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Speaker Type: Illustrator
Felice Arena
Author, Illustrator
Felice Arena is one of Australia’s much-loved children’s authors. His books have topped bestseller lists and garnered several awards, including six Australian Children’s Choice Book Awards. His works include the incredibly popular Specky Magee series, the hilarious Farticus Maximus books, Whippersnapper, Wish, the Boyz-Rule and Girlz-Rock books, the action-packed bionic-hero series Andy Roid, the Sporty Kids series and most recently his acclaimed historical adventure novels The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Frederic and A Great Escape.
Follow Felice on Twitter and Instagram @Fleech or visit his site: www.felicearena.com
» Read more about Felice Arena
Lorette Broekstra
Author, Illustrator
Lorette Broekstra writes and illustrates children’s picture books. She wrote and illustrated the best selling Baby Bear and Hugo series.
» Read more about Lorette Broekstra
Bernard Caleo
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Bernard Caleo is a performer, comic book maker, and comic book communicator.
» Read more about Bernard Caleo
Isobelle Carmody
Author, Illustrator
Isobelle Carmody is a well known Australian author who has written many novels and short stories for children and adults and has a host of award winning novels to her credit. She began the first of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still at high school and worked on it while completing a Bachelor of Arts and then a journalism cadetship. Obernewtyn was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to and went on to be shortlisted in the “Older Readers” section of the CBC Book of the Year Award. The series and her short stories have established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.
She has written many award winning short stories and books since then and she also illustrated The Legend of Little Fur and The Kingdom of the Lost series.
She is now completing the last of her Obernewtyn Chronicles, The Red Queen while undertaking a PhD at the University of Queensland.
Website: www.isobellecarmody.net/
Blog: http://theslipstream.com.au/
Anna Ciddor
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Anna Ciddor inspires audiences with her passion for turning dry facts into gripping narrative. She has written and illustrated over 50 books, including the best-selling historical fantasy Runestone. In more recent years, Anna has created a hit with a story based on her grandmother’s childhood in 1920s Poland – The Family with Two Front Doors.
Her newest book, 52 Mondays (March 2019), is inspired by her own childhood memories of 1960s Australia. 52 Mondays has been shortlisted for the 2019 YABBA, KOALA and KROC children’s choice best book awards.
Read more at www.annaciddor.com.
» Read more about Anna Ciddor
Amanda Cooper
Illustrator
Gallery for a Day is a travelling exhibition of the original illustrations and preliminary artwork from Australian picture books. Interactive workshops give the students an understanding of the planning and process involved in creating art for picture books.
» Read more about Amanda Cooper
John Danalis
Author, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer
John Danalis has been writing and illustrating for children and young adults for ten years. His works include picture books, chapter books and non-fiction.
» Read more about John Danalis
Oslo Davis
Corporate, Illustrator, Speaking Out
Oslo Davis is an illustrator and cartoonist who has drawn for magazines and newspapers worldwide. As a satirist, Oslo has a particular interest in drawing the foibles and ridiculousness of modern day life.
» Read more about Oslo Davis
Sue deGennaro
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Sue deGennaro is an author and an illustrator. She has illustrated 20 picture books, and is the author and illustrator of The Pros and Cons of Being A Frog (shortlist for the CBCA 2013 Early Childhood Prize), Eddie Frogbert and her newest picture book Missing Marvin released May 2018. Sue’s illustrations are quirky and infectiously funny. Sue has worked in many careers (including confectionery, circuses and home renovations!), and now (between making books) she often teaches writing & illustration.
To watch the book trailer for Sue’s charming picture book, Missing Marvin, please click here.
» Read more about Sue deGennaro
Kylie Dunstan
Author, Illustrator
Kylie Dunstan is an award winning author and illustrator of children’s picture books. Her first book Collecting Colour won CBCA Picture Book of the Year in 2009. She has since written 6 more books. The most recent Nannie Loves was an Honour Book in the 2017 CBCA Early Childhood Category.
» Read more about Kylie Dunstan
Gus Gordon
Author, Illustrator
Gus will be touring Melbourne in Book Week (23-27 August) in 2021.
Gus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and written over 80 books for children. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour. His writing is always anthropomorphic, which he attributes this to his love of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in The Willows.
