a little bit about me...
hey there, I'm Laura! An early years educator turned illustrator-author-content creator!
I am the creative mind behind the popular instagram page @laurajaneillustrations, where I use my personal experiences and unique style to create content with purpose – content to make you feel GOOD about yourself.
I am passionate about using my social platform to spread awareness for emotional and mental wellbeing and to change how we talk about these topics with each other and with young people.
Having worked on creative campaigns during Mental Health Awareness Month and with Mental Health charities such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), my social profiles have become a safe space where my audience feels confident and comfortable diving into meaningful mental health conversations and sharing personal experiences.
In 2021 I published my first book, The Magic of You: A colorful book of Happiness, which is full of colourful illustrated quotes, just like you find on my Instagram page, with the aim of helping you feel inspired to step into your own magic & start creating your dreams.
my story...
I was born & grew up in Ireland, in a small country village in Co. Tipperary (that actually had a moment of fame in my teen years by being used as the set for a comedy TV show!). I studied Primary Education at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, and following my graduation I moved to London to work full time as a Primary & Early Years teacher.
The early years of my career in London opened my eyes to how many teachers (and other professionals) struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance; I saw so many colleagues experience burnout due to the pressures & expectations of the job as well as the feeling that they couldn’t take breaks to prioritise their own wellbeing.
In 2017 I moved with my Italian boyfriend Gio to his home town in North Italy, hoping to find a lifestyle that was less focused on work or ‘hustle’ and more on living and joy. Here I worked for 3 years in an English international school in Milan and began to work on healing my relationship with work by learning what it really means to have healthy boundaries and how to communicate your needs to those you work with. This experience and personal journey was what inspired me to start @laurajaneillustrations and to share my personal feelings, thoughts and words around the topic of mental health & wellbeing as well as advocating for the importance of boundaries, self-care and self-compassion.
In 2021 I moved with Gio to the small Italian island of Sardinia, where we live close to the seaside with our beloved dog Mimi.