Illustration
I was lucky to have jobs at both Time and Newsweek when both were top of the design world. I learned crucial graphic design skills by working for powerhouse art directors. The skills and thought processes I learned at both organizations feed directly into all my work to this day.
I got my MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay while working full time at Newsweek. I left the magazine to pursue illustration (and parenting) full time—a paradox, perhaps.
Illustration and UX disciplines have a great deal in common: problem solving, working collaboratively, basing decisions on research, and crafting narratives for specific audiences.
Wide range of clients
I have created imagery to be etched into glass sculptures for Steuben, illustrated cookbooks from Mediterranean cuisine to Green Tea, and even drawn animated ads for Singapore Airlines that were aired globally.
A long running collaboration
Book series for older children: Many of the titles in this series with Hachette/Black Dog & Leventhal have been translated into multiple languages. The authors vary through the series but my interior illustrations and book covers remain consistent identifiers.
I often start sketches without final manuscripts, even occasionally working from high level rough outlines. Establishing a rapport and strongly collaborative working cadence with authors is a key part of the process. From draft to press, information-rich books like these are always a truly joint effort.
Ethnographic illustrations
My observation of details and environments are often expressed with visuals.
Out there: an example of the diversity of my projects
A mural at a restaurant in Greenpoint Brooklyn. The work is about the neighborhood, gentrification pressures, and the Italian heritage of the owners. The project reflects my admiration for the durability of Brooklyn neighborhoods. As well, it allowed me to expand in large format on themes that run through my art: collage, Victorian animal imagery, ghosts, and portraits of everyday people.
WORK