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Aviva Reed
Education Consultant, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer
Aviva Reed is a visual ecologist, illustrator and collaborator on the Small Friends book project; a series of science-adventure storybooks created by artists, writers, scientists and educators that explores symbiotic relationships between microbes and larger forms of life.
To find out more about Small Friends and The Squid, the Vibrio and the Moon, visit http://www.smallfriendsbooks.com/squid-vibrio-moon/
To find out more about Small Friends and Zobi and the Zoox, visit http://www.smallfriendsbooks.com/zobi-and-the-zoox/
Where were you born?
Sydney, Australia.
What other jobs have you had?
Life is my research thus I keep my jobs diverse. I have worked as an ecological scientist, social scientist, artist, sculptor, educator, performer and mother. Oh, I also teach ninjitsu and have been a martial arts therapist.
What themes are recurring in your work?
My work explores the world as an interconnected ecological system that has evolved across time and space. I seek to challenge where a viewer might situate him or herself within this continuum…
What have been the highlights of your career?
Working with a diverse group of artists and scientists to develop and publish the first two books in the Small Friends series has certainly been a highlight. I am also proud to have reached a point where I can reflect on my various bodies of work and say that I am part of stimulating an ongoing creative conversation around ecology and ones place in it.
Where have your works been published?
The Small Friends book series is published in Melbourne by Scale Free Network: art-science collaborative. My work has also appeared within Windgrove property, Tasmania, as interpretative boards and on murals Australia wide.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about living creatively. I am passionate about ecological science and growing things. I am passionate about martial arts and training to be the most I can be.
Haven’t I seen you before?
I spent many years as an artist-activist in Tasmania and co- founded The Black Sassy Collective, an environmental collective who worked towards showcasing threatened forests throughout the world.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I have been called a compost crusader before.
Awards
The Squid, the Vibrio & the Moon
Winner of a Bronze medal in the Children’s eBook category in 2015 US Independent Publisher (IPPY) awards.
Zobi and the Zoox
Winner of a Puggle (children’s choice award), and shortlisted for the 2015 Environmental Award for Children’s Literature and the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year award.
Testimonials
“Aviva’s passion for her artistic process is infectious. Her knowledge of ecology is inspiring to students because they can understand the relevance of the subject matter and the underlying message about the importance of caring for our environment. Throughout the process Aviva was organized, and easy to work with because she was so enthusiastic about the project.
I highly recommend Aviva, she is extremely professional and students responded very well to her positive energy. Students were inspired by her demonstrations, her beautiful paintings and visual diaries and her teaching. Following the success of the 2016 collaborative project I invited Aviva to work on a project for Year 4 and 5 children in Term Two 2017″.