Ponda Ed. 2 of 50

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I paint for the pure joy of it and to bring happiness to those who behold it. Picture books create worlds in which to escape, laugh, cry, learn and explore. Growing up in the Mallee of South Australia, I was the kid always drawing in the margins of my school books. My obsession with drawing animals and giving them an abundance of personality began when I was around 2, with chalk, on my grandparents pavement. Only then they didn’t look like animals or anything much for that matter. Thankfully, I never stopped drawing and am fortunate today to have a very successful career in the Children’s Book Industry as an Author/Illustrator.
Mother Nature and the Animal Kingdom are my greatest inspiration. I write to give voice to those who can’t be heard. I illustrate to create empathy and bring emotion to the very same through visual literacy. Every image tells it's own story.
When I'm not in the studio, one of the most fulfilling roles I have is to visit numerous schools each year and share this passion with thousands of students. I conduct workshops and presentations for all year levels - from
ELC (nurturing a love of literacy and self expression through drawing activities) right through to Year 12 where I delve into the process of creating a picture book and aim to inspire the next generations to create.
The majority of my work here is from my children's books - explore and enjoy.