About me

Hi, I'm Lia Tolentino Morrison — Artist, Creative Entrepreneur, and Proud Founder of 2maarte Creations.

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Style that'll make everyone smile! ☺️ My work blends whimsical florals, animals, food, and gentle textures into cheerful surface designs inspired by vintage treasures and playful storytelling.​

 

The Meaning Behind "Maarte" (pronounced muh-ART-eh)

“Maarte” means “dramatic,” “comedic,” and “artsy” in Tagalog (Filipino)—fitting for a childhood where my best friend and I ran an imaginary company called “2maarte Co.” with me as the head artist.​

 

The Real Estate Detour & The Great Return

After earning a formal degree in Arts, specializing in Graphic Design and Multi-Media, I took a practical detour and spent over a decade working in Real Estate. Eventually, returning to my creative roots with my husband's support, I launched a successful Los Angeles painting party business. I've served every kind of painter, from toddlers to Hollywood celebrities. You can check out some of my favorite canvas creations right here!

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The Digital Art Pivot

After a decade away from pixels, it was time to dust off my design toolkit. I dove into continuous education to update my digital skills, mastering modern tools like Procreate and Adobe to transition my art from the physical canvas to the digital world.

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The Creative Acceleration (February – July 2026)

In early 2026, I took 'The Art of Collection' course, which completely transformed my workflow. It taught me how to build cohesive art collections and form daily creative habits. It also gave me a deep understanding of how the licensing industry works, giving me the confidence to finally put my work out there.

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The Big Milestone

That sudden acceleration paid off big time! It helped me secure agency representation, which is officially my biggest win so far. Today, my agency is already pitching my portfolio to brands like P&B Textiles while I work toward the dream of seeing my designs out in the wild on actual store shelves.

 

My artwork is designed for licensing across giftware, stationery, home décor, fabric, and more. Outside the studio, I enjoy traveling and cooking globally inspired meals with my family. Being “Maarte” is a superpower—and I'm just getting started.