About

Ashwin & Clive

Belfast

Ashwin Chacko and Clive McFarland are award winning illustrators, authors and educators. 

Together they co-founded Illustrators North with the vision to build a thriving community of Illustrators in Northern Ireland, including AOI supported meet ups.

Kat, Olivia & Tom

Birmingham

Katherine Tromans, Olivia Collins and Tom Woolley are illustrators working across many sectors of the industry.

Together they host Picnic: a creative meet up for illustrators based in and around Birmingham.

Eden, Ulrike, Lucy, Maia & Izzy

Brighton

Eden Brack, Ulrike Mieke, Lucy Beacham, Maia Roman and Izzy Howard collaborate to host Flock: a creative meet up for illustrators based in and around Brighton and open to creatives of all backgrounds and career stages.

Jess Knights

Bristol

Jess Knights is an illustrator and creative facilitator with a mission to connect communities online and in real life.

She helps run PIP (Put into Practice): a get together for any and all illustrators in the Bristol area.

Naomi Clarke

Cardiff

Naomi Clarke is an illustrator, educator and designer based in Cardiff.

She hosts Illustration Club: an informal meet up providing a common space for Cardiff illustrators to explore ideas and grow together.

Montana Forbes

Copenhagen, Denmark

Montana Forbes is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle illustrator and is also part of the AOI Board of Directors.

Based in Copenhagen, she co-hosts the newly formed Copenhagen Connects with fellow local illustrator Morten Voigt

Mhairi Braden

Edinburgh

Mhairi Braden is an illustrator and printmaker based in Edinburgh.

She hosts Rough Draft, which brings together illustrators from the Edinburgh area to connect and inspire.

AJ Higgins

Falmouth

AJ Higgins is an illustrator creating characterful works from Cornwall.

Together with co-hosts Elly Jahnz and Matt Johnson, they run Hive: a fun and relaxed meet up group open to illustrators based in Falmouth, Penryn and the surrounding areas.

Rachel Mills

Glasgow

Rachel Mills is an illustrator and artist based in Glasgow.

She hosts Illo G: an exciting, friendly and resourceful group open to all local illustrators in and around Glasgow.

Bethany Sparks

Leeds

Bethany Sparks is an experienced illustration agent & designer, with a background in children’s publishing.She hosts Brew alongside talented illustrators Molly Pukes, Meg Lent & Warren Powell.

Nick Moffatt

Lincoln

Nick Moffatt is an illustrator and storyteller living in the beautiful historic city of Lincoln.

Nick hosts The Pencil Society a friendly, inclusive community for illustrators at all stages of their creative journey based in and around Lincoln.

Wendy Warren

London

Wendy Warren is a freelance illustrator working on enchanting children’s picture books.

She hosts Blend: a space welcoming local illustrators in and out of London to share ideas together.

Nicola Mullen

Manchester

Nicola Mullen is a Brand & Marketing Coach passionate in mentoring illustrators and creative organisations.

She hosts the Manchester meet up group Drawn In alongside illustrators Nathan Hackett, Catherine Booth, Jordan Yates and Louise French.

Carl Wilson

Newcastle

Carl Wilson is an illustrator working across advertising, branding, murals and more.

Together with co-host Mark Rogerson, they run Mischief: an illustrators’ community for Newcastle to support and inspire one another.

Julia Triay

Norwich

Julia Triay is an illustrator, printmaker and workshop facilitator. Her co-host, Lily LK, is an editorial and brand Illustrator based in Norwich.

She hosts Crisscross, bringing together the creative community in Norwich and beyond.

Benedetta Bellemo

Paris

Benedetta Bellemo is an Italian illustrator and children’s book creator based in Paris.

She founded Illustrators of Paris to bring together English-speaking illustrators living in the city and foster a sense of an international community of creatives.

Louise Rabey

Plymouth

Louise Rabey is an illustrator, comic artist, and creative facilitator for various creative projects in Plymouth and the South West.

She hosts the Plymouth Illustrators group, which aims to connect illustrators in Plymouth and surrounding areas in Devon. 

Rachelle Panagarry

Preston

Rachelle Panagarry is an illustrator and lecturer at University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN).

She hosts Hand Drawn & Quartered, a creative meet up welcoming all illustrators based in and around Preston and across Lancashire.

Adam Thornton

Sheffield

Adam Thornton is an illustrator working in a variety of sectors. 

He organises Sheffield Illustrators: a community for illustrators in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and North-East Derbyshire.

Tom Wolfe

Swansea

Tom Wolfe is an illustrator based in Swansea, specialising in bold and colourful narrative work for editorial and publishing clients.

He hosts the Swansea Illustrator’s Club to bring local illustrators together to share their work, inspire one another, and build a strong creative community.

Becki Harper

York

Becki Harper is an author and illustrator based in York. She specialises in picture books, but has made all kinds of illustration work over the past 15 years.

She hosts Drawvik: a meet up group for all illustrators in and around York.

Birgitta & David

Children’s Picture Books

Birgitta Sif and David Barrow are award-winning picture book author/illustrators and educators.

Together they host the online Children’s Picture Books meet ups: a space providing insight, inspiration and creative fun for all illustrators passionate about the craft of picture books.