2025 AOI Mentorship – Calling for Applications!
We are delighted to introduce our wonderful 2025 mentors who are generously sharing their time and expertise with our community.
The scheme is designed by illustrators for illustrators and is coordinated by The AOI. There is no cost to take part. Applications are open to all illustrators who are *underrepresented in our industry. You do not need to be a member of the AOI to apply.
How it works
Mentees will have six sessions (online) with their mentor over a 3-6 month period. In the first session you will agree a basic contract, including when you will meet, what you will achieve, and any challenges that you can identify. Please note, that whilst we welcome international applications, sessions will be timed for GMT/European timezones.
Mentees are asked to set up to three goals to achieve during their mentorship. This might be developing a new technique or skills, getting more confident in negotiation, or working in a new area. They don’t have to be world changing- just game changing for you.
Mentees will be expected to work on agreed areas between meetings. You’ll have a task(s) set to go away and do before the next meeting.
At the end of the sessions, you will write a short report for the AOI, summarising your mentorship and identifying your next steps.
PROMOTION: The AOI will share the great work of mentees on the website and social media platforms, offering valuable promotion to the industry.
PEER SUPPORT: We will also create a space for mentees to get to know each other, creating a network which can be helpful at the end of the scheme.
Applying
How to apply
Applications are open to all illustrators *underrepresented within this industry. Applicants will need to:
- Submit an online application (see below)
- Upload a copy of their CV
Please submit the online application via the below Jotform link by midnight on Monday 17th March 2025 including a copy of your CV, to support your application.
Click here to apply via the Jotform
*We are aware there is a breadth of background and experiences which may be considered ‘underrepresented’ and are therefore not providing definitions which may be limiting. It is an eligibility criteria that is self-determined.
It may include illustrators with disabilities, illustrators living with a learning disability, illustrators of colour, refugees or asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ illustrators, illustrators who are young parents or carers, illustrators from low-income households (a household income of under £25K or comparable) or illustrators who have not had a university education.
Dates
The programme is due to begin in April 2025. Applications must be received by midnight Monday 17th March 2025 (GMT) to be eligible.
Meet our previous Mentees!
In celebration of the 2024 Mentsorhip we catch up with last years Mentees to to find out how they are getting on, hear about their experiences and reflections. Find out more in our Article Celebrating: the AOI Mentorship 2024
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
Our 2025 Mentors are:
Ashwin Chacko
Ashwin is a positively playful award winning, author-Illustrator and motivational speaker, on a mission to champion creativity and shape culture through talks, books, videos and workshops Ashwin specialises in positive visual storytelling, helping companies connect with their audience through illustrations & design. He is interested in uncovering the social interactions that drive culture. He seeks to capture these moments in bold lines & shapes, with compositions focussed on a strong use of characters intermingled with typography and patterns.
Clients include: Meta, Adobe, Nike, Guinness, Coca-Cola, Dublin City Council, United Nations and more. His books include: ‘A Little Book About Justice’ by A Kids Company About (USA) 2021, ‘Everybody Feels Fear’ by DK Press (UK 2022), Illustrator on ‘What Do You Think’ written by Matthew Syed by Hachette(UK 2022), ‘Wild City’ by O’Brien Press shortlisted for An Post Award (Irl 2023) and illustrator on I Am The Wind a collection of Irish Poems by Little Island (2023) winner of An Post Award
Ruthine Burton
Ruthine has worked as a children’s book illustrator since 2022. Based in South West London, her parents came to the UK many years ago, from Dominica and French Guyana. Once upon a time she was a pavement portrait artist and subsequently spent several years as an artist in the games industry creating weird and wonderful creatures and environments. She loves creating with pencils, paints and paper as well as digitally.
Her illustrations appear in ‘Spin’ and ‘Our Rights’ (Otter-Barry Books), ‘The Offline Diaries’, ‘Stories for Seven Year Olds’ and ‘Stories for Eight Year Olds’ (HarperCollins Children’s), ‘The Roots of Love’ (Scholastic UK) and most recently, ‘Meet Amber Class’ (Otter-Barry Books).
Sean O’Brien
Sean is an illustrator working out of a sunny studio in Brighton, UK. His illustration practice is defined by a love of traditional drawing and mark making and can be found in magazines, newspapers, books, walls and beyond. Sean’s work has also seen him co-direct projects with Minute Books, which have been featured on It’s Nice That and also the Observer. A selected client list includes The Guardian, Hachette Children’s, Dog’s Trust, Monocle, Rouleur and Cyclist Magazine.
Carina Lindmeier
Carina is a freelance illustrator from Austria. Specializing in digital illustration, her work is characterized by a contemporary and playful style, featuring layers of textures, vibrant patterns, and bold colors. With her unique style and passion for her craft, Carina has worked with big brands such as Adobe, Bombay Sapphire, or Penguin Random House. In addition, Carina is also passionate about sharing her passion and knowledge with others. She is always looking for opportunities to network and connect with people in the industry and has held several illustration workshops and community events. This not only showcases her dedication to her craft but also her desire to help others grow and develop their skills.
