it-is, you divide the world into Me or Us (good) and Them or It (bad) and reduce the ethical complexity and moral richness of our life to Yes/No, On/Off.
December 1, 2025 at 8:42 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Beautifully written article about illustration 💗

Informative, beautiful and deeply human: it’s time to cheer the underrated art of illustration | Oliver Jeffers www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Informative, beautiful and deeply human: it’s time to cheer the underrated art of illustration | Oliver Jeffers
We do judge books by their covers. Illustrations spark young imaginations, solve problems, present information - and shape our world, says the children’s author on National Illustration Day
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:25 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Taking a little break from Folktale Week art posting because I have another writing project that needs to be finished. I will get back to Folktale Week soon - I never get it done in one week anyway!
November 27, 2025 at 1:28 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Folktale Week: rain
"After the man and his son brought the Hawthorn wood home, the rain poured and poured and the son sank into a deep sleep"
#FolktaleWeek2025 #FolktaleWeek #kidlit #illustration
A watercolour illustration depicting a red-headed boy's head (his eyes are closed and his face is pale). Around the borders two imps look at the boy, and rain clouds fill the top border and a small cottage is visible in the bottom left corner
November 25, 2025 at 11:47 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Folktale Week: echo
"Do not touch the Hawthorn tree as it belongs to the little people"
#FolktaleWeek2025 #FolktaleWeek #illustration #kidlit
A watercolour illustration of two imps clasping their hands over their ears. Behind them is a scene of trees and birds, with one stump in the foreground. Hawthorn berries and leaves fill the borders of the painting
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Folktale Week: Night
"Come sit by the fire and let me tell you a tale."
I love old folktales because they show how oral storytelling traditions have survived over many generations.
#FolktaleWeek2025 #FolktaleWeekNight
A watercolour illustration depicting an old woman and a young girl sat by a fireplace. Around the border of the image are seen two imps, a thistle, a crescent moon and two horses
November 21, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Reposted by Maria Blackman Creates
gonzalofg.bsky.social
Unlike most apps these days, Scrivener (@scrivenerapp.bsky.social) does not use AI in any way.

I've been a happy user of Scrivener for 15+ years. And boy, am I happy about that! Thank you, Scrivener!

tinyurl.com/2mh99w3y
Does Scrivener use AI? / General / Knowledge Base - Literature and Latte Support
scrivener.tenderapp.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Maria Blackman Creates
kibblesmith.com
Like it or not this technology is here to stay and if you don’t use it you’ll fall behind in your industry
November 16, 2025 at 11:49 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Frankenstein by Guillermo Del Toro - wow! Loved it 🖤 Gorgeous colours, light, costume, everything!
#frankenstein
November 16, 2025 at 1:27 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Signed. #stopcreativetheft
www.meaa.org/stop-ai-theft/
Stop AI Theft
We need your help to send our representatives in Parliament a message that it’s time for comprehensive legislation that forces AI companies to do the right thing.
www.meaa.org
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Get ready for a morning of action-packed fun at Young Readers Day Out!
Sunday 23 November 2025
10.30am-12.30pm
State Library of Western Australia
$20 for a family ticket -see website for details and ticketing
slwa.wa.gov.au/whats-on/you...
#scbwiwest #kidlit
November 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Perth folk! I am appearing at the Young Readers' Day Out at the State Library WA on November 23rd! Come see me drawing funny looking bird and other comical picture book characters
#kidlit #scbwiwest
www.trybooking.com/events/landi...
Young Readers Day Out 2025
Meet some of Western Australia's most well-known children's book authors and illustrators for a day packed with activities, including: • Helping...
www.trybooking.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:58 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Today a student told me, completely seriously, about something from "the old days, like the 90s" and I almost collapsed in a heap on the classroom floor.
#eldermillenial
November 5, 2025 at 12:33 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Got my story in 🤞
Here are some fun things I researched for it: ancient Greek sailors, ancient Greek sailing superstition, seers and oracles, ancient Greek merchant ships, navigation, astrolabes, wood worm, ship worm. Any guesses what my story is about?
#nycmidnight
nycmidnight.bsky.social NYC Midnight @nycmidnight.bsky.social · Nov 1
The Scary Story Challenge 2025 is officially underway! View your scare/action/character assignment, a countdown to the deadline, and upload link at bit.ly/3X3VZ0i. Best of luck to the 3,600+ writers participating worldwide over the next 48 hours, and Happy Halloween! #ScaryStoryChallenge
bit.ly
November 3, 2025 at 1:03 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Folktale Week is an illustration challenge that happens every November. This year I am taking inspiration from Scottish folklore. My grandad on my dad's side was a proud Highlander and the Highlands are full of wonderful Scots-Gaelic tales!
#FolktaleWeek2025 #kidlitart
A watercolour artwork with the text "I'm Joining Folktale Week 2025" and a dark green horse galloping across water
November 1, 2025 at 1:56 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 31: bones
I'm a little bit sad that Artober is finished now, but I have plenty more creative projects to work on in November
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small pencil and watercolour sketch of a witch holding a bone in one hand, and a pile of bones in front of her
October 31, 2025 at 7:41 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 30: sleepover 👻
Nearly made it through all 31 Artober prompts!
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small illustration of a girl sleeping in a bed near a window with billowing curtains. A large ghost hovers over the head of the bed, three smaller ghosts appear sleeping over the bed
October 30, 2025 at 11:17 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 29: billow
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small pencil and watercolour illustration of a ghost in a graveyard
October 30, 2025 at 1:00 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 28: maze
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small pencil drawing of a ghostly figure disappearing around a stone wall. The shadow of a large creature with horns is visible on a wall in the foreground of the picture
October 29, 2025 at 8:59 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 26 and 27, pie and attic
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small watercolour sketch of a child reaching up to a table upon which is a large pie, a spoon, a bowl of strawberries, a cloth napkin and a vase with yellow flowers A photo of a small pencil drawing of a cat on a roof at night. Below the cat, an attic window is propped open, behind which a pair of eyes are visible in the darkness
October 28, 2025 at 1:07 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Finally, some good news
October 26, 2025 at 10:52 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
It’s #SCBWIBookStop season! 🎉
My book is featured—come take a look, explore, and bring a copy home today. www.scbwi.org/bookstop/boo...
SCBWI bookstop page
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators provides the resources, professional networking, and community-building opportunities that support writers, illustrators, and translators throug...
www.scbwi.org
October 26, 2025 at 12:51 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 25: strange.
Justice for funny looking fruit and veg!
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small watercolour illustration of a group of three tomatoes. Two are regularly shaped but one has a protruding shape on its side. The regularly shaped tomatoes look alarmed
October 26, 2025 at 7:12 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
I've seen a bit of a SCBWI presence here which is lovely. Is there also a Folktale Week presence or is that still a predominantly Instagram thing? Artwork for attention, credit to @louve.draw
#folktaleweek
An illustration of a gravestone with a raven and a white dove perched on top. The following words are etched into the front of the gravestone: Folktale Week 2025, 1. NIGHT, 2. ECHO, 3. RAIN, 4. BOOK, 5. CHARM, 6. STORM, 7..DAWN, @LOUVE.DRAW
October 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM