Art Out Loud: Artist Spotlights for Pride 2024!
Astound is beyond excited to spotlight our amazing queer illustrators - all who are enriching the world around them with their exceptional talents.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with these talented individuals to delve deeper into their creative journeys and discover what fuels their passion. Each artist featured truly embodies the spirit of Pride, contributing powerfully to the rich tapestry of artistic expression, and we could not be more proud of them!
Read on to meet these incredible artists, hear their stories, and see their stunning works - you won’t want to miss a single one!
What are some themes you would like to see in publishing when it comes to LGBTQ topics?
"I think as a Bi racial Woman, daughter of immigrants and part of the LGBTQ community, I would love to see publishings that encompass the intersectionality that encompasses more than just sexuality, but all the social categories that makes a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and The overcoming of all and what makes us stronger as a community"
What is your creative superpower?
"I like my color compositions! Creating ambiance just by using combinations of colors"
Did you have a coming of age book you look back to as an inspiration for your career now?
"It is a recent manga series called Witch Hat Atelier. It's about a girl named Coco that wants to be a witch and magic is created by drawing. It deals with a lot of topics like feeling restricted, adversity, and trying to do what's right."
What is your creative superpower?
"My creative superpower is being really fast in illustrator and getting my work done early!"
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
I'm always going to gravitate towards topics that are supernatural, spooky, dramatic, poignant, and clever. I love strong and empowered persons who have overcome oppression, or who challenge societal norms. I love when media utilizes clever metaphors to represent real-world issues.
What is your creative superpower?
Adaptability? I've worked in numerous styles and can match the art direction for a variety of projects.
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
I would love to illustrate a book about trans people, or something to explain how a trans person can feel before the transition (gender dysphoria for example). It would be amazing to make a children's book to explain this to young kids too.
What is your creative superpower?
I love colors... Everything that is colorful makes me happy. It gives me joy.
What are some themes you would like to see in publishing when it comes to LGBTQ topics?
I would love to see more books with neurodivergent LGBTQ characters, because we exist in the community too!
What is your creative superpower?
My creative superpower is color. I love bright colors! I want to share the happiness it brings me into all my work so everyone else can feel it too.
When you think of Pride as an artist, what do you think of?
I actually get quite emotional when I think of Pride as an artist. Growing up in the 1990s, I'm old enough to remember a time when representation was nearly non-existent in comics, children's books, or cartoons. Queer stories were being told through indie artists that I didn't have access to as a kid, especially in the pre-internet and social media era. It's still not perfect today, far from it even—especially in France where I live. But it feels incredible to see so many different voices finally being heard, and an entire new generation of LGBTQ+ artists ready and proud to share their stories! "Steven Universe," "DeadEndia," "The Pride," "Chef's Kiss"... so many genres, so many different authors out there doing everything they can to support queer kids and help make this world a little bit safer every day!
What is your creative superpower?
I'd say I'm quite good at capturing personalities and emotions, and expressing them through my characters. I feel this might come from my love for the manga by CLAMP that I've been collecting since junior school. I used to order Japanese copies before the comics were translated, so I could only look at the artwork. However, Mokona's art is so expressive that I could still understand most of the plot. That's what I aspire to achieve one day—telling stories that are so visual you barely need dialogues. Also, Rumiko Takahashi is a huge inspiration for me. "Ranma 1/2" is the absolute perfect guide to dynamic and physical comedy!
Did you have a coming of age book you look back to as an inspiration for your career now?
Anne of Green Gables is a book I hold dear to my heart and come back to in my adult life. Seeing Anne, an outcast and a dreamer helped me embrace my own "weirdness". And while the book does not touch specifically the topics related strictly to LGBTQ it was, for me, a wonderful way to come to terms with my own queerness (in both modern and the more traditional meaning of this word). Accepting that it is ok to be different in the way we think or perceive the world was a way to accept me for who I was and am.
What is your creative superpower?
Attention to details. I am definitely not a minimalistic illustrator. I love controlled clutter in my art, it helps me create a scene in which I help people feel cozy and safe (I hope they do at least). It's also very therapeutic for me to work on details that not everyone will immediately notice, but they're there, waiting to be discovered. As a child I loved books with illustrations that you could get lost in, come back and still find new things. With each artwork I hope I can bring a little of that magic into my own creations.
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
I enjoy reading a lot of horror, from E.M. Carroll’s graphic novels and Jen Campbell’s spooky fairy tales to the gothic short stories of M.R. James (I took on the goal of re-reading all of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles this year). I think it’d be really fun to work on a spooky project!
What is your creative superpower?
My creative superpower would probably be playing with textures in environments to bring them to life. I really appreciate that about traditional art, and I try to emulate them and bring them into my style.
Did you have a coming of age book you look back to as an inspiration for your career now?
A huge inspiration for me growing up was the Percy Jackson series, including the Heroes of Olympus where I found the first implied aro-ace character in a book! It also inspired me to explore the diverse characters, allowing me to learn a lot artistically. Where I grow up not a lot of LGBT+ books were available so it was really inspiring finding something like that and I still look back at the diversity portrayed in Rick Riordan's books, it opened something in me to start comprehending and observing the variety of different cultures.
