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
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
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
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
Bonny red caps 🍄
#kidlitart
A photo of a small watercolour illustration depicting three red toadstools and an eery green face
October 31, 2025 at 3:06 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
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
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 22 and 23, mushroom and tangle.
Did you know there are bioluminescent fungi (ghost mushrooms) in Australia? Spooky!
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a watercolour illustration of ghost mushrooms growing on the side of a plant. The photo is taken in front of books on a shelf A photo of a watercolour sketch of a child with lots of curly red hair and a hair brush stuck in their hair. Their face looks glum
October 24, 2025 at 1:24 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Still behind with the SCBWI Artober posts, oopsie! Here are days 19-21: mask, harvest, calico
🖌️
#scbwiArtober2025 #sketchoftheday #illustrationoftheday #watercolourpencilsketch
A photo of a small watercolour illustration of a black and white cat looking at something to its right. The cat's markings look like a black face mask A photo of a small watercolour sketch of a small child picking peas A photo of a small watercolour sketch of a calico cat
October 23, 2025 at 2:25 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
More SCBWI Artober
Day 16 scarecrow
Day 17 stalk
Day 18 perspective
#scbwiArtober2025
October 22, 2025 at 12:29 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Yikes, I'm very behind in posting my SCBWI Artober art on Bluesky. Here's a round up of days 12-15: tip toe, rustle, burnt, charm
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small piece of paper on a book shelf that has pencil sketches of cats tiptoeing and arching their backs across a surface A photo of a pencil drawing on a piece of brown paper. The drawing is of a black cat's head poking out of a paper bag A photo of a piece of art on a book shelf. Leaves and gumnuts are painted in burnt sienna A photo of an artwork of a Maneki Neko that is taken in front of books on a shelf
October 22, 2025 at 12:24 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 11 kettle
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a small watercolour pencil illustration of a kettle. Tea leaves and flowers float in the background
October 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 7-10 round up
Fuzzy (nestling)
Carve (400 million year old sandstone cliffs at Kalbarri)
Hive (whimsical bees, enough said)
Twist (ribbon fun)
#scbwiArtober2025
October 11, 2025 at 2:07 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober day 4: birthmark
I drove from Perth to Jurien Bay today so not a lot of time for art. Here's a quick sketch for today's challenge
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a pencil sketch of a mother holding a baby. They both have a heart shaped birthmark on their upper arm. The birthmark is painted in a reddish colour
October 4, 2025 at 9:48 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober Day 3: phantom
A few years ago I wrote a ghost story that included a large carnivorous plant and things that go bump in the night.
The watercolours got a bit lurid in this but I think it works
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a narrow watercolour artwork leaning against books on a shelf. The artwork depicts a person holding a candle in front of a large plant. A ghostly shadow is visible behind the plant
October 3, 2025 at 9:28 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI Artober Day 2: night light
My youngest child slept with a cuddly sleepy time owl night light for a long time. We still have it, just without the batteries now!
May all children be granted a peaceful, safe night's sleep
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a watercolour illustration of a sleeping child that is cuddling a owl shaped night light. The text Sleep Tight is written across the top of the picture
October 2, 2025 at 11:40 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
SCBWI has made its way to Bluesky so I'll be trying to do all of their Artober challenges.
Day 1: squash
I once had a butternut squash vine growing out of my compost which was exciting except that we got lots of nice flowers but no squash! So here's a watercolour squash
#scbwiArtober2025
A photo of a watercolour painting of a butternut squash vine on a narrow piece of paper, propped against books on a shelf
October 1, 2025 at 9:42 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Trying to narrow down my favourite ten books from the last 25 years is too hard. I forced myself to just submit it before I could start overthinking. Other contenders: Dropbear, Evelyn Araluen; Narrow Road to the Deep North, Richard Flanagan; Hunger and Bad Feminist, both by Roxane Gay
#top100books
Graphic of Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. The ABC Radio National logo is in the top left corner. The text in the middle of the graphic reads: My Votes Cursed Bunny (2022) - Bora Chung Klara and the Sun (2021) - Kazuo Ishiguro The Good People (2016) - Hannah Ket The Boat (2008) - Nam Le The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness - Matt Ottley Life After Life (2013) - Kate Atkinson The Dictionary of Lost Words (2020) - Pip Williams Yellowface (2023) - R.F. Kang Station Eleven (2014) - Emily St John Mandel The Sympathiser (2015) - Viet Thanh Nguyen
September 12, 2025 at 3:36 AM
mariablackman.bsky.social
Did my first Book Week visit as an author and illustrator today and one of the Year One teachers snapped me deep in thought. Must have been those tricky questions thrown at me by the Year Ones.
#bookweek #childrensauthorandillustrator
A woman with black hair and glasses stands in front of a group of seated school children. She is holding her hand to her face and her eyes are partially closed. There is a Book Week display behind her and an easel next to her
August 15, 2025 at 11:43 AM