"Family portrait" - Emmanuelle L.

Hello Marina! I live in London with my husband Vincent and our 3 children: Auguste (8 and a half years old), Rose (6 and a half years old) and Eugène (3 and a half years old). We live in a very nice neighborhood in central London, a stone's throw from Hyde Park, but also a few minutes walk from Oxford Street and its department stores. The children go to school and do most of their activities in the neighborhood, which allows us to move exclusively on foot or by bicycle.

More than a job, it's a real passion. I have always drawn. From infancy to adolescence. I knew very quickly that I wanted to make it my main activity. I launched my illustration e-shop during confinement. It was a long-standing project, which it was important for me to materialize, even if the period was not ideal... but I believe that on the contrary, it was a driving force and a source of balance during this complicated period to manage, with the children at home.

I work by hand and mainly in gouache on recycled supports such as kraft and cardboard. Nature and childhood are a great source of inspiration and I like to create a whole dreamlike universe both through painting and photography. At the moment I mainly create hanging prints, picture books, cutting games and postcards. I hope to soon offer larger formats, originals and many other things. I'm full of ideas!

I have only known freelance since I became a mother. I gradually stopped working in graphic design for agencies when I had children because the fast pace was not compatible with the family life I envisaged. Vincent is very busy with his work during the week and I wanted to be present for the children while maintaining an activity. Since I'm my own boss, it's easier. But here the children leave school at 3 p.m. at the latest. So if you want to work in the afternoon, you have to have help. On Friday afternoons, weekends and holidays, I try to devote myself solely to the children. I also give myself time during the week: sport, coffee with a friend. It's important to find a good personal/professional balance.

I am a mother hen! Always there for my little chicks. I feed on their hugs. I watch them a lot because I don't want to miss anything. I do my best to help them grow and understand the world we live in. Transmit our values ​​and our culture to them.

The Sensibility of Augustus . He is an ultra-sensitive little boy who asks himself a lot of questions about people and the world. We talk a lot together. Rose's endless generosity and kindness . She always puts others before herself. Very caring, Rose does everything to make her friends and family happy. His maturity has always impressed us. The Playfulness of Eugene . He is a little boy who is very curious and does a lot of stupid things to get noticed. But he also makes us laugh a lot! A real clown. All are very tender and cuddly. And that, I never get tired of it!

We help them grow with all our love. We accompany them in the discovery of this world by transmitting to them values ​​of love and respect for themselves and others, as well as integrity, resilience and perseverance. We help them to get to know each other, to trust each other and also encourage them in the expression and development of their creativity. It is also important for us that our children grow up with a French identity. Especially since they all go to English schools. I want them to know that we will always be there for them!

I would say school mornings. I'm not very early! It often happens that I work late at night and even without that it always takes me a long time to regain my energy when I get out of bed when the children are already in great shape! If you see a family running early in the morning through the streets of London, it's us! We often hurry to go to school, but we always arrive before the gong rings!

Sketch my ideas around a good tea and a small square of chocolate or other small delicacy. Either in the silence of a tidy house, or with a pleasant little playlist, but always in front of the great view of the London houses and the park that surround us.

I had a real crush when I visited it. As if it was made for us! We just had to put our furniture and decor there. The living room is spacious and bright. With beautiful views of typical London houses or greenery. The kitchen is also a very pleasant place and very English with its pretty blue color. I was able to put a lot of my little junk into it.

I would say that there is a soft, joyful and serene atmosphere. (When the children's energy isn't overflowing too much!) It's a place full of small antique objects, travel souvenirs and books. But also pencils, brushes and drawings to finalize.

The sun-drenched bow window of the living room on the south side. It is a very calming and inspiring place. The view is breathtaking and superb. And if we open the balcony door then we can hear the birds in the tree whose branches brush against us. I often go there at the start of a project to find inspiration.

Happy bazaar! I would like it to be otherwise, but it is difficult to clearly differentiate the spaces, with 3 children in an apartment, all on the same floor. Eugene is small and likes to bring his toys into the living room to be with us. Rose draws a lot in the kitchen and the dining room and Auguste leaves his books and maps everywhere. We have a rule that I manage to enforce: preserve the living room space so that it remains pleasant and tidy.

We have 3 bedrooms but for the moment I have taken Eugene's small bedroom to do my workshop there. Surely that will change. Just swap my desk with a small bed. The children therefore sleep in the same room and this is going very well. The boys sleep in a bunk bed and Rose in a small bed with a canopy for a little more privacy. There's a wall of closets for all their clothes and games. An antique piece of furniture for books. Auguste will surely ask for more privacy soon but for the moment, they are happy to share a room together.

Kids love them. We have the BABA armchair and pouf in a pretty, very soft pink. They move according to the desires of each. In the bow window to dream while watching the clouds, in the living room to make an extra seat, in the children's room to play the dinette by transforming the ottoman into a table and sit the stuffed animals on the armchair, next to the piano to listen to Auguste's progress… While I am writing to you, he has installed him in our bedroom next to the window to be quiet while he is reading. As for me, I like their aesthetics and their comfort. The small pockets allow you to slip small books!

It's our day to spend quality time with family. In winter, we like them lazy as we say here. We sleep as much as possible although no one manages to sleep in! We all have a hearty breakfast together and we discuss what we could do next. An exhibition, a walk, invite friends over for tea and if it rains then we take out the projector and watch a film together.

Brittany with the sun and our respective families. We are lucky to have our families in the same corner of Brittany and we even bought an old house to renovate. It is a project that makes us very happy.

To top it off, I must admit that I also appreciate a little romantic getaway with Vincent in a sunny destination, while the children enjoy their grandparents.

May our projects continue to be built and materialize! To keep healthy and perhaps to succeed in slowing down the rhythm imposed on us by life in this tumultuous city of London!

Find Emmanuelle on Instagram…

@_emma.and.co & @emmanuelleloutte

And his beautiful illustrations here !