What is your creative superpower?
Looking and observing way too much to look out for new things to learn while always being fascinated about the smallest things! This helped me to find the most creative solution to problems and obstacles I found in life, without giving up easily! I also use this same method in my art where I always try to add different levels of details to something.
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If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
I'd be thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a book about marine conservation. Our planet's oceans are so unbelievably vast in a way that we can't quite hope to fully comprehend any time soon. Though, as vast and grand as our oceans are, they're not invulnerable to major corporations and destructive practices that exploit them. Pollution and overfishing, among many other issues, continue to be threats. It'd be great to be a part of creating a book that helps keep these issues in the public eye, encourages readers to be critical of big corporations, and offers ways to help as individuals.
What is your creative superpower?
I'd say my creative superpower could be my ability to trust the process and keep going, no matter what. If I'm ever struggling with getting a piece to look just right or the way I envisioned it, I remind myself to trust in my skills, invest time into the elements that need it, and simply do my best! I try to think of every piece of art I make as a puzzle to be solved and an opportunity to teach myself something new or hone what I do know.
Have you worked on any books about Pride? What stuck with you?
I worked on "A Child's Introduction To Pride" by Sarah Prager, released in 2023 with Black Dog and Leventhal. The book is an educational in-depth look at the last century of LGBTQIA+ history with over 100 colour illustrations! It has since been awarded in the 2024 Rainbow Book List Top Ten for Young Readers by the American Library Association. It was a real stand out and an absolute joy to work on from start to finish! I also worked on Nail Polish is TOO for Boys by queer author Emma Claire-Sunday, a book about being yourself and letting your colours shine through. The heartwarming tale follows Alex on his journey from a grey world to a vibrant one as he discovers the joy of painting his nails. The book challenges gender norms and celebrates self-expression.
What is your creative superpower?
I work FAST! (something I've learnt as I'm speaking to more and more children's illustrators)!
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
Autism + Special Needs, Emotional Development or Holiday Topics.
What is your creative superpower?
My dedication, unyielding perseverance for creative growth and my deep love for stories is my superpower. As well as my ability to concentrate and focus for extended periods of time!
Did you have a coming of age book you look back to as an inspiration for your career now?
I remember a comic book called "El fantástico mundo de Minus" , from a Spanish illustrator I think it was. But I couldn't remember more about the artist. There was a lot of tiny creatures in the frames and the world was really magical and fantastic. I was more influenced by movies honestly. The one I remember to be more inspirational for me was Song of the Sea by Cartoon Saloon studio. It made me cry the beauty of the backgrounds and music.
What is your creative superpower?
I think my creative superpower is to add little situations or details to the illustrations that tells more than one story in a single image. And to have fun with every single part of the process!?
What are some themes you would like to see in publishing when it comes to LGBTQ topics?
Personally, I would love to see more stories about historical LGBTQ figures. I love a good historical fiction piece, and every time I see one featuring an icon who was later revealed to be part of the LGBTQ community I find it fascinating! Pride is of course a celebration, but it’s also a way to honor those before us and continue the fight for equality and not just acceptance - but radical love. I believe the role of the artist is to help educate and be a mirror for society, and pride is an important time to do so.
What is your creative superpower?
My creative superpower would have to be my eye for color - I remember the instant color theory just “clicked” for me and since then I realized experimentation with color is limitless, and the emotions you can convey with your color palette can be very powerful.
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
I have a soft spot for historical fiction, though I would love to work on more projects about neurodivergent main characters. As a neurodivergent person myself, I find that compassionate and non-infantilizing representation of this kind is highly needed at the moment.
What is your creative superpower?
I would say that my neurodivergency is my creative superpower, if I am being honest. My brain sees images in very unique ways and that has helped me in developing highly elaborate, flowing compositions with a unique eye for color!
Did you have a coming of age book you look back to as an inspiration for your career now?
I loved Nancy Drew when I was growing up, specifically the Papercutz graphic novels illustrated by Sho Murase. She illustrated Nancy for girls in the new millenium-- fashionable, altruistic and completely fearless. I remember Nancy Drew being the coolest girl in the world!?
What is your creative superpower?
Speed knitting!
If you could work on one book topic now, what would it be?
The queer experience within the first nations.
What is your creative superpower?
Sharing my life experiences and connecting with others
When you think of Pride as an artist, what do you think of?
When I think about pride I think of self expression and self assertion, in the most positive way. I think that queer artists should be proud and not scared of showing their queerness, both in their art and in their personal life.
What is your creative superpower?
My creative superpowers are love for art and coffee I’d say! Jokes aside, I love everything about art and illustration, I think that my love for the field is what pushes me most.
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Astound Artist Agency Manhattan is a new kind of artist representation based in New York City and UK. We aim high – to Astound – by being the illustration agency with the best contemporary children’s book illustrators and greeting card designers that the industry has to offer. We connect publishers and artists from around the globe, with our Astound Illustration Agency London offices now open in the UK. Astound US – Drawn to better.