» Read more about Gus Gordon
Mini Goss
Author, Illustrator
Mini Goss is a Melbourne-based award winning author and illustrator, with more than 30 books to her name. Mini’s life-like, detailed illustrations draw readers into a world of imagination and humour that appeal to children and parent alike. She has won over fans in Australia and overseas with her quirky, realistic style.
» Read more about Mini Goss
Roland Harvey
Author, Illustrator
Roland Harvey writes and illustrates highly detailed, funny and slightly educational books using pen ink and watercolour. He has won a number of awards including the Dromkeen Medal. He demonstrates his craft in an entertaining manner to all ages.
» Read more about Roland Harvey
Elizabeth Honey
Author, Illustrator
Elizabeth Honey is an award-winning author of poetry, picture books and novels. She is also an artist and illustrates her own books. Her playful humour, originality, and energy strike a chord with children everywhere. Her novels are published in many countries.
» Read more about Elizabeth Honey
Ben Wood
Illustrator
Ben Wood is a children’s book illustrator. He has illustrated over 25 books, including Blast Off! by Shelly Unwin, the Squishy Taylor series by Ailsa Wild, and the hilarious new series Real Pigeons by Andrew McDonald. He has also had several titles on the CBCA Notable list in 2016 and 2017. Ben offers interactive sessions that are a lot of fun.
» Read more about Ben Wood
Mark Wilson
Author, Illustrator
Mark Wilson is one of Australia’s most successful author/illustrators of children’s books. He currently has seventeen books in print in Australia and the USA. His picture books have won many awards including two Whiteley Awards for children’s picture books, two Wilderness Society Awards and five CBCA Notable Picture Book awards.
» Read more about Mark Wilson
Gabrielle Wang
Author, Illustrator
Gabrielle Wang is an award winning author and illustrator of novels and picture books for children and young adults. She was born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. As a result, Gabrielle’s books are a blend of both Australian and Chinese culture with a touch of fantasy. She has conducted workshops in writing and illustrating around Australia and overseas.
» Read more about Gabrielle Wang
Anna Walker
Author, Illustrator
Anna Walker has illustrated and written delightful books for young children. Her books have won awards for their design and content and are published internationally.
» Read more about Anna Walker
David Lovegrove
Illustrator, Manga
David Lovegrove is a gifted artist who studied at two of Australia’s best art schools – The Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney and the Qld College of Art, Brisbane (where he gained his Master of Arts in Visual Arts). His passion is for exploring the ‘Way’ or the ‘Tao’ of the artist in the 21st Century, bringing together high skill and intuitive inspiration and freedom.
» Read more about David Lovegrove
Mitch Vane
Illustrator
Mitch Vane has had a long career as an illustrator and artist. Based in Melbourne, she works in a variety of mediums but is at her happiest creating quirky humorous characters (and a lot of mess) with her beloved dip pen and Indian ink . Her distinctive loose energetic style can be seen in many of the children’s books she has illustrated including : Bed Tails by Meredith Costain, The Deep End by Ursula Dubosarsky, and most recently Our (last) Trip to the Market by Lorin Clarke.
Mitch often collaborates with her partner Danny Katz. together they have created many hilarious children’s books as a writer/illustrator team, but are best known for their much loved Little Lunch series which has recently been made into a TV series for ABCTV. Mitch currently divides her time between illustrating children’s books, and developing painting projects of her own. She also does various workshops and appearances at bookshops, libraries and schools throughout the year.
You can see more of what Mitch is up to on her website at www.mitchvane.com or check out mitch vane art on Facebook and Instagram.
» Read more about Mitch Vane
Coral Tulloch
Author, Illustrator
Coral Tulloch has worked on close to 60 books for children for both Australian and International publishers. As an author and illustrator, working in both fiction and non-fiction, Coral brings a wide range of presentations from cartooning to discussions on the environment, for a wide audience group.
Her latest book, One Small Island co-authored and co-illustrated with Alison Lester tells the story of Macquarie Island. She is currently working on two illustrated fictions, which revolve around the continent she loves so well.
Coral is the creator of a syndicated children’s page, The Tales Of Wombat Creek, which appeared for over 20 years in newspapers throughout Australia and Internationally. She has a passion for environmental education and equally, a passion to help others express their own stories through either the written or visual narrative.
Her work for more than a decade has centred on her voyages and experiences of the Antarctic, with several works produced. Antarctica The Heart Of The World won the Wilderness Societies Environment Award for Children’s Literature in 2004 and was named one of the best ten books of the year by US Science Books and Films several years later.
