NEWS!
Peter and the Wolf, illustrated video from a live PianoForte performance.
Jeffrey Panko on piano, plays Prokofiev's score and Marianne Parker narrates the story of brave Peter and the little bird who together defeat the wolf. Listen to Prokofiev's iconic music and story as they were performed live at PianoForte in August 2019. Illustrations by me! Video link
On Exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, 2020
For the second year in a row one of my images (left) has been chosen for the The Children-Spectators exhibit at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. This year the fair and the exhibitions were virtual due to the pandemic.
I'm very excited to be on a panel at the Printer's Row Lit Fest. I'll be with some other wonderful debut authors, so please stop by. "So You Want to Write a Children's Book?" Saturday, June 8 at 10:30 at the Harold Washington Library.
Printers Row Lit Fest 2019
I'm very excited to announce that this piece was chosen for a special exhibition in conjunction with the 2019 Bologna Children's Book Fair, called The Children-Spectators
On Exhibition in Bologna, Italy
Feb 22 to April 4, 2019
Prairie Writer's & Illustrator's Day Illustration Contest Winner
October 2018
Click here to see what judges Jim Hoover, Assoc. Art Director at VikingChildren's Books and author/illustrator, Kelly Light said about the piece.
In 2014 with Merripen Press
PAL MEMBER
2018 Spirituality & Practice Award Winner
I'm thrilled that WHEN GOD GAVE US WORDS (Flyaway Books, Sept 2018), has received numerous positive reviews and has just been listed as one of 2018's Best Spiritual Books for Children.
ABOUT
EDUCATION
I graduated from Northwestern University where I studied art history and studio art. For ten years, I ran a visual literacy program in a K-5 school. I still feel passionately about helping children look critically and verbalize their questions about what they see. My art history foundation and these experiences have had a profound effect on my work.
In the studio, I have studied with Ed Paschke, Phillip Chen, and Audrey Niffenegger. I also took a class with art critic Dennis Adrian that marked me for life.
WORK
My work is mixed media--including watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, and digital collage.
In addition to illustration, I design poster and promotional work for hire (not included on this site).
INFLUENCES
My daughter was born in Switzerland and through our weekly visits to the local library, I became interested in the way traditions of storytelling and illustration differ from country to country. In 2014, I fulfilled a long-held wish, when I had the opportunity to attended the Bologna Children's Book Fair to present a software I'd helped develop.
Illustrators whose works inspire me:
Edward Gorey, Peter Sis, Shaun Tan,
Lane Smith, Michael Sowa, Elzbieta, and
Benjamin Chaud, among many others.
My first commission on my 3rd Grade teacher's car.