I'm an illustrator and designer with 20 years of working in the creative industry and developing creativity in myself and others, and I adore children's books - for their humour, colour, energy and escapism. Yes, I'm in my 40s and my treat is to buy them for myself.
I'm spending a couple of years working solely on my own author-illustrated picture books in a bid to home my craft and give it the dedicated time it deserves - and hopefully one day soon be a published author-illustrator. Based on my other experiences working with children with complex and neurodivergent needs, I'm currently developing the Quiet Wonders book series, aimed at helping children who don't feel they belong to find their place in the world and identify that they are not alone.
Despite evidence to the contrary (a regularly rolled-out photo of me as a toddler, having ripped my sister's fave book into tiny pieces) I have always adored books. I read Watership Down independently before I even started primary school (that may also explain the rabbit obsession) and have barely stopped since.
For a long time, I’ve been harbouring a not-so-secret desire to see my illustrations on the bookshelf amongst my illus-idols Jon Klassen, Oliver Jeffers, Rachel Ignotofsky, Sandra Dieckmann, Chris Haughton and my fave inspirations: ‘Bunnies on the Bus’ by Philip Ardagh & Ben Mantel, and Dick the Delightful Duck by Kaye Umansky and Ben Mantle (a GENIUS book).
I have a very dry sense of humour that I inherited from my dad, and enjoy finding ways to add wit and humour to illustrations in the characters and background narratives. I have taught in education at all levels from primary to adult and prison education, and so I also bring learning theory knowledge into books where required, especially into resource and activity development. I also have a wealth of experience in infographic and UX design principles which help tremendously with non-fiction.
