Rupert Godesen
Rupert is a keen cartoonist, having wasted a very expensive education doodling and drawing Asterix & Obelix in the margins of his exercise books. He continued this through art college, and it came in very useful when he was commissioned to go to Kabul to teach a group of artists from the art faculty.
In his spare time, Rupert is an avid vegetable grower, having picked up the passion from his grandfather. During his time living in London and Bournemouth, every available square inch of the garden had a pot or grow bag in it with a tomato, courgette or runner bean in it. Now, his bookshelves at home in France are groaning with books and magazines on the subject. Other interests include survival skills (he has run several courses for the military and for civvy friends), running and cycling. He is also interested in “The Great Game” era in India and Pakistan, about which he intends to write a novel.
Kirsti Vass
Kirsti of ArtbyKirsti is a self-taught artist who works primarily in acrylic, watercolours (with pen) and in pencil. After studying Art at school, Kirsti dabbled in many different arts and crafts, but she could never settle on anything that held her creative self captive.
As her family grew, she trained as a primary teacher and used her love of art to help inspire her students to discover their own creativity. Due to health issues, Kirsti took early retirement and now spends more time exploring her artistic style.
Settling on acrylics and watercolours as her favourite mediums, Kirsti now lovingly paints pet portraits, landscapes and has discovered a joy in sketching architecture, quaint shop fronts and coffee carts. Prints of her local beach and lighthouse have been made into postcards, which are on sale in one of the popular ice cream shops in her town. Kirsti has also partnered with a local entrepreneur to provide the only ‘Paint and Sip’ parties in their area of North Scotland, where she passionately encourages creative juices to flow in a fun and carefree environment.
Kezzia Crossley
Kezzia is a Canadian illustrator with more than ten years of experience in the creative industry. She has worked seamlessly with clients from all around the world, and she loves the collaborative process of bringing children’s books to life with her illustrations. Kezzia works with a variety of mediums and styles, and her flexible approach ensures that the original vision is always achieved. Her whimsical style impresses both children and adults alike, and the characters become as close to her as they are to their author. She always seeks to view projects from the child’s eye to ensure she brings a smile to any young reader’s face. More recently, she has challenged herself to excel in projects with a grittier style, and she adores pushing herself out of her comfort zone.
An avid hiker, Kezzia can often be found in the middle of the forest or at the top of a mountain. Indeed, it is through her hiking that she finds inspiration for her work. Many of her illustrations are influenced by the wildlife and nature she has encountered and the beautiful settings that she visits.
Ari Silva
Ari is a 19-year-old artist, who began illustrating children's books at the age of 15. He believes that cooperation and communication is very important when it comes to creating. Ari has always looked to different and diverse sources of inspiration in order to learn and be the most versatile creator he could be.
Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Ari has been exposed to many different cultures and people, which reflects in his art through diversity and representation in characters. He believes children's books should be magical, reflecting and facilitating a child's bright and colourful imagination.
Abigail Roscoe
Abigail is a Mexican Canadian multidisciplinary artist, who loves to focus on illustration. Most of her time is spent illustrating children's books and working on her own writing projects, such as comics, short visual narratives and picture books. Abigail has a passion for animals and nature conservation, and she hopes to let this passion show through her work.
Abigail currently lives in Switzerland, but she has moved a lot during her life and draws inspiration from the many places she's lived in: the Canadian wilderness, Mexico and its folk tales and the Swiss mountains and cityscapes are some themes that show in her work. Abigail’s illustrative style ranges in form, but it features expressive animals and detailed, immersive illustrations. She is also autistic and disabled, and her illustrations have been a tool to reflect on several aspects of her own life, from the neurodivergent experience to exploring identity and belonging through art.
Abigail completed her bachelor's degree in The Netherlands when she graduated from Hanzehogeschool Academie, Minerva, with a focus on illustration and animation. Her background in animation also helps her to create lively, dynamic scenes and expressive, relatable characters.
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