Coral lives in Hobart with her husband, Peter.
» Read more about Coral Tulloch
Kim Toft
Author, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer
Kim Michelle Toft is a full time illustrator and author of environmental children’s books, focusing primarily on coastal and ocean habitats. Her illustrations are all hand painted onto silk, and as part of her presentation she demonstrates her silk painting technique.
Publications currently in print: I Can Swim A Rainbow (Silkim Books), Recipe For Perfect Planet Pie (Silkim Books), Tick Tock Tick Tock What’s Up Croc? (Silkim Books), The Twelve Underwater Days of Christmas (Silkim Books), A Sea of Words (Silkim Books), The World That We Want (UQP), Turtle’s Song (UQP), Neptune’s Nursery (UQP) and One Less Fish (UQP)
» Read more about Kim Toft
Anne Spudvilas
Illustrator
Anne Spudvilas is a multi award-winning illustrator of children’s books. Her work on the picture book version of Mao’s Last Dancer, The Peasant Prince, took her to China with author Li Cunxin. The Peasant Prince won both the NSW and Qld Premiers Awards and CBCA Honor book in 2008.
Anne’s work concentrates on portraying character and expression in people in commissioned portraits, courtroom sketching and children’s books. Anne is in demand for drawing workshops here and overseas and gives presentations about the process of illustrating books for primary and secondary level.
» Read more about Anne Spudvilas
Anthony Lucas
Entertainer, Illustrator
An acclaimed director and animator, Anthony Lucas has made films that have been celebrated around the world. His 2005 short film The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello won a host of awards and was nominated for an Oscar.
» Read more about Anthony Lucas
Marc Martin
Author, Illustrator
Marc Martin is one of Australia’s most talented new picture-book creators. Having formally trained as a graphic designer, he splits his time between his design studio and various illustration projects. His first book, A Forest, explores themes of sustainability, growth, and our relationship with the environment.
» Read more about Marc Martin
Marc McBride
Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Marc McBride has illustrated over fifty book covers and countless magazines, as well as producing artwork for advertising campaigns. He has a solid design background in both advertising and film, and won the West Australian Film and Television Award for Best Art Director. Marc has had work exhibited with the New York Society of Illustrators. He is best known for his illustrations in the Deltora Quest series, written by Emily Rodda.
» Read more about Marc McBride
Heath McKenzie
Illustrator
Heath McKenzie is a best selling illustrator specialising in stylised, rather cartoony digital illustration (though it’s all meant to look as ‘not digital’ as possible!)
» Read more about Heath McKenzie
Martine Murray
Author, Illustrator
Martine Murray is an acclaimed Australian author and illustrator whose work has been translated into more than 20 different languages. She has a long involvement in the arts, including dance, theatre, circus and filmmaking. Her first novel The Slightly True story of Cedar B Hartley was on the White Ravens international list of outstanding children’s books, and was shortlisted for the Victorian, NSW, QLD Premiers Awards and the CBCA Award. Marsh and Me and Henrietta and the Perfect night were both CBCA honour books in 2018.
Martine was shortlisted for the Prime Ministers Award for Mannie and the long brave day and has made appearances at literature festivals across the country and overseas. Martine also teaches writing and her new adult novel, The Last Summer of Ada Bloom, is published by Text.
» Read more about Martine Murray
Craig Smith
Illustrator
Craig Smith’s warm, quirky illustrations have amused kids for more than three decades. With over 360 books to his credit, the humor and pathos of home and school life, and a fondness for unusual perspectives are features of his work.
» Read more about Craig Smith
Jeannette Rowe
Author, Illustrator
Jeannette Rowe is one of Australia’s best selling preschool authors/illustrators. She has published over 100 picture books over the past twelve years and has sold nearly two million books around the world. She has also developed four Digital BookGames, including the award-winning YoYo Go Spy for iPad. Find out about these gameshere.
» Read more about Jeannette Rowe
Sally Rippin
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Sally Rippin was born in Darwin, but grew up mainly in South-East Asia. As a young adult she lived in China for three years, studying traditional Chinese painting. Sally has over seventy books published, many of them award-winning, including two novels for young adults. Her work includes the highly acclaimed Polly and Buster trilogy and the popular Billie B Brown and Hey Jack! books, which became the highest selling series for 6-8 year olds in Australia within the first year of their release. Sally is Australia’s highest selling female author and her books have sold more than 5 million copies in 14 languages.
