Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?

Growing up dyslexic a lot of things didn't come easily to me but art always did.  It was a place I could exspress myself & excel which felt great!  I also loved stories and putting down on paper what I imagined in my mind.  Creativity runs in my family.  My father had a design agency for over thirty years that specialized in package design for food.  He'd take me to the grocery store and I'd see what he and his team had made.  I've felt fortunate that from an early age I knew you could make a living as an artist.

Did you attend art school or undertake any other formal artistic training?

I graudated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1998 with a degree in Textile Design.  Over the past ten years I've missed the opportunity to expand my techiniques and time to play so I've taken a different class each summer at the Kansas City Art Institiute as a way to rediscover and expand my skill set.  I've done painting, printmaking, collage, watercolor and calligraphy.  I think I'm ready for something totally different like sculpture!

Have you always loved to draw?

Drawing, painting and praticularly color has always been my happy place.  When I make things I lose track of time in the very best way!

Do you keep a sketch book?

Yes, I've keep a sketchbook for many years now.  It's been a great place to incubate ideas & feel open to exploring without the need to please anyone but yourself.  A couple years ago I made a book- I called A Peek Inside my Mind with some of my favorite sketchbook spreads & submited the book to a few select publishers I wanted to work with. This was a nice way to show my range & present something that was authentic to me.

Which project has been most instrumental in developing your personal style?

In 2014 I stated working with Double Day Books on some board books called Hello, World, based on simple concepts about science and nature.  I'm the author illustrator of these books and over the past seven years we've grown the series to over twenty distinctively different non fiction books for curious toddlers and their families.  It's been a joy to learn about each new subject alongside the reader.  I was tenative to try writing (okay downright scared) but facing my fears has been one of the things I'm most proud of in my creative career.

My style is naturally whimsical and I love color.  The Hello, World series has help me rein in the whimsy as I need to be accurate with what I'm depicting but, has allowed me to continue to embrace my colorful side.  I think the bright, colorful illustration has helped the series stand out and keep the viewer visually engaged while learning along the way.

What do you hope children take away from your drawings?

My hope is to instill a sense of curosity or wonder.  To let the viewer walk away feeling like I've shown them something new or taken them to a speacial place.

Take us behind the scenes and describe your studio / workspace.

My studio is on the third floor of my home. I keep typical 8 to 5 hours.  I use my lunch break to exercise.  I find it to be a great way to step away & come back refocused & with a clearer eye as to what needs to happen next.  When I'm busy maintaning a healthy work life balance can be a struggle.  Knowing this if I move in the future I think I'll have my studio next to the home but not physically in it.  That said I feel fortunate to have such a beautiful space to work in.  My husband is an architect and he helped design the space.  Lots of light and a compact, efficient space was the key plan in my studio space.

What advice would you offer someone just starting out as a children’s illustrator?

Believe that you have something special to offer and be persistent.  Continue to experiment & know that it can take time to find the right fit.  I didn't find success for many years & through continually putting myself out there by submiting my art & exhibiting at trade shows I slowly found my place.  Often times turning it into a family affair!

What are some of your favourite subjects to draw?

My goodness...flowers!  I love flowers & am struck by their diversity and beauty.  Plus they smell good too!