Hi, I’m Gemma — a picture book author and illustrator with a background in art and education. I’m passionate about creating stories that spark creativity, celebrate the mystical, and connect children to nature.

Through humour, quirky illustrations, and thought-provoking tales, I invite curiosity and wonder. I hope to inspire children to see the magic in the mundane, ask big questions about who they are and how they fit into the vast web of existence - to develop a cosmic sense of self.

I create my images using acrylic gouache and mediums, building up layers by hand. I use a dip pen for finer details and often finish work digitally — layering elements and gently erasing pencil lines. I love the textures I can achieve through handmade processes, and the happy accidents that paint allows.

In 2024, I received a Commended Entry in the New England Writers’ Centre Illustration Prize — a lovely encouragement to continue following my creative path.

I live in the leafy town of Cockatoo, Australia, with my husband, our two young boys, and our deaf, old dog, Jerry. When I’m not writing or illustrating, you’ll find me wrangling my boys, painting, drinking copious amounts of herbal tea, or listening to the trees whisper their secrets in the wind — if I can hear them over the cockatoos.