Leisurely Creatures and Curious Beasts

Born in Newcastle, Jill moved to Lincoln at an early age where she spent her time keeping an account on everyday life. When she wasn’t scribbling, she could also be found on the ground after falling off pushbikes and ponies.
After doing her foundation at Lincoln College of Art she went to Cambridge to study illustration, focusing on her love of children’s books.
Jill continued her journey south to London where she embarked on her career as an illustrator, working in the fields of editorial and advertising, as well as publishing. Other career paths were considered and quickly dismissed. There was a brief dalliance with cycle couriering and a splash of lifeguarding. Too dangerous, too wet. Colouring in for a living was the best option by far.
 
She has worked on many wide and varied projects, from editorial pieces for the Financial Times to designing soft toys for Jelly Cat. Her passion is for children’s books and has illustrated over 150 titles that have been published worldwide.
 
Jill now lives in a small seaside town in West Somerset with her husband, Cosmo and their dog, Gary, who joins her every day, finding inspiration from the woods and hills they run in.
Her studio is up in the attic. An attic full of books, paints, brushes, things to stick, things to print and generally things to experiment out new ideas to create new characters.