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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 draws and writes and performs. He loves comic books and what happens when you put words and pictures together.
Illustrator of The History of the City of Melbourne Bowls Club, written by Alex McDermott
Illustrator of You’ll be a Wonderful Dad (Hardie Grant 2022) written by Ailsa Wild
Illustrator of How to Win a Nobel Prize (Black Ink 2018) written by Lorna Hendry
Editor of The Tango Collection (Allen and Unwin 2009)
» 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 uncovering historical secrets and turning them into gripping narrative, and her lively presentations are filled with ‘show-and-tell’ and audience participation. In 2021, Anna won the Nance Donkin Award for Children’s Literature. Her newest book, A Message Through Time is coming out in April 2023. It is a gripping adventure that immerses readers in a world filled with excitement, laughter, and amazing (and accurate) historical detail about life in Gaul in ancient Roman times – and also brings a Roman girl into the present! It is a stand-alone companion to The Boy Who Stepped Through Time which was short-listed for the Aurealis Award and long listed for the AHA Historical Novel Prize. Anna has written and illustrated nearly 60 books, including the best-selling Runestone, a historical fantasy, The Family with Two Front Doors, a story based on her grandmother’s childhood in 1920s Poland, and 52 Mondays, inspired by Anna’s childhood memories of 1960s Australia.
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
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 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
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 the illustrator of best-selling crime-fighting series Real Pigeons with Andrew McDonald, which is currently being adapted by Nickelodeon for the screen. He has illustrated over fifty books for kids, which include the popular graphic novel series Hello Twigs, and picture books Give Me a Home Among the Gumtrees and Blast Off!
His books have been shortlisted for many awards, including the Australian Book Industry Awards, Children’s Book Council of Australia, and the Readings Children’s Book Prize. He lives in Naarm/Melbourne.
» 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 author and illustrator born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. Her maternal great grandfather came to Victoria in 1853 during the Gold Rush. Her father is from Shanghai. Gabrielle’s stories are a diverse blend of eastern and western culture with a touch of fantasy. She has written more than twenty books for young readers, many of them shortlisted for awards, from the Prime Minister’s Award and Queensland Premier’s Award to children’s choice awards such as the Yabba and Koala as well as CBCA Notables. Two of Gabrielle’s books won the Aurealis Award – The Garden of Empress Cassia and A Ghost in My Suitcase which was also adapted to the stage by Barking Gecko Theatre in 2018. Her latest middle grade novel is Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon which was Shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, 2023 Queensland Literary Awards, 2023 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and was a Notable in the CBCA Book Awards. Gabrielle is the current Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador and was the Australian Children’s Laureate in 2022 and 2023.
» 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
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 has been awarded the NSW and Queensland Premiers Awards, CBCA Picture Book of the Year, ABIA Award for Younger Readers, the Crichton Award for Illustration and more.
Her passion is bringing to life the characters in her books and this carries over into commissioned portraits and courtroom sketching. Her portrait of much-loved children’s book creator Leigh Hobbs was an Archibald Prize finalist. Anne is in demand for drawing workshops here and overseas and gives presentations about the process of illustrating books for primary and secondary level.
Anne’s visits include a video presentation and chat with students about the process of putting a picture book together. She brings her childhood sketchbooks, current workbooks and the concertina dummy books that are part of the design process. Students love the drawing demonstrations and group workshops creating big drawings with charcoal. An instant exhibition! These workshops are great for primary and secondary level – Anne easily adjusts her presentations to all age groups.
» 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
Marc McBride is the illustrator of the New York Times best-selling series Deltora Quest, which has sold over eighteen million copies around the world and has become an Anime TV show.
Marc has illustrated more than two hundred book covers including the Dragon Games series by Maddy Mara. He has illustrated ten picture books including The Glimme written by Emily Rodda (Honour Book in the 2020 CBCA awards), The Song of Lewis Carmichael (2021), The House on Pleasant Street (2022), The Glow (2023) and A Friend for Ruby (2023), all written by Sofie Laguna, and published by Allen and Unwin.
Marc has had work exhibited with the New York Society of Illustrators International Show and has won Aurealis Awards for the Deltora Quest series and World of Monsters, which he wrote and illustrated.
During the presentation Marc will talk about the relationship between pictures and words in a book. He will explain colour theory, light, shape, line and texture- the five elements of visual language as he paints a character from one of his books getting ideas from the audience.
Focusing on creativity and imagination, using simple shapes, Marc encourages the students to draw with him and to ‘not be afraid of making mistakes’- after-all it is often a mistake in a drawing that becomes the inspiration for something truly original!
Every student will create their own artwork and the school gets to keep the finished painting.
» Read more about Marc McBride
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
Author, Entrepreneur, 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
- Leaf-Light, from one of Australia’s most unique creative talents, Leaf-Light is a stand-alone companion to Landing with Wings. Join Miri on her quest to help a rescued baby emu find its feet in the world, and as she connects to her community in joyful and unexpected ways.
