Buzz in the City - Art Trail in Chelmsford

I’m excited to be involved in the Farleigh Hospice upcoming Art Trail in Chelmsford - Buzz in the City, and here are a few sneak preview, work in progress photos of the HUGE bee sculpture I’ve painted…

There is just one month to go until the opening Chelmsford’s first sculpture art trail. 30 stunning giant bee sculptures, each uniquely designed by talented artists, will be buzzing into Chelmsford city centre, accompanied by swarms of mini bees, beautifully decorated by local schools and community groups.

This is a FREE, family-friendly event for everyone to enjoy. To follow the trail, download the Buzz in the City mobile app or pick up a printed map from our Full Circle store in Chelmsford High Street from 5 July.

For every bee you discover on the trail, you also have a chance of winning a prize – including tickets to Colchester Zoo, Essex Cricket, Santa Fun Run, Walk for Life or The Comedy Club– or getting exclusive discounts on useful products and services.

Follow us now on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for all the latest updates, behind-the-scenes previews, and more!

Kirkus Review

Rebecca Gardyn Levington and I have received a wonderful Kirkus Review for our upcoming picture book, Finding Forgiveness! It’s due to be published by Farrar Straus Giroux, MacMillan Kids Books, in August and you can pre-order here

““My sister sulks beside me. Last night we had a fight. I’m not sure…how to make things right,” the young, light-skinned narrator notes as the synagogue community gathers for prayers during Rosh Hashanah. The protagonist reckons with conflicted feelings as the congregation casts bread onto the water as part of the Jewish ceremony of Tashlich. The child murmurs apologies and slowly releases the painful memories along with the breadcrumbs. The argument is resolved, forgiveness is found, and the siblings promise to do better next year. Gardyn Levington’s rhyming couplets skillfully capture the narrator’s emotional journey, while Mayo’s deftly illustrated, light-filled spreads and pastel colors convey the joy of the holiday. The artist offers a refreshingly diverse depiction of the Jewish experience; the congregation includes people of color, as well as a female-presenting rabbi wearing a prayer shawl and kippah. Though the characters have come together to observe Rosh Hashanah, readers may want to share this book on Yom Kippur as well, due to the focus on atonement during the Days of Awe. The story makes an excellent addition to the very small handful of children’s books on Tashlich and the themes of Yom Kippur. A glossary and a guide to making meaningful apologies are included.
Conveys a universal lesson on compassion tenderly and with depth. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)”

Detail from Finding Forgiveness

Barnes and Noble Promotion

US FOLKS!

Finding Forgiveness is available to pre-order today - written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and published by MacMillan Childrens Books and illustrated by me!

It’s a loving story, heartwarming picturebook about empathy, sisterhood, and finding the courage to ask for forgiveness - and having the grace to give it- both to others and ourselves.

B&N has a 25% discount on ALL preorders, including eBooks and audiobooks, when customers use the use the code PREORDER25 at checkout. It is exclusive to B&N members and includes an additional 10% discount for Premium members. And it’s free for non-members to enroll in the "B&N Rewards" program to participate in this promotion!

Apparently, pre-orders really help us illustrators and authors, so please go ahead and order before Friday to take advantage of this offer! Here’s the link

Folktale Week

It’s been Folktale Week over on Instagram - a week when illustrators, artists and other creators are given prompts for 7 days to react to and make something to share with the community.

I’ve had a hectic, but super-enjoyable time creating some mini-paintings for this year’s prompts.

I wrote a very simple story in the style of a traditional folktale to try and tie in the prompts given by our hosts. working quickly and concisely is like working in a sketchbook, just pouring out ideas to meet deadlines, but actually it adds spontaneity and life when I can sometimes work too laboriously and tightly. Long live #folktaleweek!

Mist - “Tree Fairy had wandered feeling lost and alone for a while. She couldn’t see or feel clearly through the wintry mists that surrounded her.”

Gate - “ Then, in the distance she saw hope through a gap in the trees and pushed through a gateway.”

Blight - “But she felt blighted on seeing that all the trees looked the same."

Trail - “Tree Fairy wandered on and on but then noticed a trail of seeds. She followed them all the way to the bottom of a large tree…'“

Depth - “The tree was dormant and dry, but still she followed the trail down. Downwards towards the deepest, darkest depths beneath.”

Bone - “Finally, Tree Fairy arrived at the core, the very bones of this tree and there she found a key…”

Blossom - “Tree found the lock, put the key in and turned. At last, Spring began again!”

Cover Reveal

I’m delighted to share the cover for “Finding Forgiveness”, a new picture book written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, to be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (MacMillan) and illustrated by me!

