Author Karin Rainho approached me to illustrate a love letter she wrote to her one-year-old daughter — a story imagining her child at age five and celebrating her hope for a deep, lifelong connection with nature.
I created the illustrations in pen, ink, and watercolor, blending delicate linework with layered color to reflect the quiet magic of childhood exploration. The imagery was inspired by the rivers and landscapes around Connecticut, where Karin lives, and northern Michigan, where I’m based.
This project was longlisted for the World Illustration Awards in the category of Children’s Publishing.
