“If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.

– Marc Chagall

As with any creative path, the best things spring forth from the heart; particularly when it is alight with a set purpose and radiating a current of imagings too alluring (and for the soul of an artist, too demanding) to resist. The muse residing in that secret place of creativity inside me has been ebbing and flowing with more dramatic pendulum swings over the past 18 months; the lulls are largely a symptom of the uncomfortable throes occurring in life and family affairs.

During a time of seeking new inspiration, a few months ago I stumbled across the website of Just Write For Kids (JWFK); an online community focused on supporting Australian writers and illustrators through goal-setting, information-sharing, and connection.

The JWFK team had just opened the (digital) gates to their first Picture It! Anthology competition. Curious, I looked into the rules and requests and found myself compelled to be a part of it (or at that stage, create a written and illustrative pairing to enter with the chance of being a part of it).

I have quite a few author friends who’ve had multiple story contributions successfully made a part of anthologies. I myself have had one success (to date) in a short story anthology. But it has been years since my last public publication; most of the work done over the past few years has had only a small audience.

Feeling the creep of Imposter Syndrome lurking in my peripheral vision, I took aim at a more public target and decided to let loose a shot. Even so, I’d decided ahead of time on my attitude come the eventual conclusion and judging of the competition. If my piece was one of the ones chosen, I would determine my mood to be one of both happiness and humility. If it wasn’t chosen, I would determine the experience a worthwhile one for the beautiful new illustration I be able to add to my portfolio–and the fact that the JWFK Team would be showcasing all entries on their website. Really, for an independent author/ illustrator, it was a win-win to enter the comp, come what may.

Well, skipping ahead to recent days, I am happy to announce that my illustration and written piece have indeed been chosen to be a part of the Picture It! upcoming anthology.

What an honour! It is such a privilege to see my name alongside other wonderfully talented Australian illustrators. And it’s a treasured encouragement that, yes, I am an author and illustrator–by true profession–and that my style and skill has been recognised by others in the field with greater clout and experience.

The anthology will be a special edition hardcover children’s book, showcasing a variety of illustration styles and lyrical prose speaking from the hearts of creative Australians, about the heart of their treasured country; it’s diversity in landscapes, fauna, cultures, and heritage.

In addition to such a wonderfully-themed book coming to life, proceeds from pre-orders and sales will go toward The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a valued charity that invests in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote communities by providing tools and resources to invest in children’s literacy.

If this is something you would like to support, PRE-ORDERS are now being taken for the book. Trust me, it will be a worthwhile treasure to add to any child’s library (colourful, heartfelt, and brimming with love and admiration for the things that make up Australia’s great heART).