2023 | Longlist + Shortlist | Children's Publishing

Preferred Pronoun?
she/her

Why did you choose to enter this work?
I felt that this brief pushed me to create in a new way, I was excited by the sense of emotion and atmosphere in the pictures.

What’s your favourite thing about your shortlisted project?
The textures, the sense of emotion and the fluidity and flow of the images. I like the way the images tell a story.

What excites you most about being shortlisted?
I am really excited to get my work in front of new eyes and hopefully open doors to other opportunities. It is also lovely to get this kind of boost and to appear alongside such talented illustrators.

Where do you usually work?
Messy textures are made in the studio. I draw on my ipad in bed in the middle of the night. The darkness lets me play more freely and my drawing finds a fluidity that I struggle to find during the day

How long did it take to complete your project?
I remember playing around with these pictures for quite some time. Some pictures take me only a few hours when I`m in the flow, others can take days of struggle!

What is your dream commission?
To illustrate children`s books, both my own writing and other people’s. My dream commission would be to have a book deal with a children’s publisher.

What’s your favourite thing to draw?
I just can`t stop drawing people! I am particularly inspired by families. I also find myself continually drawn to depicting people who are living on the margins and who may be underrepresented.

What is your best tip for other illustrators?
Keep Going! Finding creative clusters and creative mentors is essential. Great courses such as The Good Ship Illustration and Claire Alexander`s Mentoring gave me the support I needed to keep going!

What are your plans for the future?
Most of all I plan to keep making and to try to follow my gut. I hope that if I make the work that really excites and speaks to me then it will also excite and speak to other people.


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