- 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
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 is a Ledger and Stanley Award winning comic book artist and writer best known for his work on Simpsons Comics. His other credits include; Futurama, Rick and Morty, Invader Zim, Underdog, Oggy and the Cockroaches and The Riverdale Diaries : Starring Veronica. He’s the illustrator on the Timmy the Ticked-Off Pony series – written by Magda Szubanski. He illustrated the Funny Thing Happened to Simon Sidebottom and The Stuff Happens series. And is the writer/illustrator on the new book series – Death Metal Emo Elves.
» 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.
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
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
Steve Mushin (Stephen Mushin)
Author, Design, Drawing and Creative Thinking Teacher, Education Consultant, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, STEM Teacher
Steve Mushin’s graphic novel style STEM book Ultrawild, An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City On Earth (Allen and Unwin, Nov 2023) was described by The Guardian as:
‘a brain-meltingly intricate and inspiring compendium of the gigantic ideas needed to repair the planet.’
Steve is an industrial designer, hack engineer and illustrator. He collaborates with scientists, and engineers to develop outrageous, but scientifically possible inventions to rewild cities back into jungles.
Steve runs creative thinking, illustration and design workshops with primary and secondary schools, universities and businesses, where he uses his ‘design thought experiments’ as starting points for madcap STEM explorations.
In 2015, he was awarded an Australian Design Honours for work in sustainability design education.
MEDIA LINKS:
Video interview: The Wheeler Centre
Profile: Australian Design Centre
Article: Sydney Morning Herald
» Read more about Steve Mushin (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
Scott Edgar
Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Songwriting, Storyteller/Performer, Videogames
“Scod” is best known as one-third of beloved Australian idiot-band Tripod, with whom he’s won an ARIA and lost a GRAMMY. He’s also a veteran writer, composer and illustrator for videogames, animation and kids’ publishing, working for such clients as Ubisoft, Wizards of the Coast, Penguin Random House, the Cartoon Network and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. You can see more of his work at www.scottedgarcreative.com. For a complete history of Scod’s haircuts, check out Spicks and Specks reruns on the ABC.
» 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 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
Meredith Gaston Masnata is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, artist, wellness coach and speaker celebrating mindful, joyous and spirited living in a modern world.
Whilst exhibiting her artwork locally and abroad from a young age, Meredith graduated from The University of Sydney, majoring in Art History and Theory and Gender and Cultural Studies. Continuing her education as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach through IIN, New York, Meredith frequently features in the media, educational and corporate spheres inspiring wellbeing in daily life. She is a regular guest on ABC radio. Meredith’s twelve lovingly illustrated books are translated into various foreign languages and her artworks are collected worldwide.
Gabriel Evans
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Gabriel Evans is a picture book author and illustrator.
His books have been published in fourteen countries, read on ABC’s Play School and reviewed in the New York Times. They’ve been shortlisted twice in the Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year with a further six notable books in the same award.
Gabriel is a dynamic and engaging speaker, giving interactive sessions on the craft of creating picture books. He’s visited educational institutions in major cities and remote regions around Australia.
Chris Kennett
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Chris Kennett is a Bendigo based digital illustrator with over 20 years of experience.
Working his way from animation through to children’s books, Chris has managed to work on some truly “out of this world” projects including the beloved Star Wars series of Little Golden Books.
His most recent projects include the hugely popular first reader series School of Monsters with Sally Rippin, the Nerd Herd series with Nathan Luff and Cross Bones with Jack Henseleit.
- School of Monsters Series
- The Nerd Herd Series
- CrossBones Series
- Noah and Blue’s Zooniverse
- My Mum
- Dad Jokes are the Worst
- Star Wars – Little Golden Books
Anna Zobel
Author, Illustrator
Anna Zobel is an author and illustrator from Melbourne. Her middle-grade series Little Gem was a CBCA Notable in 2022, and was also shortlisted for the Readings Prize. She is the illustrator of several books including Who’s Your Real Mum?, which made the 2020 CBCA Shortlist and was chosen for the eminent White Raven Award in Europe. Her new book This Camp is Doomed will be released in August 2023. Besides writing and illustrating, Anna is also a gallery teacher with a primary background. She is passionate about fostering confidence, and helping students to discover their own unique style.
» Read more about Anna Zobel
Marjory Gardner
Illustrator
Marjory Gardner’s illustration workshops encourage participants to use colour, pattern and detail to bring to life the characters of their imagination. She describes her drawing process from first roughs to finished art, the hard slog, the fun and the sometimes frustrating stages along the way.
» Read more about Marjory Gardner
Mick Elliott
Author, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller
Mick Elliott is an author, illustrator, TV producer, screenwriter, literacy ambassador and professional mischief-maker. As well as multiple best-selling books, Mick has written and produced acclaimed children’s TV programmes for Nickelodeon, the Sesame Workshop, Channel TEN and the ABC.
» Read more about Mick Elliott
Mirranda Burton
Author, Illustrator, Social Issues
Mirranda Burton is an artist, writer and author of graphic novels. Her work is fuelled by a passion for history, social issues and a dream of humans finding new ways to understand each other.