Sally is a popular presenter in schools and at literary festivals both in Australia and overseas and has a regular program on 3RRR interviewing children’s authors and industry professionals. She is a passionate ambassador for the 100 Story Building, Dymocks Childrens’ Charities and also the Australian Reading Hour. Recently, she and Hardie Grant Egmont have collaborated on a weekly program of book-based activities for kids at home at www.sallyrippin.com
» Read more about Sally Rippin
Andrew Plant
Author, Illustrator
Andrew trained as a zoologist before discovering he preferred painting and writing about animals rather than dissecting them! Now he loves creating books about almost any subject, and is passionate about sharing that creativity with kids. A scientific artist, or an artistic scientist!
» Read more about Andrew Plant
Lucia Masciullo
Illustrator
Born and bred in Italy, Lucia moved to Australia in 2007. Since then she has collaborated with major Australian Publishers, illustrating more than twenty books, including Come Down, Cat!, Family Forest and the successful series Our Australian Girl. For these books Lucia has made it on to the CBCA Honour Book list, and she has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister Award.
She now lives on the Gold Coast.
» Read more about Lucia Masciullo
Bic Walker
Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Born in Vietnam in 1974 Bic Walker escaped war torn Vietnam at the age of four. Bic’s experience as a refugee was the catalyst for her first Book A Safe Place to Live. This autobiographical children’s book recounts her experience in fleeing Vietnam with her family in 1979 on a tiny boat bound for freedom. The events that transpired are the stuff of Hollywood movies: attacked by pirates and left drifting in the open ocean without fuel, the family were finally rescued by a Canadian oil tanker. Bic and her family were transported to Malaysia where they waited for six months before being taken to Australia.
» Read more about Bic Walker
Trace Balla
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Trace Balla loves to illustrate and write songs and stories, and inspire others in their creativity and awareness of the wonders of the natural world and the ample stories that surround us.
Her multi award winning books include Rockhopping, Rivertime, Shine and The Thank You Dish. Themes include gratitude, grief, slowing down, growing up, connecting with the land and its’ creatures, the joy of the outdoors and the lessons nature can teach us. She is currently working very slowly on a graphic novella set in central Victoria where she lives.
- Landing With Wings, “Rich in country and family, deep in care for the future.”BRUCE PASCOE
- The Heart of the Bubble – a story with 2020 set in the time of corona – a family’s awakening to what really matters.
Trace enjoys visiting schools, festivals and community centres to inspire people of all ages and abilities with slide show talks as well as workshops. These include nature journaling, making graphic novels, mini books and story catching. Talks and workshops can be tailored to the group’s interests.
» Read more about Trace Balla
Graeme Base
Author, Corporate, Illustrator, Speaking Out
A couple of decades ago, Graeme Base’s job description was distilled by his then six-year old son as “Oh, my dad just stays home and colours in.” Unable to forgive or forget this devastatingly accurate dismissal of his life’s work, Graeme has finally decided to embark on a global speaking tour to set the record straight: Sure he stays home and colours in, but he also writes the words!
» Read more about Graeme Base
Michael Camilleri
Illustrator
Michael Camilleri is a Melbourne artist who creates books, comics and visual theatre. Michael’s latest illustration work can be seen in One Minute’s Silence by David Metzenthen. His illustration work also features in The Devil You Know by Leonie Norrington and on the album art and accompanying picture book for Martin Martini’s Vienna 1913. He lives with his partner Katherine and their son Ruben.
To check out Michael’s work and read some of his comics, visit www.epicboy.com
» Read more about Michael Camilleri
Andrew Joyner
Author, Illustrator
Andrew Joyner is a children’s illustrator and author. In 2009 his first picture book was published, The Terrible Plop, written by Ursula Dubosarsky. Since then Andrew has illustrated many picture books, and his work is now published in more than twenty countries. He has also written and illustrated the Boris books, an early reader series about an adventurous warthog. He lives in the Adelaide Hills with his wife and two children – and their many, many pets.
