OUR ARTISTS 2022-23
In 2022, the MIRROR Mentorship Program received 36 complete applications, from 19 authors, 7 author/illustrators, 7 illustrators and 3 literary translators.
The languages represented in the applicants were rich and varied, representing a total of 30 languages and dialects. There was a small majority of Arabic speakers, with Mandarin, Spanish and Tamil the next most common languages in applications. We received submissions from speakers of Batjamalh (an Australian First Nations language), Visayan/Bisaya, Igo, Baba Malay, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Dari, Turkish, Persian and more.
The selection panel, Miriam Rosenbloom, Jane Stratton, Rachel Bin Salleh, Rebecca Lim, and Freda Chiu, found that determining the successful artists to be a very difficult process, largely due to the beautiful wealth of creators and creative practices presented in this year’s submissions.
The MIRROR Panel has offered feedback to all artists and wishes to convey its thanks and congratulations to each applicant. Come back in 2023 - 24!
JOIN US IN CongratulatiNG Afsaneh Khoramshahi, Audrey Villafaña, and You Mu Amy Ge,THE recipients of the MIRROR MentorshiP 2022 - 23.
we celebrate the Mirror mentors supporting the successful artists THIS YEAR: Aśka, SHER RILL NG and DINALIE DABARERA.
MIRROR ARTISTS
Afsaneh Khoramshahi is an Australian/Iranian author and illustrator who currently lives in Hammond Park, Western Australia. She paints, designs Persian rugs and has authored and illustrated books in Iran. Her art focuses on the intersection of modern daily life in Australia and ancient folktales and fables from Iran.
“In my most recent projects, I have tried to portray the worlds of old Persian love poems and communicate what may be lost in translation. Instead of words, I have used the international language of shape and colour to present poetry that can exist across cultures.”“In my most recent projects, I have tried to portray the worlds of old Persian love poems and communicate what may be lost in translation. Instead of words, I have used the international language of shape and colour to present poetry that can exist across cultures.”
Audrey Villafaña is a Filipino-Australian illustrator based in Sydney. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Design (Animation) from the University of Technology Sydney in 2021. Audrey was born in Manila, The Philippines and moved to Australia when she was 5 years old.
As a Third Culture Kid, she’s always been drawn to stories about diversity and differences, and is always looking to help kids 'find their place in the world' through her work.
Her illustrative style takes a ‘scrapbook’ approach, incorporating hand-generated textures, colours and assets to create a playful, tactile feel. Her favourite media to work with include ink, gouache, and watercolour. In addition to illustrating, Audrey is also a Production Coordinator at Flying Bark Productions, working on animated children’s film and TV.
“Children’s content is so powerful. It has the potential to shape identities and entire childhoods. I’d love for my work to help children of colour feel represented, and know that they too can be main characters.”
You Mu Amy Ge is an emerging Chinese-Australian artist from Noongar country (Perth, Western Australia) currently living and practising on Gadigal land (Sydney, New South Wales). Growing up, she was the short kid in class who loved to draw - and this love of drawing took her all the way across the country to study at UNSW Art & Design, where she graduated with first-class honours in 2019. Her print, illustration and animation work have been exhibited at the National Maritime Museum, Sydney Design Festival, Lane Cove Gallery, UNSW Galleries, Down Under Space, Kudos Gallery and in publications such as Voiceworks Australia.
“I have a special interest in exploring how language can both expand and obscure meanings and relations; referencing my own experiences growing up being able to speak, but not read or write, the language of my parents.”
MIRROR MENTORS
Aśka (pronounced ‘Ash-ka’), is creative dynamite. A graphic novelist, a visual storyteller and an ex-quantum physicist, living and working on Whadjuk Noongar Land (Perth).
A hugely engaging and popular presenter, Aśka is passionate about visual literacy. She has traditionally published more than ten books and graphic novels, as well as dozens of other, self-published zines and comics.
Aśka has been a judge for the Make Your Own Storybook Competition five years running, is an organising committee member for the Perth Comic Arts Festival, contributes regularly to The School Magazine, volunteered as Illustrator Co-ordinator in the WA branch of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for four years, has single handedly run an animation festival, held a solo art exhibition, and has been featured in an ABC TV documentary.
When she’s not creating, Aśka is travelling across Western Australia teaching the language of drawing to anyone who’ll listen.
For more on Aśka’s passions, projects and art, check out: www.askastorytelling.com.
For Mirror 2022 - 23, Aśka mentors artist, Afsaneh Khoramshahi.
Sher Rill Ng is a Woi Wurrung/Melbourne-based digital illustrator. She designed and illustrated for SaaS companies before releasing her first author-illustrated picture book Our Little Inventor (2019). Her illustrated work can be seen in Alice Pung’s Be Careful, Xiao Xin! (2022), and on the covers of middle grade novels, including The Twelve by Cindy Lin and Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao.
Our Little Inventor has been adapted for the stage, composed by Emma Jayakumar and presented by the West Australian Opera, and was premiered in October 2022.
Dinalie is an illustrator and children’s book author who loves telling stories.
Her debut solo picture book Quiet Time with My Seeya is available in the United States through Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), and in Australia and the UK through Allen & Unwin.
Her first book The Cat with the Coloured Tail, written by Gillian Mears, was nominated for the CBCA Award for New Illustrator as well as multiple other industry awards. Her work in animation has included art directing and illustrating the award-winning children’s TV series Alphabet Street for Disney Australia, and storyboarding the animated Gundungarra Dreaming story Gurangatch and Mirrigan which is showing at the Australian Museum.
She is currently a creative resident at the Powerhouse Museum, where she chugs a lot of tea and tries to keep her studio plants alive while working on her next picture book.
Think+DO Tank Foundation runs a program for writers called Weekend Writing Residency, that meets fortnightly in Fairfield and where multilingual writers are welcome. This is a write-in group focused on producing writing in community.
The Foundation uses the creative arts in many ways to amplify the voices of disadvantaged Australians and to incubate and promote artists who work in languages other than English. Visit our website to learn more.