Emerging Artist Award

In conjunction with New England Society of Children'south Book Writers and Illustrators, R. Michelson Galleries reviews attending Illustrator portfolios and bestows the Emerging Artist Award for illustrators who have not nevertheless published a children'due south book. Most of our previous winners include accept gone on to obtain book contracts and greater publishing success.

2019: Kari Percival

"Thanks Very Much" Said the Scarecrow
10×xv.25 in
Giclee

Kari'southward illustration fashion is rooted in the woodcuts she'd been carving and printing for more than than ii decades. At the 2019 New England Social club of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (NESCBWI) jump conference, her illustration portfolio earned a Peter Davis Emerging Creative person Scholarship. Kari earned a BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

2018: Amanda Putnam

And then Engulfed with Joy
10×sixteen.25 in
Watercolor

Amanda Putnam is an aspiring Children'south Book/Heart Grade/YA Illustrator who loves everything to do with Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Horses. Born and raised in Springfield, MA, she is currently a Middle School Fine art Teacher. She has obtained an MFA in Illustration from the Academy of Fine art in San Francisco, and plans to employ such an education to further her skills and teaching. She now resides in Agawam, MA with her wonderful hubby.

2017: Anne P. Wert

Can I Go on Information technology?
11×xiv.five in
Watercolor

Anne P. Wert is an artist, illustrator, writer, reader, runner volunteer, and mother.
She is the 2017 R. Michelson Galleries Emerging Artist Laurels recipient. Her Work has been shown at the Danforth Fine art Museum, the Milford Fine art Council, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society, and the Providence Art Club.  After a career equally an unproblematic school teacher, Anne spent many years living and painting overseas in Europe and Asia. Her paintings are in private collections around the world, including Paris, Toronto, Dallas, Washington D.C. and New York.

She Attended Parsons Schoolhouse of Design in Paris and is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design Children's Book Illustration Certificate program. She lives with her family in Providence, RI where she continues painting, reading, and writing everyday. Anne is an active member of the Providence Fine art Club and the Social club of Children'due south Volume Writers and Illustrators.

2016: Milanka Reardon

Beary Special Friends 14x11 in
Beary Special Friends
xiv×11 in
Pastel

Milanka Reardon is co-Illustrator Coordinator for the New England Club of Children'south Book Writers and Illustrators.

She is a graduate of the Children'south Volume Illustration and the Natural Scientific discipline Analogy Certificate programs at the Rhode Island School of Blueprint. Her illustration of "A Beary Special Friend" won the Rich Michelson Emerging Artist Accolade at the NESCBWI 2016 conference. Her illustration of a dragon span won first place in the unpublished sectionalization in the NESCBWI poster showcase in 2012. Milanka's artwork has been displayed in the Warwick Museum of Fine art'due south "Tell Me a Story" exhibit and at the Spring Bull Gallery in Newport, RI. She lives with her family unit in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

2015: Marcela Staudenmaier

Good-Morning-11x16_25
Good Morn
11×sixteen.25 in
Cutting Newspaper

Marcela is a graduate of the Children's Book Illustration Document Programme at the Rhode Island Schoolhouse of Blueprint and an active member of the Order of Children's Volume Writers and Illustrators.

She has been the recipient of the Tassy Walden Award: New Voices in Children'southward Literature (Shoreline Arts Alliance CT), the Ann Barrow Illustrator'southward Scholarship (New England SCBWI), the R. Michelson Galleries Emerging Artist Accolade (New England SCBWI and R. Michelson Galleries), the James Jafferis Prize (New Haven Paint & Dirt Society). Her work has also received accolades from the Danforth Museum of Art, three×3 Mag of Contemporary Illustration, the Guild of Illustrators of Los Angeles and the New England SCBWI. She was selected past Connecticut Humanities and the CT Eye for the Book every bit one of 24 illustrators/writers to create the Nifty CT Antic.

2014: Kevin Barry

Come Away With Me! 24x18 in
Come Away With Me!
24×18 in
Pigment Print

Equally a child, Kevin Barry would spend his time cutting out and copying the comic strips from his dad'due south Sun paper. His love of drawing only grew with the years, leading Kevin to a pursue a BFA in illustration at UMass Dartmouth. Kevin has worked as a graphic designer, special education teaching assistant, and third form teacher. Teaching helped to foster Kevin's love of children's literature, and has given him insight into the inner lives of children and how they connect to stories. Kevin is an agile member of the SCBWI and won the R. Michelson Emerging Artist Award. He lives with his wonderful wife and curious cat, Spud, in the suburbs of Boston.

2013: David Bird

life-well-lived
A Life Well Lived
24×eighteen in
Pigment Print

David Bird is a toy designer by day. He's adult products for My Picayune Pony, Trolls, Marvel, LEGO Technic, and Bionicle. By dark, he is an author and illustrator, currently seeking publication for his offset motion-picture show book, represented past Andrea Chocolate-brown Literary Agency.

2012: Russ Cox

cox-a-whole-new-world-20x16
A Whole New World
20×16 in
Paint Impress

Subsequently high school, Russ Cox received a degree at a local fine art school. With a portfolio in his hand, he ventured into the earth of design and analogy where he worked for various design and ad agencies until coming to his senses. With his wife giving me a swift kicking-get-go in the rump, Cox opened his own studio, Smiling Otis Studio, where he presently specializes in illustration for the children's market and children'south books. He likewise plant fourth dimension to teach diverse classes at Pennyslvania Higher of Art & Blueprint for several years. Recently the Cox family packed up the railroad vehicle and headed to the wilderness of Maine where they have setup a homestead in Pittsfield. When non drawing, running amok in the snow, or training their iv cats to yodel Slim Whitman's greatest hits, He enjoys some quiet time with his banjo while taking in the beauty of Maine. His poor married woman would prefer me to play the triangle or build a audio proof room.

2011: Katia Wish – Co-Recipient

alice-low-res
Alice
x.75×7.75 in
Watercolor

Katia Wish is a children'south book author-illustrator based in Boston, MA. She has illustrated "Sophie's Beast Parade," written by Amy Dixon (Sky Pony Press, Spring 2015). Katia is currently working on her own stories every bit an author-illustrator and likewise looking forward to illustrating manuscripts of other authors.
She is the winner of the 2011 Tomie DePaola Honor from the Club of Children'southward Volume Writers and Illustrators.
In add-on to working on children'south books and magazines, Katia teaches illustration at the Massachusetts Higher of Art & Design. Katia's work has been exhibited in galleries throughout New England.
Katia is originally from Belarus, where she grew up. The influences and sensibilities of both her home country and her experiences in the United States contribute to Katia's work.

2011: Jeanette Bradley – Co-Recipient

The Cloak-and-dagger Garden
five×7 in
Paint Impress

Jeanette Bradley studied painting at Indiana University and Children'due south Volume Illustration at the Rhode Isle School of Design. Along the way she besides acquired a degree in urban planning and spent a summer every bit the artist-in-residence for a traveling fine art museum on a railroad train. She currently lives in Rhode Isle, where she loves to explore the shoreline of Narragansett Bay. Jeanette is represented past Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt. Her picture book LOVE, MAMA is forthcoming from Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan) in Winter 2018.