Hello!

I'm Fiona and I am a freelance illustrator for children's and youth literature and surface pattern designer based in Toronto, Canada. I love illustrating for children's picture books for ages 3-8, early reader books for ages 5-8, and chapter books for ages 7-9. Narrative illustrations never cease to amaze me, I love the whole process from storyboarding to having the final book in your hands (or bookshelves).

I started doodling characters and writing short stories since I could hold a pencil, but very slowly over the decades, they have morphed into a passion for learning about children's book illustration and surface pattern design. As I get older, I appreciate more and more being a homebody. Planning how to express my creative energies during the darker winter days have made my days brighter, and capturing summer adventures with watercolour journals make the warmer months all the more enjoyable. Creating pattern designs for all four seasons is also a nice way to break up the year.

My biggest artistic influences came from two places. First, from seeing Batik textiles and traditional Javanese and Balinese paintings, sculptures, and silver while I was growing up in Indonesia. Second, from the artistic community I found while living in the garment and entertainment district of Toronto. There were fine artists, opera singers, violinists, budding illustrators, and jazz musicians. I used to live in a former artist studio turned loft, I believe this was the birth time and place where I started to slowly focus my efforts into a more artistic direction.

My illustrations are often inspired by the subtle, simple beauty found in everyday life, and from the richness of culture I get to experience on vacations. With a touch of surrealism and whimsy, I like to preserve some wonky perspectives, organic brushstrokes and quirky viewpoints to make them interesting. I work digitally, but I love experimenting with real mediums such as watercolour, gouache, coloured pencils, ink, crayons and pastels to enrich my digital illustrations. I love the work of some amazing illustrators such as Felicita Sala, Julia Sarda, James Gurney, Benji Davies and Joe Todd Stanton—and surface pattern designer Florent Terracol.

My educational and career background is in healthcare, and one of the best aspects of my job is the one-on-one interactions with patients. I am a part-time dental hygienist at a private practice with a specialized field in orofacial myofunctional therapy. I have about one hour appointments with each of them and that's a great way to get to know someone. Of course it's not always so serious at work, when I find something in common with people that also makes me excited, these ideas usually make their way into my next art projects.

My other favourite thing to do is designing products such as illustrated children’s jigsaw puzzles, and creating repeat patterns for fabric, wallpaper, and stationery. If you’re an interior designer or sewist, feel free to visit my Spoonflower shop.

When I'm not at my home studio, I love taking long walks, reading, cooking, visiting art galleries and museums, and spending time with my wonderful husband, family and close friends.

Thanks for visiting my creative space. I love sharing it with you. If you'd like to work together I'd love to hear from you.