Abby Joy is an illustrator and mixed media artist. She studied 2-Dimensional Art and Graphic Design at Whitworth University, and loves working in colored pencil, watercolor, and graphite. Abby has received awards from The Colored Pencil Society, PSGNWA, and Edmonds Art Festival and recently illustrated on her first book, Akosa the Skittish Deer by Jimmy Huynh. Abby lives in Spokane, Washington where you can find her doodling in the woods and befriending squirrels.
Artist Statement:
"As a mixed media artist and children’s book illustrator, storytelling is at the core of what I do. My work features whimsical scenes inspired by surrealism, made with a contemporary combination of graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil on thick paper. In my artwork, I draw from stories and characters in folklore, mythology, and the Bible. I aim to invite viewers into playful adventures in these worlds, finding meaning and joy in the journey. The settings of my drawings are influenced by my experience growing up in Washington State and the familiar landscapes of autumnal maple trees, pine forests, and open, grassy fields. Depictions of light are important in my work, as symbols of hope and safety.
In my illustrations, I create traditionally illustrated pieces for each book that share that same warmth and magic, specializing in stories of animals and nature."