I loved illustrating Rebecca’s beautifully lyrical, rhyming words that I’m sure will resonate with readers on many occasions. Publishing on 5th August 2025, it’s a universal story of sisterhood and saying sorry which is set during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a time for new beginnings.

The team at Macmillan have been fantastic to work with, including Asher Caswell who designed the book, Joy Peskin our editor, Aram Kim art director and Hannah Millar, along with Christine Isteed at Artist Partners who represented me on this project. Thanks everyone!

New Book Contract

I’m proud and happy to have been commissioned to illustrate Shannon Stocker’s story about Izzy and Ailbhe Keene’s @izzywheels. Quite a challenge to live up to the brilliance of this pair, but I’m looking forward to creating something special soon…

Busy, busy

Apologies for the radio silence on my website recently - I’ve busy working on some fabulous pictures books! I’ve just about completed the artwork for “Finding Forgiveness”, written by Rebecca Garden Levington, which is due to be published in Autumn 2025 by MacMillan Children’s Books US. I’m now enjoying creating the artwork for the first book with my new agent, Andrea Morrison at Writer’s House Art. “How We Fly”is written by Sara Levine and will be published by Astra Books for Young Readers in Spring 2024. Following this, I’ll be due for a Summer break! But I’ll be back at my desk working on a yet to be announced project with Dial Books for Young Readers - part of Random House/Penguin US. Exciting times!

FolkTale Week

I made a little time last week to join in the joy that is #folktaleweek - a week long series of prompts to inspire creating some personal work focusing on folktales; old, new or self-scribed. I recently visited Edinburgh and so was inspired by the colours, tales and feel of all things Scottish. I focused my week of work on a traditional story called “The Seal Catcher”, about a fisherman and Selkies, those human like seals of the North Sea.

Here is the story and images it inspired.

Lost

Ink

Sea

Sleep & Underground

Illusion

Found

F&S Energy Mural

The good people at F&S Energy are a renewable electricity company based in Chelmsford and they recently asked me to create a mural to brighten up an office in their beautiful building. Inspired by the street art I’d created as part of this year’s Chelmsford Concrete Canvas run by Candy Joyce.

As sponsors of Chelmsford’s Green City month, I was more than happy to oblige!

New Agent

I have news! I am excited to share that Andrea Morrison at Writers House will be representing me for all things illustration and publishing.

I’m looking forward to having a new, fresh, and positive boost to my work and can’t wait to get started on some new projects!

You can see my work on the Writers House Art website here.

Chelmsford's Concrete Canvas

As part of Chelmsford’s second street art festival, I was invited to create an artwork on a CCTV base inspired by the theme of “Women’s Safety in Chelmsford”. I chose to focus on safety within community and I took a personal view by including some strong local women and community groups whom have made me feel safe and welcome since arriving in the city 18 years ago.

You can see many more great pieces of street art by local and international around the city now!

Thanks go to all the organisers and supporters including @concretecanvas @chelmsfordforyou @flippingzombies @originalcreativework (Film taken by @thelondonpolice)

Concrete Canvas Artwork

I was inspired to think about “Woman’s Safety” in terms of safety in community for this year’s Concrete Canvas street art. And I focussed on some of the strong local community groups and women I know (much to their amusement!)

I spent 3 full days working on a busy street corner - I was definitely out of my comfort zone, being used to working indoors at the comfort of my desk. Respect for those that do this regularly!

Many people stopped to chat, asking what I was doing, what it was for and was I allowed with an overwhelming majority giving a very positive response! Long may it last…

Folktale Week

#folktaleweek over on Instagram is currently a hive of activity - 7 days of illustrators sharing illustrations they’ve made based on these prompts: Fool, Tree, Star, Rebel, Costume, Potion and Victory.

Here are the images I made, this year using a theme of flowers; flora folktales, folklore and symbolism. I had fun!

Self portrait

I’ve not posted here much over the Summer, so thought I’d make a little painting to introduce myself.

I’m Diana, an illustrator who works mostly, though not exclusively, in children’s publishing and have recently illustrated books for PenguinRandomHouse US, MacMillan US and Bloomsbury.

I like working traditionally using paint, pastels, pencils and collage, tidying up an image digitally to be supplied as a digital file.

I work from home with two feline helpers, my teacher husband and two fabulous teenagers.

I usually scrub up alright for an old bird, but this is me make up free with unstyled hair!

I’m represented by Christine at ArtistPartners and you can see more of my work on Instagram and Twitter.

Tea Party

“Tea Party” is now available to order via my shop!

From an original artwork by Diana Mayo - a handcrafted image based on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, 2022. Illustrating a school's afternoon tea-party, enjoying the occasion as children do!

A fine quality, archival Giclee print, signed and of a limited edition of 50, available to purchase at A3 on Brilliant White Fibaprint paper.