» Read more about Andrew Joyner
Dean Rankine
Illustrator
Dean Rankine has been writing and drawing comics for over 20 years. His credits include: Simpsons and Futurama comics (Bongo), Rick and Morty (Oni) Australian MAD Magazine, Hellboy (Dark Horse), Skottie Young’s I Hate Fairyland (Image), the iconic Dandy and Beano magazines (DC Thomson), Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land (Action Lab Entertainment) and Mania, K-Zone, Krash, Pursuit, Challenge and Explore magazines. He has also illustrated books for Scholastic (including A Funny Thing Happened to Simon Sidebottom), Pearson Australia and Penguin Books (The Stuff Happens series).
» Read more about Dean Rankine
Maree Coote
Author, Illustrator, Speaking Out
One of the very first to identify the contemporary rise of Melbourne’s cultural and place power, Maree Coote is an energetic inspirational speaker. Her unique understanding of her topic (Melbourne) is made accessible through her command of history, culture, art and design for a wide variety of audiences. According to Philip Adams, “Melbourne never had a more ingenious ambassador.” Coote’s first book The Melbourne Book: A History of Now is in its fourth edition after 12+ years in print, and has been dubbed ‘Melbourne’s Bible’.
Maree’s ingenious typography has caught the attention of international design bodies with her book Spellbound: Making Pictures with the A-B-C winning the coveted Bologna Ragazzi 2017 Special Mention Prize in Italy. (She’s the first Australian to win this prize since Shaun Tan 10 years ago.) It was also shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year awards.
An earlier book Alphabet City Zoo also won a Distinction Prize in Korea’s Nami Concours Awards in a field of entries from 149 countries.
Rebecca Lim
Author, Illustrator
Rebecca Lim is a writer, illustrator, editor and lawyer based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of nineteen books, including The Astrologer’s Daughter (a Kirkus Best Book of 2015 and CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers), Afterlight and the bestselling Mercy. Her work has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Aurealis Award, INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award and Davitt Award, and has also been longlisted for the Gold Inky Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award.
She is a co-founder of the Voices from the Intersection initiative to support emerging young adult and children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals who are Indigenous, people of colour, LGBTIQA+ or living with disability, and a co-editor of Meet Me at the Intersection, a groundbreaking anthology of YA #OwnVoice memoir, poetry and fiction.
» Read more about Rebecca Lim
Nicholas Jones
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Illustrator
Nicholas Jones is a contemporary visual artist specialising in book sculpture. Nicholas is available for different kinds of events including workshops, literary festivals and artist residencies.
» Read more about Nicholas Jones
Damon Young
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Damon Young combines a love of ideas and language with a fun, entertaining style. And lots of superhero t-shirts.
» Read more about Damon Young
Jules Faber
Illustrator
Jules is a mostly self taught illustrator who has worked in a wide variety of artistic pursuits, including kids books, animation, comics, comic strips, editorial cartooning and caricature. He is a multi-award-winner, a former TAFE teacher and has held hundreds of workshops for people of all ages.
» Read more about Jules Faber
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.
» Read more about Aviva Reed
Elise Hurst
Author, Illustrator
Elise Hurst is a writer and illustrator who is enthralled by the places that imagination can take you. Starting out as a traditional artist she soon discovered a passion for narrative and her work uses both visual and written languages to convey meaning. In her sessions Elise loves to equip people with the tools to draw their wildest ideas.
» Read more about Elise Hurst
Stephen Mushin
Author, Education Consultant, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Industrial designer, hack engineer, DIY aquaculturalist and illustrator Stephen Mushin collaborates with scientists, and engineers in underground workshops to solve ‘elephant in the room’ scale ecological problems.
» Read more about Stephen Mushin
Judy Horacek
Author, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Judy Horacek is an award winning Australian cartoonist, children’s book illustrator and writer. In 2004, she and Mem Fox created Where is the Green Sheep? which became an instant children’s classic, and winner of the CBCA Gold Medal for Early Childhood. She has since done four books of her own that she has both written and illustrated, and three other books with Mem, Judy is an experienced presenter in schools, both talking about her own work and helping children to make their own drawings and stories. Her classes are always full of laughter and fun, and her enthusiasm is infectious.
» Read more about Judy Horacek
Lucinda Gifford
Author, Illustrator
Lucinda works as a children’s illustrator and author from her colourful, ink-splattered home studio. She loves to draw and especially enjoys improvised sketching with groups of children because – through the chaos – wonderful things can emerge.
