Image top: story time at Squishy Minnie, image by Lucky. Image below: my messy studio, image by Penny Lane.

Hello there, thanks for visiting! I am an illustrator and more recently author based in Melbourne, working from a very messy studio out the back of our house. I have always drawn and over the last ten years been working full time as an illustrator, primarily in picture books. Sometimes I have other projects such as greeting card designs, working with awesome clients, or creating stuff for my own shop. I love working with watercolours and digital illustration, and find inspiration in the laneways and city, as well as Merri Creek and trips out of town to the beautiful country surrounding Melbourne.

I acknowledge and pay my respects to the Wurundjeri people, traditional owners of the land on which I live and work.

Recent awards include:

• CBCA winner of Picture Book of the Year and Notable for the Eve Pownell Award for Iceberg (written by Claire Saxby and published by Allen and Unwin) 2022
• Long-listed for the Indie Book Awards for Welcome Baby (published by Affirm Press) 2020
• CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year for Merry Everything (written by Tania McCartney and published by Windy Hollow) 2018
• Excellence Award Winner – theme illustration at the Frankfurt Bookfair / Illusalon awards 2017
• CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year for Smile Cry (written by Tania McCartney and published by EK Books) 2017
• Crystal Kite Winner for Australia/NZ – SCBWI 2017
• MATS Home Decor Video Winner 2016
• Semi Finalist in the Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search 2016
• Highly commended in the Illustrator Australia Awards 2015
• Finalist in the Etsy Design Awards 2014
• Scholarship winner for Big Hearted Business Conference 2014
• Finalist in the Kids Book Review Illustration Competition 2014, Runner up in 2015
• Luerzer’s Archive “200 Best Illustrators of the World 13/14”

Selected clients include:

• Affirm Press
• Allen and Unwin
• Penguin Random House/Puffin
• Omnibus/Scholastic
• Better Reading
• The Five Mile Press
• Hallmark
• Papyrus
• Nuovo Group
• Windy Hollow
• Erstwilder
• Cengage Learning
• Little Sticker Boy
• Exisle Publishing
• Australian Childhood Foundation

To see some of my work, take a peek at my portfolio and check out Jesses Mess Etsy store. Or get in touch to discuss your project.