» Read more about Mirranda Burton
Matthew Lin
Entertainment, Illustrator, Manga
Matthew Lin is a graphic designer and illustrator who has over 25 years experience — with the majority of that time in publishing, as well as advertising and promotional design.
Matthew began his career as a MAC operator in a small ad agency in Parramatta. After a year he moved on to be a designer and illustrator for Scholastic, then a senior designer/illustrator at Creata Promotion. He was an Art Director at Horwitz Publications and then Creative Director at Online Media Group. In 2004, Matthew decided it was time to go freelance and since then, hasn’t looked back!
» Read more about Matthew Lin
Jess Racklyeft
Author, Illustrator
Jess Racklyeft is an award winning illustrator (and sometimes author) of over 30 picture books. She creates work with a variety of media including watercolour, mono prints, acrylics and digital illustration – resulting in a very messy studio!
» Read more about Jess Racklyeft
Zeno Sworder
Author, Illustrator
Zeno Sworder is an award winning writer, artist and picture book maker. He is passionate about literacy, creativity and diversity.
» Read more about Zeno Sworder
Jess McGeachin
Author, Illustrator, Storyteller
Jess is an author and illustrator from Melbourne. Drawing quite literally from a day job at Melbourne Museum, Jess loves sharing stories about nature and encouraging students to draw the world around them.
Heidi McKinnon
Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Heidi is passionate about sharing her love of story, art and creativity with children and young people.
» Read more about Heidi McKinnon
Sher Rill Ng
Author, Illustrator
Sher Rill is a digital illustrator who has designed and illustrated for SaaS companies before releasing her first author-illustrated picture book Our Little Inventor (2019 Allen & Unwin).
» Read more about Sher Rill Ng
Dub Leffler
Author, Illustrator
Dub is Australia’s Premier Indigenous Illustrator of children’s books and has taught Illustration workshops in over 200 schools across Australia and abroad. Having won numerous awards in his career spanning over 22yrs, Dub’s work is held in private & public collections around the world including The Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
Frog Finds a Place
Sorry Day
Black Cockatoo
Rocky & Louie
Strangers on Country
Bindi
Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
Illustrator
Charmaine Ledden-Lewis is a proud Bundjalung woman, artist and illustrator, living on Dharug & Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Through guidance and demonstration, Charmaine shares her passion and enthusiasm for creativity and visual literacy, and encourages all those she meets to transcend inhibition and engage in artistic expression. Charmaine also takes pride in fostering conversation exploring First Nations perspective, inclusivity and diversity.
Found by Bruce Pascoe (author)
Born to Run by Cathy Freeman (author)
Charlie’s Swim by Edith Wright (author)
Growing Up Wiradjuri by Dr Anita Heiss (author)
» Read more about Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
Freda Chiu
Author, Illustrator
Freda Chiu is an Australian Chinese illustrator, author and educator whose work has been published locally and internationally. As well as writing, she has illustrated children’s books and middle-grade novels for acclaimed authors. In 2022, she was shortlisted for the CBCA Award for New Illustrator and the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award for her debut picture book as author/illustrator, A TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL. Freda works with a variety of mixed media techniques including pencil, gouache, mono-printing and digital in her cosy home studio.
As a presenter and teacher, Freda is energetic, encouraging and engaged with her inner-child. She hopes for children to go home feeling inspired to create.
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Cate James
Illustrator
Cate James is an award-winning illustrator of picture books from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Be prepared for a fun and interactive time – Cate is always keen to prove that anyone can draw.
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Remy Lai
Author, Illustrator
Remy is an author and illustrator. She enjoys doing draw-alongs in her sessions, and she particularly loves playing drawing games with the students.
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Sami Bayly
Author, Illustrator
Sami loves to capture her audiences with weird and wonderful stories about the most unusual aspects of nature. She incorporates her non-fiction writing with storytelling, as she finds they really do work hand in hand.
You are guaranteed to leave her sessions with a new animal discovery, an updated drawing tip and even a poo fact or two!
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Anna McGregor
Author, Illustrator
Anna McGregor is an award-winning author, illustrator and designer of picture books with humour and heart.
Anna is deeply curious by nature and finds her ideas by turning the mundane on its head, merging ideas or exploring wordplay — but always with a story that connects to the human experience.
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Judith Rossell
Author, Illustrator
Judith Rossell created the best-selling, award-winning Stella Montgomery series (Withering-by-Sea, Wormwood Mire and Wakestone Hall) and her new middle-grade novel, The Midwatch, will be published in 2024. She has written 16 books and illustrated more than 80. She enjoys sharing her love of illustrating and writing, and encouraging others to create their own characters and stories.
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Marcelo Baez
Comics, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Marcelo is professional illustrator and creative facilitator based on the NSW South Coast. Working internationally and locally as an illustrator for over 27 years, and over 14 years as a creative facilitator and presenter.
He also teaches a large variety of drawing comics/character design/visual storytelling for kids as well as teaching a variety of creative adult workshops for the corporate and public sectors. He has been an invited guest to Supanova, OZ Comic con and Gamma Con.