About

My childhood in 1960’s Coventry was dominated by my love of drawing, and animals.

I originally trained as an Architect in the 1970’s, one of only two women amongst 40 men in my year. After working as an Architect and having two more children, I retrained as a children’s illustrator in my mid 40’s.

In 2005, I set up the social enterprise Pictures to Share C.I.C. to create and publish beautiful books for people with dementia from which I retired in 2017 to focus on my children’s books. Pictures to Share ceased operating in 2023 but he books are still available in public libraries and secondhand.

I have illustrated books for Frances Lincoln and Harper Collins and have worked with the publisher Otter-Barry Books since 2015, to write and illustrate 4 children’s books.

2023-4

Working with Orb’s community bookshop in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, to create a Festival of Illustration to be held in Autumn 2024.

2022
Panel presentations of my work at ‘Graphic Brighton’ speaking about dealing with difficult topics in crossover picture books/graphic novels for children, and at Youth Libraries Conference speaking on my book ‘The Lost Child of Chernobyl’ and the 'Historical Impacts of War and Disasters on Nature’ 

2019
Wonderful to see a translated version of Peter in Peril published in Germany Moritz Verlag. The text was beautifully translated by the well known writer and translator Mirjam Pressler, who sadly passed away at the age of 78 years shortly after completing the work on Peter in Peril.

The German version has been well received and was shortlisted for the prestigious German Catholic Children’s Book Award, and was also listed in BuchMarkt as one of the favorite new children’s books of five important booksellers from all over Germany.

Peter in Peril was also published in the UK in paperback format by Otter-Barry Books. My children’s graphic novel ‘Me and Mrs Moon’ was published by Otter-Barry Books

2017
My children's picture book 'The Creature' was published by Otter-Barry Books.

2016
My first children’s graphic novel 'Peter in Peril’ published by Otter-Barry books.

2014
Started writing story and developing illustrations for 'Peter in Peril’ a new Graphic novel for children.

2013
Illustrated ‘Star Gazing’ a poetry book for Harper Collins Publishers.

2012
Taught a week’s summer residential course in Illustrating Children’s Books at Reaseheath college, Nantwich, Cheshire.

2011
Obtained an MA in Illustration for Children's Publishing from Glyndwr University.

2006-2016
I illustrated six children’s books for Frances Lincoln Ltd.

2005
I was joint winner of the Macmillan Student Prize for Children’s Illustration (2005) with an unpublished work ‘Alice and the Lost Dog’.

Obtained a 1st Class degree in Illustration from Glynwr Univesity.

I also founded Pictures to Share Community Interest Company, a social enterprise developing and publishing illustrated books for people with dementia www.picturestoshare.co.uk

1974-2000
Trained as an Architect at Leicester Polytechnic, and worked in private practice.