It’s that time of the year again – We are thrilled to reveal the 2023 mentees!
The AOI Mentorship Scheme 2023 is bigger and greater than ever. Not only we have 22 mentors generously sharing their time and expertise with our community, but we also extended our call to illustrators based outside of the UK, making this the most international cohort yet.
Continuing our mission to increase diversity in all areas of our industry, this free programme is designed to further support and guide under-represented illustrators directly and intimately. Being a member of the AOI is not a requirement to be part of the AOI Mentorship Scheme.
This year we welcome 22 talented illustrators who, collectively, bring forth an outstanding amount of experiences and ambitions to the table. We can’t wait to see how they evolve in the next six months – Make sure to meet and follow their works below!
Kasey Albano
Kasey is a Filipino-American graphic designer, illustrator, and nature lover based in Portland, OR. Inspired largely by her love for travel and the great outdoors, she enjoys creating work that is imaginative, charming, and full of personality. She is known for her use of bright colors, organic textures, and whimsical forms.
When Kasey’s not illustrating, you can find her tinkering around in the kitchen, lifting heavy weights, or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Kasey is mentored by Illustrator Owen Davey.
Follow Kasey online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Kasey’s Mentorship experience here.
Sinenhlanhla Chauke
Sinenhlanhla Chauke is an illustrator & Art Director from Nelspruit, South Africa. His work depicts his perspective and lived experiences, figuring out identity and the ever changing identity of the African youth.
He runs his own creative studio called Studio 99perspective where he loves experimenting with colour, texture and form in the many visual problems he solves
Sinenhlanhla is mentored by Illustrator Peter Phobia.
Follow Sinenhlanhla online:
Behance | Instagram
Read about Sinenhlanhla’s Mentorship experience here.
Hayley Chan
Hayley is an Illustrator and Designer based in London, UK. Her work is about the natural world, environmental and social good, stories and connection. Her work has a calm, introspective quality created with pencil and watercolour textures. She illustrates under her Cantonese first name, Hue Tone, 䁱彤 to celebrate her Chinese heritage.
When she’s not illustrating she also works as a graphic designer; in her spare time she enjoys finding good food, travel, hiking and hanging out with family and friends.
Hayley is mentored by Illustrator Willa Gebbie.
Follow Hayley online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Hayley’s interview experience here.
Ivyy Chen
Ivyy Chen is a Taiwan-born Illustrator and Animation filmmaker living in London, UK.
Ivyy has a strong design sensibility using visual metaphors and a distinct colour palette to tell emotive stories. Inspired by her own experiences and observations, she often explores clashes and similarities in cultures and have a gentle and serene narrative in her work which has screened at festivals worldwide.
Ivyy is mentored by Agency BA Reps.
Follow Ivyy online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Ivyy’s Mentorship experience here.
Mickt Flior
Mickt Flior is a Brazilian illustrator & designer currently in the USA. Inspired by graphic maximalism and experimental type design, her pieces showcase colorful & bold compositions that jump from the canvas, using vibrant colors as her signature element. With a Master’s in visual and user experience design, Mickt approaches illustrations as a means to express creativity while sending effective messages that instantly catch the audience’s eye. Her portfolio expands from editorial to advertising, and her favorite color is yellow!
Mickt is mentored by Illustrator Claudine O’Sullivan.
Follow Mickt online:
Behance | Instagram
Read about Mickt’s Mentorship experience here.
Shelley Hanmo
Shelley Hanmo is a US-based freelance illustrator specialized in hand cut paper collage art. Her whimsical artworks are often made out of repurposed paper materials such as magazines, calendars, bags, etc. Her artistic inspirations often come from her life experience as an Asian immigrant, a professional musician, as well as her love for nature and conservation. Previously, Shelley worked with clients across the US, creating book illustrations, editorial art, and more. She is a member of SCBWI and IFH.
Shelley is mentored by Illustrator Rachelle Panagarry.
Follow Shelley online:
Website | Instagram | Twitter
Read about Shelley’s Mentorship experience here.
Jardley Jean-Louis
Jardley Jean-Louis is an NYC born award-winning multi-disciplinary artist based in Queens, NY. Working in illustration, animation, and film, they draw from their own intersectional identity in Blackness, queerness, and the First (or Second) generation American experience, to produce works on stillness, education and under-represented subjects and identities.
Jardley is mentored by Agency BA Reps.
Follow Jardley online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Jardley’s Mentorship experience here.
Carmen Johnson
Carmen is a UK based Illustrator, creating vibrant illustrations inspired by the beauty and joy found in the everyday. Her illustrations are hand-drawn with colour then added digitally.
She has a passion for food and enjoys capturing fond memories from childhood and beyond in her work.
Since graduating from The Cambridge School of Art, she’s gone on to works for clients including The Big Issue, Slimming World, Woman & Home, Delicious Magazine, e.l.f. Cosmetics & Jo’s Trust.
Carmen is mentored by Illustrator Montana Forbes.
Follow Carmen online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Carmen’s Mentorship experience here.
