Animals feature heavily in children’s books – do you have a pet?

I have a little terrier mix named Pixel - also affectionately called Pickle, the Moosh, and Potato - and she is my studio companion always by my side. Her favorite things include napping and snacking (but definitely not playing fetch) 

Animals are actually my favorite things to draw, with dogs likely being at the top of the list! 

Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?

Since childhood I knew that creativity was going to be the focus of my life. 

I had a very active imagination, always imagining the secret life of ordinary objects, finding hidden faces in building facades and spending entirely too much time staring at the variety of colors in a fallen leaf. Although I enjoyed drawing, I explored lots of creative hobbies including embroidery, crochet, and dance, specifically ballet.

Ballet became a very important part of my life, so much so that I became a professional ballet dancer in my early 20s. After deciding to leave the stress and pressures of my ballet career behind, I was actively searching for other ways to live a fulfilling, creative life, thankfully I found illustration - and eventually children's book illustration!

Who or what have been some of your major artistic influences?

I love discovering new artists, and am constantly buying picture books whenever I see one that I fall in love with. Some of my favorite artists of the moment are Gosia Herba, Flavia Z. Drago, Marianna Coppo, Jill Howarth, and Nicola Slater. 

I also adore many mid-century artists like Roger Duvoisin (I have a very old copy of Petunia that is one of my favorites) and of course Richard Scarry and Mary Blair. I cannot emphasize enough how much their art speaks to me, they create these beautiful worlds that I just want to live in!

What was your first commission as a professional illustrator?

When I first started illustrating I sold pet portrait commisions on Etsy. First it was only friends and family purchasing, but as I started to gain my skills and confidence I began to sell quite a bit of them. I would say I've drawn at least 500 pet portraits, and not all of them dogs! Some of my favorites were non-traditional pets like a bearded dragon and a turkey!

What would you say is a distinguishing feature of your artwork?

I've been told by several authors I've worked with that they were immediately drawn to my color palettes and sense of whimsy and charm with my illustrated characters. I absolutely adore bright colors, and though I have a favorite palette, I can spend hours playing with color combinations and coming up with new ones. There's something so pleasing about finding the perfect complementary greens or the most lively hot pink that helps an illustration jump off the page. 

In addition I am always looking to create characters that are a little quirky, whimsical, and funny. I love to include humor on the page whether it's part of the main character or a tiny little detail added in the background.  

Which 4 words would you use to describe your illustration portfolio?

Cheerful, Charming, Quirky, and Warm-Hearted 

Are you an author/illustrator?

Not yet, but this is definitely something on the wish list of my career. I have several board book and picture book ideas that are stewing in my brain and in various outlines on paper! 

How do you overcome a creative block?

Creative block happens to the best of us. For me, the best way to overcome it is to go outside, take a break, and simply take in the city around me. I'm very lucky to live in NYC so there is enrichment all around, I can sit at a cafe for a few hours, or go to central park and this always helps get me back on track.