Hi, I’m Marianne, an illustrator, muralist and space holder living by the sea in Cornwall.

Through illustration, murals and creative experiences, I create gentle spaces for people to pause, connect and reflect — bringing our inner worlds a little more into view.

I’m interested in the things we feel but don’t always have words for: connection, resilience, change, belonging and the stories we carry quietly inside. I believe creativity can help us understand ourselves and each other a little better, and that sometimes a small moment of warmth or connection can shift how we see ourselves or someone else.

From illustrated cards and stories to murals and creative work with schools and communities, everything I create is rooted in curiosity, connection and the belief that we don’t have to navigate life alone.

This is the world of Bear & Penguin, and the creative work growing around it.

Drawing and painting bring me enormous joy, and I hope some of that warmth finds its way to you and the people you love through my work.

Because love is never small, and neither is its power to heal, connect, and change the world.

You’ll find me swimming in the sea (‘skins’ ie no wetsuit all year round), enjoying a cosy cuppa and biscuit sat by the fire or with a candle burning, walking the coastal path or sat in a cafe watching the sea, writing or reading. I love nature, creating and calling Cornwall home.

Introducing Grace