About Me
The Art of Storytelling: From Classical Animation to Children's Books
Growing up in southern Ontario, my earliest days were spent with a pencil or brush in hand. I have always loved the tactile feel of traditional drawing and painting, which eventually grew into a passion for capturing strong structural form and proportion. This love for the foundational arts naturally led me to study Classical Animation at Sheridan College, right during the inspiring heyday of Disney's hand-drawn masterpieces like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King. While I later studied Digital Animation at Capilano University to bring my art to the screen, my heart never drifted far from my traditional roots. This blend of classic illustration and digital storytelling launched my career in television, where I animated on the Gemini Award-winning series Angela Anaconda and helped bring characters to life for Chelsea Road Productions.
Today, I pour those decades of experience—and my enduring love for rich, hand-painted aesthetics—into my publishing and design studio, Beckon Creative. This is where I find my greatest joy: handling every step of creating children's books, from the very first whimsical pencil sketch to the beautifully illustrated final pages. Beyond children's literature, I continue to take on a wide array of graphic design, video, and multimedia projects. Whether I am crafting a corporate brand identity, directing video projects, or drawing detailed architectural illustrations, my goal is always to bring an honest, hardworking, and distinctly human touch to every piece of art I create.
Writing approach
My work is deeply rooted in my identity as a visual artist, meaning I approach storytelling much differently than a traditional writer. Because my mind works in pictures, I have to truly "see" the narrative before I can type a single sentence. This fluid process allows me to tackle a story from many different angles; sometimes I start at the very beginning and write my way toward the end, while other times I clearly envision the ultimate goal—the "top of the mountain"—and carefully construct the rest of the book around that peak moment. Occasionally, I even illustrate the scenes before drafting any text, letting the visual artwork completely guide the words to create a world that feels both beautifully painted and deeply felt.
Meet me in person!
Book Signing, Special Items & Q&A
Events Schedules To Come!
Publishing
While this portfolio highlights my broader design work, my dedicated publishing brand, Beckon Creative, is where my biggest storytelling adventures come to life. It is the creative home where I independently author, illustrate, and design my children's books—taking each project from the first sketch to a published physical book. Step into a world of vibrant illustrations and heartfelt stories by exploring the full library below!
A beautiful painting software.
To illustrate my children's books, I rely on the digital art software Rebelle by Escape Motions. This incredible tool perfectly bridges the gap between digital convenience and traditional artistry. Its hyper-realistic watercolor simulation allows paint to organically bleed and diffuse across the canvas, while advanced physical color mixing creates rich, authentic hues. It gives my illustrations the expressive freedom and hand-painted warmth that my stories demand.