Elizabeth Lander
Elizabeth is a Caribbean Illustrator, born and raised on the small island of Grenada.
She likes to call herself the ‘observant Illustrator’ and her work is inspired by the world around her with an interest in architecture, history, travel and culture.
Her style of illustration is to create fun and detailed works with watercolour and ink.
Elizabeth is mentored by Illustrator Jacqueline Colley.
Follow Elizabeth online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Elizabeth’s Mentorship experience here.
Saahia Mayenin
Saahia Mayenin is an illustrator based in London, UK. She loves to create colourful characters and magical worlds, hoping to tell meaningful stories through her art.
After studying character design and winning the Adobe Digital Edge Awards in 2022, she now works freelance and is working towards opening her own online store. Her work draws inspiration from nature and the small moments in life, and is based on the belief that creativity is for everyone.
Saahia is mentored by Agency Arena Illustration.
Follow Saahia online:
Website | Instagram | Twitter
Read about Saahia’s Mentorship experience here.
Issey Medd
Issey Medd is a queer illustrator and speedy sketcher based in Glasgow, Scotland. They create playful narrative illustrations using a mixture of digital, handmade and printmaking processes. Themes of community, collectivity and friendship drive Issey’s work which often plays around with risography and collage.
Issey makes comics, zines and prints as well as working on editorial, branding and publishing projects. When not illustrating, Issey enjoys swimming, pickling vegetables and mending holes in jumpers.
Issey is mentored by illustrator Jenni Sparks.
Follow Issey online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Issey’s Mentorship experience here.
Filipa Namorado
Filipa Namorado is a freelance illustrator with a background in graphic design whose work is informed by street fashion, shoujo manga and vintage children’s books. They approach their digital work with a traditional art sensibility, making use of painterly textures, bold shapes and vibrant colours to create a playful, mid-century modern feel.
As a queer non-binary illustrator, Namorado is always excited about projects that allow them to draw on their unique perspective on gender, sexuality and love.
Filipa is mentored by Illustrator Dave Bain.
Follow Filipa online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Filipa’s Mentorship experience here.
Viktoria Mladenovski
Viktoria Mladenovski is a self-taught illustrator and artist. They have been working with different institutions, magazines and newspapers.
Viktoria’s illustrations are colourful, playful, and oftentimes dreamy, intertwined with intersectional feminism, diversity, queerness, and environmental awareness.
They draw inspiration from their surroundings and their dreams, where clouds have faces and combs can fly. When Viktoria isn’t (digitally) illustrating, you can find them in the pottery studio or next to a pile of textiles and wool.
Viktoria is mentored by Illustrator Carina Lindmeier.
Follow Viktoria online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Viktoria’s Mentorship experience here.
Ana Carolina Oliveira
Ana Carolina Oliveira is a Brazilian Illustrator with a deep passion for editorial illustration and expressing the importance of diversity in her works. Also, she’s a graduate visiting student at the OCAD University, in Toronto.
Currently, she is researching autobiographical comic books at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), in Brazil, where she’s also working on her autobiographical comic about her time as a cook in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Ana Carolina is mentored by Agency BA Reps.
Follow Ana Carolina online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Ana Carolina’s Mentorship experience here.
Andrés Palacios
Andrés is an Illustrator, visual storyteller and coffee enthusiast. At a glance, his illustrations are all about being colourful and cute, but underneath there’s a common thread: a celebration of life.
Growing up he realised how sensible he was to the world; its nature, the animals walking in it or flying above it, and the people from different walks of life. It was as if every day he could find something wonderful in the ordinary.
Andrés is mentored by Illustrator Ben The Illustrator.
Follow Andrés online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Andrés’ Mentorship experience here.
Jodie Smith
Jodie is a neuro-diverse illustrator and designer based in East Yorkshire, UK with her two-year-old and cat. She loves creating illustrations by hand, using collage techniques with acrylic-painted textured papers, and using a scalpel to cut and paste. She also enjoys using mixed media, getting my hands messy, and digital tools too.
“I find it so exciting seeing my work on products, something I would like to see more of and I’m sure my mentor will be the best guide for this! So excited!”
Jodie is mentored by Illustrator Camille Medina.
Follow Jodie online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Jodie’s Mentorship experience here.
Simbie Yau
Simbie is a British illustrator who’s lived in many countries including Thailand, Hungary and Malaysia. Her travels and life living abroad have allowed her to learn from different cultures, exposing her to many perspectives that helped her shape the narratives of her illustrations.
She’s passionate about discovering ways of providing powerful conceptual images with metaphors and explorative visual solutions. Using limited colour palettes and paper textures, these elements help add a sense of the depth and meaning to make them leap off the page.
Simbie is mentored by Illustrator Ollie Hirst.
Follow Simbie online:
Website | Instagram
Read about Simbie’s Mentorship experience here.
Learn more about the AOI Mentorship Scheme.
The AOI Mentorship scheme is possible thanks to the support of our members. Find out more about membership today.