» Read more about Lucinda Gifford
Lance Balchin
Author, Illustrator
Lance Balchin is a children’s illustrator and author who has internationally published two books in the ‘Mechanica’ series with the Five Mile Press, Simon & Schuster, Little Bee Books and Bonnier Publishing. There are a further seven picture books to follow as well as a set of four novels. The books carry a strong environmental message and are written for children aged from 8 to 14. The illustrations in the books have all been made by Lance using the same parts and techniques that feature on the OS Mechanica website.
Lance is also an educator in the creative industries, with over 15 years hands on experience teaching Photoshop. Lance’s relationship with PhotoshopTM started in 1991 with Version 2.5 (pre layers!) and he has built a substantial understanding of the software over 25 years. Lance currently lives in Brisbane, Australia and was admitted to practice law two years ago.
Scott Edgar
Illustrator, New Speakers
Scott Edgar studied Graphic Design and Theatre Production before embarking on a career as a composer, writer, comedian and actor, primarily in the comedy band Tripod. Tripod have been regulars on the international live comedy circuit, regulars on radio and television, and have written musicals for the screen and stage.
» Read more about Scott Edgar
Nicki Greenberg
Author, Illustrator
Nicki Greenberg is an award-winning author and illustrator. Her books include critically acclaimed graphic adaptations of The Great Gatsby and Hamlet (winner, CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2011). She has written and illustrated many books for children, and enjoys giving dynamic workshops and presentations for all age groups. In her past life, Nicki worked as a lawyer.
» Read more about Nicki Greenberg
Matt Zurbo
Author, Illustrator
Matt is a born storyteller. Whether is be recounting his brutally frank time with AFL legends, or creating children’s books full of love of life, he packs colour, punch and passion into his talks, and always engages the audience.
» Read more about Matt Zurbo
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Author, Illustrator
Maxine Beneba Clarke delivers presentations on her short fiction collection Foreign Soil which is a 2019 VCE Literature text.
Maxine has written portraits for The Saturday Paper for four years, including profiles of Hugh Jackman, Roxane Gay, Julian Assange, Uncle Jack Charles, Paul Barry, Catherine Deveny, and Tony Abbott. She has guest taught short fiction, profile writing and arts journalism at a number of Australian universities, and also offers talks and workshops on portrait writing.
» Read more about Maxine Beneba Clarke
Meredith Gaston
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Internationally acclaimed author, artist, INN Health Coach and speaker Meredith Gaston is passionate about joyous, mindful and inspired living. She delivers spirited presentations about integrative wellbeing in daily life, based on her various bestselling titles.
» Read more about Meredith Gaston
Dan McGuiness
Author, Illustrator
Dan McGuiness is an author and illustrator based in South Australia. He began his career with the children’s graphic novel series Pilot and Huxley, which was published in multiple countries. He has illustrated books for a number of Australian authors and is currently the illustrator on the successful Hot Dog series.
He has a fun, high-energy presentation style and engages audiences by sharing his interests, his process, and his path to becoming a published author. He enjoys introducing audiences to the graphic novel format, and incorporates an interactive character creation session designed to encourage young people to be creative.
» Read more about Dan McGuiness
Gabriel Evans
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Gabriel Evans is an international selling children’s book author and illustrator. In addition to illustrating his own books he’s collaborated with acclaimed Australian and USA authors to illustrate picture books and novels. He has four picture books out in 2021.
Gabriel is a dynamic and engaging speaker, giving interactive sessions on the art of creating picture books. He’s visited educational institutions in major cities and remote regions around Australia.
» Read more about Gabriel Evans
Chris Kennett
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Chris Kennett is an illustrator/author of picture books and junior fiction.
After writing and illustrating his first two picture books in 2011-12, Chris has gone on to illustrate for the STAR WARS franchise and a variety of Kid Lit junior novels.
His latest series “Noah and Blue’s Zooniverse”, with author Nova Weetman, is a fun and wacky adventure series for younger readers. Chris has also worked in the animation industry on and off for the past 10 years as an animator and character designer.
» Read more about Chris Kennett
Anna Zobel
Author, Illustrator
Anna Zobel is an illustrator and teacher from Melbourne, Australia. Anna believes that everyone can draw, and she is passionate about helping students to discover their own unique drawing style.
» Read more about Anna Zobel