Paperblanks 2026 Diary - Celestial Magic (Flexi) - Week-at-a-Time

Celestial Magic

Whimsical Creations

All art is a chance to experience a mood, an emotion, a feeling. The art of Laurel Burch (1945–2007) has an especially uplifting, joyful, nurturing quality. Designs from our colourful Laurel Burch Collection can take you on a flight of imagination, from the world of Fantastic Felines to a celebration of the Spirit of Womankind.

Born in Southern California, Laurel was diagnosed with a congenital bone disease which resulted in more than a hundred cases of bone fractures over the course of her life. She was raised in the difficult circumstances of a broken family and as a teenager chose to walk away from this life and take her own, independent path. She eventually found her place in San Francisco, and as a single mother sought creative ways to provide for her family.

Though not trained in art or jewellery making, Laurel began to put together interesting metal scraps she found in junk yards. She created quirky jewellery and developed her artistic style into what we see today. Her vibrant colours and joyful paintings became so popular that her works were licensed around the world. Through art she found her solace, her haven, her sense of spiritual restoration.

Laurel’s pictures are filled with imaginative visions, lively colours and living creatures. When she went to China in 1971 to start mass production of the goods she designed, she discovered “cloisonné,” a traditional technique of embellishing metal surfaces with enamel. This became a signature feature of her artistic style.

Many of her paintings remind us of cloisonné enamels with their small, colour-filled compartments. Her celestial theme has evolved over the years in a vibrant colour palette emblazoned with glistening details of silver and gold, including rainbow-hued fish and sprays of colourful flowers cavorting with her unmistakable suns, moons and stars. This exuberant motif was inspired by the belief that these ethereal elements are shared by every human being and are an ever-present part of the continuum of life. Laurel’s fantastical imagination, whimsical creatures and the wonders she created in her paintings, jewellery and writings are now part of her legacy. In 2024 we join the Laurel Burch brand, now run by her children, in celebrating 50 years of Laurel Burch.

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