Claudine O’Sullivan
Now based in Glasgow after a decade in London, Irish artist Claudine O’Sullivan has gained industry spotlight for her distinctive hand drawn illustrations, featured in the worldwide Apple Pencil campaign, which won the World Illustration Awards Professional Advertising category. Her uniquely traditional drawing style has appealed to established brands such as Twitter, MTV, Island Records, WeTransfer, Tiger Beer and Derwent Pencils. Claudine has hosted a number of workshops and industry events with the Royal Academy of Arts, Cass Art, Apple and John Lewis.
Claudine graduated from University of the Arts London with a First Class Honours degree in Graphic Design. Her adaptable, design focused approach to art is reflected in the diversity of her commercial portfolio and client base.
Ollie Hirst
An award-winning Conceptual Illustrator/bionic man, Ollie is based in the city of Manchester, UK. He’s able to translate science, health & technology into vivid human stories and Illustration makes him tick. Though it’s not the only thing that does. He’s a lifelong cardiac pacemaker patient. So, whilst he puts his heart into drawing, it gets help most of the time. He has a natural affinity to science, tech, health and the human experience and likes his work to hinge on a strong idea, diluting complex topics into digestible visual concepts, helped by a splash of colour.
Ollie’s illustration spans across editorial & commercial, working with the likes of AstraZeneca, BBC, Boehringer Ingelheim, The British Heart Foundation, Citroën, Genomics England, Harvard Business Review, The Lancet, New Scientist, The New York Times, TED and has been recognised by The Association of Illustrators, The Directory of Illustration, Communication Arts, 3×3, The World Brand Design Society, The One Club for Creativity and D&AD. In 2024, Ollie was named a candidate for Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe.
Ari Liloan
Ari is a Filipino/Italian illustrator living and working in Berlin. Her favorite subjects to draw center timeless topics such as power, money, science, death, love and fried chicken. Outside of work you usually find her developing vegan recipes or losing at overcomplicated board games.
Her clients include the likes of Google, Microsoft XBOX, Facebook, Pepsi, Penguin Random House, Time Magazine and The New York Times. Ari is represented by Roar illustration agency.
Kingsley Nebechi
Kingsley is a Nigerian-born, Italian-raised graphic designer, illustrator and artist based in Hertfordshire, UK. His kaleidoscope of creative ideas bloom in combination with his unique illustration style.
He made his debut in 2017 with his solo exhibition entitled ‘A Soulful Mind’ in which he showcased works form his personal experiences in life drawn from his well of creativity. Since then, Kingsley has progressed his talents to a greater plateau, working on various campaigns from publishing and advertising to sports and media. Notable clients include Nike, Electronic Arts, Apple, Google, Island Records, The Guardian, among many others.
Laurindo Feliciano
Laurindo Feliciano is a Brazilian contemporary artist, illustrator and art director living and working in France since 2003. Inspired by his own collection of vintage books, magazines, postcards and letters, he created a big amount of illustration works over the years, using different techniques as collage and digital painting. All his Illustrations and posters share a certain nostalgic flair and a great passion for surrealism.
Laurindo’s work has been published and exhibited in several countries and recognised in 2014 by the AOI in the Professional editorial category. Among his clients and collaborations: Netflix, Le Monde, Heineken, Universal Music, Musée des Arts Décoratifs/Paris, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Airways, WIRED, The Financial Times, The Wellcome Collection, Penguin Vintage, and many others.
Marcus Marritt
Marcus Marritt is an illustrator and graphic artist living and working in Glasgow. His work is based on a minimal approach with a focus on light and shadow. A former Studio and Creative Services Director in agencies across the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Marcus has been working full time as an illustrator for 10 years.
Clients include UEFA, Fever-Tree, The FA, British GQ, Politico Europe, Aston Villa, WIRED, The Wall Street Journal, Chelsea FC, BT Sports, NPR, The Financial Times, Siemens, Truman’s Brewery, Arsenal FC, Barron’s, The Guardian … and more.
Diane Ewen
Diane is an Award-winning writer and illustrator, wholes that illustrations are the first things to entice the reader to engage with a book. She is passionate about fairness, inclusion, and diversity within the world of Publishing. Her debut picture book was “Never Show A T-Rex A Book” published by Puffin and written by Rashmi Sirdeshpande. She has gone on to create many books with outstanding authors including the well-loved Dame Floella Benjamin.
She is the winner of the Inaugural Jericho Prize for writing in 2021. Diane’s first author -illustrated picture book called The Great Unicorn Rescue has recently been published by Macmillan Children’s books.
Matt Murphy
Matt Murphy is an award-winning, British illustrator based in Dorset, UK. Renowned for his conceptual approach, delicate textures and confident colour palettes, his work is full of mystery and meaning, leaving us wanting to find out more about the characters he depicts.
