I grew up in Los Angeles, California with my father, mother and brother and our dog Pepi. For as long as I can remember, I have been an artist. My mother loves to tell the stories of how she would be pushing me along in my stroller, and strangers would praise my coloring abilities as I colored within the lines of my coloring books. Then one day, my mother was asked by my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Nickerson, to come in for a conference. As I played in the playground, my mother was awarded a paintbrush for me to take home. WOW! There was no turning back at that point. My favorite drawing partner was my dad. Together we would sit at the dining room table, and sketch whatever we were in the mood for that day.

Around the time I was eight years old, I started learning other fun methods for creating art. One of my favorites was, and still is, collage. It is like putting a puzzle together. Using colorful paper, you cut out fun shapes and glue them onto a board, paper, notebooks or anything you want.

When I graduated from high school, I decided to go to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and study Advertising Design, with the hope of becoming an illustrator some day.

After graduating from the Art Institute, I worked for advertising agencies, design studios and a newspaper. Eventually I was hired as an art director for a book publisher, where I worked on all kinds of books, designing them, drawing the art, and formatting them in the computer. While working there I was lucky enough to meet Lisa McCourt  (author of I Love You Stinky Face, and the Chicken Soup for Little Souls Series). Lisa was the editorial director of the children’s book division. We became really good friends, and Lisa hired me to illustrate my first picture book for children: “Bugs and Beasties ABC”. Since then, I have illustrated over twenty books for children.

Even when I am am not working, my play time is often with art. I have gone on trips to paint in watercolors. I have gone to Colorado to create sculptures in stone, and more recently I have tried sculpting with glass, using a sand blaster. wow, is that fun!!! Every time I try something new it always helps me to grow as an artist. It helps you to see what is possible.

As an artist I have had some fun experiences happen to me. Once while showing my paintings in a local art show here in South Florida, I was approached by an actress from a popular TV show from that time. The show was Miami Vice, and the actress was Olivia Brown. She commissioned me to paint her portrait, and then offered me a space to display my work in her new gallery she was opening here on Miami Beach. It was very exciting!

Then a few years ago, something even more exciting happened, I received word that my collage work in “The Long and Short of It” was one of the chosen books to be displayed at The Original Art show held at The Society of Illustrators' exhibit, in New York city. I was very honored, and flew out to New York to be at the opening.

Well, now you know a lot more about me. I started out coloring in my coloring books, and now I illustrate books for children. I have a great job! And if you dream of one day being a book illustrator too, I hope you will stick with your dream and practice your drawing, painting and computer skills. It can happen for you too!









Artwork on this site is copyrighted by Cheryl Nathan 2005, unless otherwise indicated,
and may not be reproduced or used in anyway without written permission.