My Portfolio
All images are copyrighted. Please do not print/copy without permission. If you would like to use one of my images, there is a contact link at the bottom of this page. Thanks! Below you will find the following categories: children’s book illustration, painting, printmaking, and photography.
Children’s Book Illustration
I have a Master’s Degree in Illustration and Book Arts from the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University (well-known throughout Europe for its children’s illustration program). I have self-published various children’s books including The Day the Lines Changed which was featured in the Washington Post and School is More Than a Building. In addition, I published an article in the Journal of Visual Literacy about understanding perspectives in children’s illustrations.
School is More Than a Building
I found it important that School is More Than a Building contain diverse characters as I wanted to make sure that all children feel as if this book is talking to them. I created a Facebook group of teachers, librarians, and principals to help make sure that my text and images showed the correct dynamic. From a janitor listening to a child intently to two kids laughing while hanging from the monkey bars, I also worked hard to make sure that the book showed plenty of emotion. I am so proud of this book! In addition to the book, I also wrote 40 pages of lesson plans. A school is more than just a building, it’s a place where...
An Elf Erased My Picture
My children constantly inspire me with new ideas and in An Elf Erased My Picture they were actually able to help me with illustrations. In order to create a realistic drawing from a young boy that an elf mischievously erases, I asked my 8 and 11 year old sons to help out. Therefore, I can’t take credit for the background drawing (which I personally think is fantastic) but I sure had fun creating the boy and elves.
Little Jack Thomson’s Magnificent Brain
The illustrations for Little Jack Thomson’s Magnificent Brain are all linocut with watercolor. As Jack is autistic and often lost in his own world, I tried to create illustrations that reflect not only his dream of going into outer-space and becoming an inventor but also how this obsession overtakes his reality. Jack sees the world as very black and white and has a difficult time seeing himself being able to do the things he dreams of doing. Linocut allows for strong contrast where lines are all clearly defined, just as Jack would like them to be. Throughout the story the pictures become more and more colorful as Jack realizes that he can be magnificent.
The Day the Lines Changed
Using simple illustrations made with torn paper, The Day the Lines Changed manages to explain what a pandemic is in a child-friendly way without ever needing to use complicated images or words. The Day the Lines Changed was featured in Business Insider and in the Washington Post as one of the top ten children’s books about the pandemic.
A Very Corona Christmas
Selling around 3,000 copies in under 3 months, A Very Corona Christmas was just what children needed after a long year of home-schooling and lockdown. All illustrations were done in watercolor.
Fun with AI
At the moment, none of this is really mine. It’s just me playing around in Photoshop AI. Nevertheless, here is my latest creation.
A fantasy village
Painting
My medium of choice for large-scale painting has always been acrylic. I love bold colors and striking contrast.
Americana
Having lived over 18 years in Europe, I have come to appreciate many things about where I grew up. From the vastness of the prairie to the beauty of telephone lines crisscrossing the evening sun, America will always be dear to my heart.
Americana is a collection of paintings that represent the Midwest and Southwest that I love: a thunderstorm, the sunset behind telephone lines, and the skyline over Tucson…
“Americana” - 21-22 October 2006. Art Hotel, Barmen-Wuppertal, Germany
Oaks International School Mural
I am always excited when I get the opportunity to do a mural. At Oaks International School, I was given the task of creating a life size oak tree mural which wrapped around the steps in the entryway. In addition, I added a tactile element, by creating the leaves out of wallpaper and then painting them.
“Oak Tree Mural” - 2019. Oaks International School, Cambridge, UK
Photography
I fell in love with photography back in high school where I was the school photographer using an old manual Nokia camera from my dad. I still enjoy doing photography for local and family events.
Janzen Reunion
“Janzen Reunion” Clownfisch Magazine, Issue 1, 2007. Photography and text.
In 2004 I was asked to do the photography for our family reunion. I come from a large family and have over 30 cousins total from both sides. Our family has always been very close even though we live all over the globe. The photos from this event always stay fresh in my memory and continue to make me feel happy and loved. Over the years I have done many photobooks, but this one is still my favorite.
Printmaking
Although I have had experience with most printmaking techniques, my favorite has always been lino-cut. In the past few years, I have experimented with watercolor and lino-cut as well as combining printmaking with digital media, such as in my children’s book Little Jack Thomson’s Magnificent Brain.
Linocut Memories
When I am asked to sit still for long periods of time, I always find myself drawing outlines of everything around me in my head. I often then pull the lines away from the reality around them and see only the outline that I have created. It is a bad habit in many ways as it can often be distracting, especially when I should be listening. However, it is a way that I have been visually drawing the world around me since I was little. Linocuts are a way for me of taking those lines that I see in my head and projecting them to paper.
Weggespült
“Weggespült” - 21st of August-30th September,2005. Prints on Toilet paper. Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, Wuppertal, Germany
“Sechsells” - 17th of October-27th November, 2005. Prints and Installation. Beatz and Kekse, Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany
A moment in time caught on camera, then transferred with linocut onto the toilet paper from where it was taken. From a bathroom pub to a port-a-potty, “Weggespült, or “Flushed” as it called in English, was a fun and quirky linocut selfie exhibition and installation. There is also an exhibit book available for viewing.