Matt is represented by Handsome Frank and his clients today include Johnnie Walker, Adele, The Guardian, Stella Artois, and Penguin Books. Matt’s engaging and thought-provoking work perfectly suits editorial and literary-based projects due to his ability to communicate conceptual ideas with intelligent simplicity. From his studio in Dorset, Matt combines his two loves: nature and music.
Rachelle Panagarry
Rachelle is the founder and lead agent of Northernillo, an illustration agency established July 2024, proudly representing illustrators based in the North. As well as being a Lecturer in BA (Hons) Illustration and MA Children’s Book Illustration, Rachelle’s own illustration and artwork has been published worldwide.
Clients include Bloomsbury Publishing, NFER, Interweave Press, Stampington Studios and more. Rachelle has also guest authored on several published international writing projects and design blogs. Keen on building a strong illustration community, Rachelle hosts the AOI MeetUp group for Illustrators Hand Drawn & Quartered based in Preston.
Lynda Murray
As Senior Designer at Hachette Learning, Lynda Murray has extensive experience in children’s book design and illustration having worked with publishers such as Scholastic, Bloomsbury and currently Hachette Learning. Her experience covers both sides of the commissioning process, from years working as a freelance illustrator to her current role as an in-house designer. Mentoring is a great way to help with the important links between creating illustration and working with a publishing house to answer a brief and supply artwork for print.
An Associate Lecturer at University of Worcester she teaches modules in Children’s Book Design and Narrative & Sequential Illustration. Passionate about championing new talent and improving representation in publishing, she is a fan of non-fiction children’s books, as this genre offers many opportunities for illustrators to create amazing work that can inspire children to read and learn.
Maggie Stephenson
Maggie Stephenson is a Polish-German Illustrator, currently based in Florida, USA.
With vibrant designs which celebrate the beauty of human connection, mindfulness and wellbeing, her work is featured by clients like Puma, Anthropologie, Women’s Health and Sephora and combines storytelling with a mindful approach. Maggie’s illustrations bridge the personal and universal, making them resonate across advertising and editorial platforms.
Agent Mentor! James Childs
James is the Founder and Managing Director of Bold Child, a creative agency focused on representing diverse underrepresented talent and telling stories from those communities. Having worked with clients such as The Guardian, Spotify, Penguin, Harrods and more at his previous agency, in January 2024 James started his own agency Bold Child. Since then, he’s work with the likes of Watches of Switzerland, Brixton House, Jacaranda Books, Rhino Rugby, and is always keen to share spaces, conversations and create connections with people and brands that value the importance of diversity, authenticity, and quality work that has a positive impact.
Raj Dhunna
Raj is an illustrator & Image maker. The focus of his work is around authenticity, exploring culture & the various topics of interest that hold his attention, through mark making and drawing. Creating artwork on his phone is a method he is currently exploring. As well as illustrating, he also works as digital designer & Illustration lecturer. Clients Include: Netflix, BBC, Adidas, Nike, Umbro, The Face, The Guardian, Empire, Wired UK, The FA, Olipop, Merky Books and more.
Agent Mentor! Sam Walker
Sam is a Senior Agent and Creative Producer at Brilliant Artists, a compact Illustration agency nurturing a tightly curated roster of 22 established and up and coming Illustrative talents. Each Artist ranging in style, from energetic collage and embroidery to loose pencil line work, oil painting to slick vector illustration, and charming character led illustration to playful 3D illustrations.
Since graduating from Glasgow School of Art with a degree in Communication Design and specialising in Illustration, Sam has worked as a freelance illustrator across editorial, publishing and design. Clients include: Wallpaper* magazine, AMI, Harper Collins, Elephant Magazine, The Queer Bible and Condé Nast. Whilst previously working in other roles as an illustration agent and at The AOI as Membership Advisor.
Sam loves his work as an illustration agent, particularly championing Illustrators at all stages of their careers and from all walks of life, whilst also helping to develop their careers and portfolios, and overseeing projects from commercial clients of all shapes and sizes from negotiation to final delivery.
Agent Mentor! Penny Holroyde
Penny Holroyde has worked in publishing for nearly thirty years at publishers Walker Books in the UK and Candlewick Press in the US and then as an agent with Caroline Sheldon.
With a particular love for the picture book and as a literary agent with a wealth of experience and expertise, she represents authors and illustrators working across fiction and non-fiction for all ages through agency Holroyde Cartey, which she co-founded in 2015.
Agent Mentor! – Emma Layfield
Emma Layfield is a children’s literary and illustration agent with 25 years of children’s publishing experience. She worked at Hachette Children’s Group as Group Picture Book Publisher where she commissioned the bestselling ‘Oi Frog!’ series by Kes Gray & Jim Field and launched Steve Antony’s career with the international hit ‘Please Mr Panda’.
In 2024, Emma launched Children’s Books North Agency based in Manchester to represent Northern and Scottish writers and illustrators. Emma is also Co-founder of Children’s Books North Network and a board trustee at Seven Stories in Newcastle.
Click here to apply via the Jotform
Applications close midnight (where you are) Monday 17th March 2025
Please contact [email protected] with any questions.
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