let's start with me . . . . 
My name is Carmen Lye, I live in Ashburton, NZ. I have studied Fine Art (Timaru) where I majored in painting and I have a diploma in Art & Design (Christchurch), where I majored in print making, jewellery and design.

After my student days ended, I worked for three newspapers in Ashburton as a graphic designer / visualiser, and then went on to own a Design Company called id Creative for 7 years. I took on the role of head designer and marketing consultant and employed three people to help me look after hundreds of accounts throughout New Zealand.

I moved my business home after I got married in 2013 to spend more time with my husband and two boys (18 and 14), and scaled things down. I got more involved in my local church: Ashburton New Life and got into painting more, holding many sole exhibitions throughout NZ and locally.

My art came to a standstill in 2018 when I realised that there is more to being a creative Christian than producing pretty picture and decor art. I found out that God connects with our hearts through art, and I have been studying the gift of prophetic painting.
​I hold a prophetic painting workshop at Ashburton New Life once a month and also commission work with paintings and clothing: I will work at getting a message and paint it for the person it is for - lining up with various scripture and with their own life journey.

I believe that God uses creative people to speak to in a unique way - art bypasses the brain and goes straight into the heart, this is the reason why you may find a connection with a piece and not know why! You don't need to be a Christian to appreciate my art, you just need to know if you like it or not. It can be as simple as that! But every piece I work on, I pray a blessing into it, that you will have favour and learn to know who your creative Father is, and that the art will bring you joy and much love.

bliss design store

An outlet for selling my art and jewellery, chalkboards and jackets. This is an online version of my dream of a unique physical store that will showcase local talent, and homeware . . . It will happen one day!
​I take the store out to markets and fetes around Christmas time, you may see me at Geraldine Arts and Plants Festival, and Merry Little Christmas Market in Ashburton.

bliss facepainting

A regular on the school PTA committees, I once put my hand up to paint faces at a school fete. And I loved it! Since then, I have grown to be a popular choice for kid’s parties in our region, and I have a good relationships with other local facepaint, pony, photography, bouncy castle, balloon, and coffee businesses, all working in together to bring next-level parties to Ashburton!

bliss clothing co.

A dream of mine for a number of years, is to expand my denim jacket designs to a teeshirt and clothing label. Christian teeshirts with a difference: cool, edgy, girly and subtle. Clothing that reflects me as a person: colourful, creative and a little out-there! My designs are also screen printed onto garments.

I have connected with an amazing local clothing designer and she is making the basic garment, then I take over with sleeves and frills, tassels and embellishments, making each top a piece of original art. I use a lot of repurposed saris and other pieces of clothing, for the woman who loves to be a little different! After all, its a shame to celebrate creativity at home on the walls, when you can wear it everyday!

graphic design

I have never dropped my passion for graphic design and marketing! Although now I focus on ministries and friends with businesses and other non profit groups where I can share my skills and do something positive in the community. If you have a request for ministry or community group logos, flyers, websites or consultancy, give me a yell and we can talk!
I also work casually at the Snowfed and Courier Newspapers in Ashburton as a graphic designer as well as training people to use the adobe family of computer programs.