Bringing old tales and new designs to life, capturing nostalgia in pages and clay
The Artist
My name is Lara Whatley, and I’m the artist behind Whatley’s Wildlife. I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. Art supplies were never far from reach growing up, thanks to my mother, the art teacher. We lived alongside a woods, and my younger days were filled with moss and fanciful stories, a healthy dose of fairytales read to us in the evening.
I went to university for Commerce, trading fireflies for finance and adventure for accounting. I learned a lot about being an entrepreneur, and how much I truly actually despise accounting. The bright bit in my degree was going down to New Zealand for exchange and studying creative writing and 3D modeling and animation there, as well as visiting and taking a few courses at Weta Workshop. A dream come true.
After I graduated in 2020, I decided instead of pursuing a desk job in a world where everyone was working from home anyways, I would take the leap into what I felt was my calling.
The rest is history. I create what inspires me, and what I hope will go on to inspire others. I’m forever learning, discovering new mediums, new passions, and it allows me to create with freedom. The world of art is very exciting, Like an explorer of old, discovering excitement at every turn. I don’t consider myself “there” yet. I’m still learning. I’m so thankful you’re here with me on this journey.
Some milestones in my art journey so far include being published in a few journals and papers including Polymer Weekly and The Toronto Star. Having my photos go viral on social media “Pippin the Penguin” and “The Leaf Bat”, having my first shop update to sell out within minutes, reaching my first million views on a reel about my mushroom bookmarks, and signing a book deal with Eye of Newt press. My life is not just my successes; a mountain of trial and error and other experiments lie behind them, but that’s art, I suppose!
I’ve been asked before where my inspiration comes from. I’ve had a library in my head for a while. The old kind, dusty. Big arched windows leading up to the second story. They let in filtered light. Smells vaguely of leather and vanilla.
The tables are strewn with all kinds of instruments, telescopes, maps, and vials.
The shelves are just as cluttered; with books, and in every remaining space there are jars, candles, and unusual antiques.
A bottle labeled “dragon tears” sits beside a framed moth with velvet wings. Not too far off is a globe, a glove, and a rusted key.
The shelf above holds a creeping vine that has outgrown its pot, and on the wall just beside is a horn in a plaque. The label reads unicorn 0003.
Not all the curiosities seem entirely authentic, but there’s something wonderful to discover in each forgotten corner.
I can see the library in my mind’s eye.
And I try to recreate it. I write the books in the shelves. I sketch the paintings on the walls. I collect and press the dried flowers and curate rare insects. I create the creatures and oddities hiding between leather-bound volumes.
I share my work, and when one brings home a piece of the library, it no longer lives only in my head. They become curators, part of the magic.
And somehow, with every piece, the library grows—offering new secrets to discover.
Welcome to the Library.
One day I’ll give a tour, and someday I’ll share the full journal entries, and maybe the time will come to reveal the name of this place, but for now, enjoy the pieces of the collection that emerge from our forgotten shelves.
I’m happy you’re here.
And just for fun, here are a few facts about me:
I’m an animal lover and a romantic.
My ideal life is somewhere in an old castle or stone cottage, making tea from herbs I’ve grown, wearing wool socks from my own sheep, painting a canvas with my own hand gathered inks, collecting books on my shelves, and bread baking in the oven. I’m partway to that dream with a small flock of my own Shetland sheep and a few chickens. Life is good.
I’m a creative through and through.
I play harp, piano, and guitar (guitar rather poorly), published my first novel at 15, second at 16, and have since written a few more. Currently editing a Urban Sci/Fi that I’ll send to agents as soon as it’s done, as well as a cozy mystery in its early stages, and a TV script I really should get around to submitting. I enjoy photography, composing music, and occasionally, bad poetry.
Meet Winston
My sweet boy. He comes out on evening animal chores with me every morning and evening. I love my pets, my family, my friends. I’m so thankful for all who support me. There are curveballs, don’t get me wrong. Life is so hard at times, but wow, is it so, so good!
Don’t be a stranger!
Have questions? Want to chat art things? Want to purchase a piece just for you? Please feel free to contact me, and I’ll get back as soon as I can. And in the meantime, why not subscribe to my newsletter so you stay up to date on new items and fun releases?
