The Girlustrators

The Girllustrators are a group of professional artists in Austin, Texas who unite for sharing, support, and shop talk in the field of children’s illustration.

Bios

Patrice Barton

Patrice is the illustrator of over twenty picture and chapter books, including the award winning picture books MINE! by Shutta Crum (Knopf, 2011) and The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig (Knopf, 2013). Her chapter books include the Junior Library Guild selections The Year of the Three Sisters, an Anna Wang novel by Andrea Cheng (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015) and The Naming of Tishkin Silk by Glenda Millard (FSG, 2009). Her picture books include: Bringing the Outside In by Mary McKenna Siddals (Random House) and Little Bitty Friends by Elizabeth McPike (G.P. Putnam’s Sons). Patrice makes her home in Austin, Texas.

Lalena Fisher

Lalena Fisher’s debut picture book Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told with Infographics was named one of the “Most Empowering of 2023” by Kirkus; is on the 2024-2025 state reading lists for Texas, California and Washington; and won the Mathical Books Prize in 2024. Before delving into children’s books, Lalena helped design the animated TV shows Blue’s Clues and The Wonder Pets! She has also served over the years as a graphics contributor to The New York Times. Lalena grew up in Houston, and now draws and writes in a little studio in her Austin backyard also occupied by an eastern screech owl, a skunk, a chorus of cicadas, and innumerable wolf spiders that glitter at night.

Emma Virjan

Emma J. Virján was born in Texas, under an Aries moon, on a Wednesday evening, her Dad’s bowling night. This might explain her attraction to shiny, hardwood floors and crunchy, snack bar French fries. Her career as a graphic designer and illustrator started when she gave everyone handmade business cards for Christmas when she was five years old.Emma is the author-illustrator of the Pig in a Wig Book Series - What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig, (HarperCollins, 2015), What This Story Needs is a Hush and a Shush (HarperCollins, 2016), and What This Story Needs is a Munch and a Crunch (HarperCollins, 2016).

Nessa Dee

Vanessa Roeder, aka Nessa Dee is an an illustrator, a painter, and a crafty mess-maker. A former muralist, she now spend her time making art for magazines, children's books, and homes around the world. Her work is created with layers of paper, acrylic paint, colored pencils, thread, and trinkets.In addition to making art, she love teaching art to imaginative children, writing stories, acting in plays, and hanging out with the awesome ladies from her critique group, The Girllustrators. She live in Austin, TX with her three kids, and two hairy dogs who continually feed her ideas for her next story.

Eliza Kinkz

Eliza Kinkz is a Tejana artist who never stopped viewing the world through the bright colors of her crayons, AND she even ate a few, too! She's illustrated many hilarious picture books, including Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo which won her the Pura Belpré Illustration Honor, and she was the 2022 James Marshall Fellow. All her ridiculous scribbles burst straight from her heart, which is overflowing with joy...and probably a few crayon pieces. Mistaco is her author-illustrator debut, and you can spill all the frijoles to her at ElizaKinkz.com.

Julissa Mora

Julissa writes and illustrates books for children. She also creates whimsical art for various markets, including publications, magazines, paper goods, licensing, games, and other products.Baking With Mi Abuelita (in Spanish) (Penguin Random House) was her debut author-illustrated book, and in 2024, it was named by Bank Street as one of The Best Children’s Books of the Year.She was born and raised in Miami, en una típica casa Cubana, surrounded by lots of delicioso food, Latin music, and family gatherings.

Rachel Bostick

Rachel is a native of Austin, Texas. After getting a BFA in design and working as a book designer moonlighting as an illustrator, she moved across the pond to the UK to pursue her Master's degree in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art.She enjoys combining expressive linework, lush textures, and muted color palettes to create images full of moody atmosphere and gothic romanticism. Her illustrations are inspired by a lifelong love of horror films, faerie tales, a fascination with the 19th century, and whatever her current hyperfixation may be. Recent hyperfixations have included Loki, whimsi-goth fashion, and fanfiction.

Laura Fisk

Through Laura's work she's always trying to convey joy and humor with the undertone of real care and love. Even if that character is a dancing apple, they have an epic story to tell! If she could illustrate/write a book as hilarious, touching, and full of life as “The Monster at the End of this Book” that would pretty much be everything. Her background and true art love is in printmaking, especially screenprinting.She's thrilled to have her first book she illustrated out with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, "Sleeping bags to S'Mores: Camping Basics," a fun family camping how-to book.

Sarah Doan

Sarah is a Vietnamese-American author, illustrator. Her art is inspired by awkward encounters, childhood memories, food, and the celebration of cultures. She loves creating art that makes you smile and have a bit of heart to them. Sarah incorporates humor, cute characters, and playful color palettes in her illustrations.She's interested in projects related to:
⟢ Fantasy & adventure narratives ⟢ Goofy/playful humor ⟢ Multicultural & cultural diversity ⟢

Anneke Swanson

Anneke is an author, illustrator and an impressionistic oil painter deep in the HOT of Texas. Her absolute delight is to create art that brings joy to others, whether it’s illustrating sweet and pure moments, writing picture books with heart or painting real live flowers. She is currently in the VERGE program through The Writing Barn to elevate her craft. She enjoys working on commissions and engaging in various art projects. Anneke also teaches art classes in her home studio and her students range from toddlers to adults.On any given day, she may have a paintbrush or a glass of wine in her hand -- or both!You can learn more about Anneke here: annekeswanson.comShe is seeking representation.

To contact the group, please email:
thegirllustrators (the “at” sign) gmail.com