OUR ARTISTS 2024-26
This year, the MIRROR Mentorship Program received 33 complete applications from 33 illustrators and writers.
The languages represented by the applicants were rich and varied, comprising a total of 20 languages and dialects. There was a small majority of Mandarin-speaking applicants, with Arabic and Tagalog the next most common languages. We received submissions from speakers of Shona, Bisaya, Cambodian, Vietnamese, German, French, Korean, Malayalam, Bahasa Indonesian and more.
JOIN US IN CongratulatiNG LEILA FRIJAT, HUANING WU, and LIMA MAULA,recipients of the MIRROR MentorshiP 2024-25.
we celebrate the Mirror mentors supporting the successful artists THIS YEAR: ZENO SWORDER, SHER RILL NG and FREDA CHIU.
To see our 2022 winners and mentors, visit here.
MIRROR ARTISTS
Lia Maula, who otherwise goes by Lima, is a Muslim Indonesian illustrator born and raised in Sydney. After spending the last decade in Indonesia and completing a degree in architecture there, they have returned to Sydney. Lima uses a mix of traditional and digital media to create illustrations that are sombre, wistful and nostalgic. Their current body of work mostly revolves around themes of solitude and searching. Lima's primary interest is illustrating picture books, however as a multidisciplinary artist they have also dabbled in mural design, background painting for animation, and hand-lettering.
Lima is a Children's Book Academy graduate and scholarship recipient and has experience working with self-published authors, editors, art directors, and agents. Lima was a finalist for the 2022-2023 Mirror Mentorship as well as the a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program.
“Growing up, I've had to move around between countries and cities, and I'd like to cater to an audience with the same experience in hiraeth. Adjusting to new environments as a kid can be difficult and I hope the things I work on can aid them in that experience.”
Huaning Wu is a Chinese illustrator and writer. Her first picture book Cat was a finalist for the 7th BIBF Ananas International Illustration Award (2022), the 9th Hiii Illustration International Competition (2022), and received a Merit award in the iJungle Illustration Awards (2022). Her second book, Chinese Classic Stories: Peking Opera Edition is forthcoming. Having recently moved to Australia, she is looking to create bilingual works and publish her first book here. Having recently moved to Australia, she is looking to create bilingual works and publish her first book in this market.
“I transitioned to illustration three years ago from a different field. Influenced by my mother, an art teacher, I grew up with a love for art and solidified my focus on illustration during university. Since then, I have been dedicated to exploring diverse styles and expressive techniques to bring stories to life for young readers.”
Leila Frijat (b. 1997, Meanjin) is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator who resides and practices in Gadi Country. She was recently awarded second place in fortyfivedownstairs’ galleries ‘Emerging Artist Award’ for work developed during her residency at the Gorman and Ainslie Arts Centres, ACT.
She has been commissioned by Blacktown City Council, WOTSO Coworking spaces, and Westpoint Shopping Centre to create several public art works involving community consultation. Exhibitions of Leila’s work have been held at FortyFiveDownstairs Gallery, Gaffa Gallery, Comber Street Gallery, and Pari. Her work has been reviewed in publications including Artshub and Framework.
“I deeply aspire to create a bilingual children’s book that reflects the multifaceted identities of Arab kids. I want to create an exploratory space for children who can often feel pressured to simplify or reduce their existence into a singular description of their identity.”
MIRROR MENTORS
Zeno Sworder is a writer and artist who lives in Melbourne, Australia. He is a husband, and father of two very creative daughters.
He has worked as a window washer,journalist, English language teacher, consular officer, tribunal advocate for refugees and immigrants and a jewellery designer. But he is most at home sitting at his desk drawing pictures and making up stories.
Zeno is a lover of all stationery but he has a particular soft spot for pencils.
He is the award-winning author and illustrator of the books The Small Blue Dot and My Strange Shrinking Parents.
For Mirror 2024-26, Zeno mentors artist Huaning Wu.
Sher Rill Ng is a Naarm/Melbourne based illustrator. She designed and illustrated for SaaS companies before releasing her first author-illustrated picture book Our Little Inventor in 2019.
In 2022, Our Little Inventor was adapted into a children’s opera, composed by Emma Jayakumar and presented by the West Australian Opera. Her work includes middle grade book covers for The Twelve by Cindy Lin, The Rogues by Lian Tanner and Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao.
Most recently Sher Rill has illustrated Be Careful, Xiao Xin! written by Alice Pung, for which she was awarded the 2024 IBBY Australia Ena Noël Award for Illustration, and Millie Mak the Maker.
For Mirror 2024-2026, Sher Rill mentors artist Lia Maula.
Freda Chiu is a Chinese Australian illustrator, author and educator. Her work has been published locally and internationally by clients including Hardie Grant, Allen and Unwin, Walker Books, Hachette Kids and Penguin Random House.
As well as making joyful art for children's books, her work spans editorial, branding illustration and art for public spaces. Outside her art practice, Freda lectures in Illustration and Visual Communication at the University of Technology Sydney.
Her debut picture book, A Trip to the Hospital, was short-listed for the 2021 IBBY Australia Ena Noël Award and for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA)’s New Illustrator Award.
For Mirror 2024-2026, Freda mentors artist Leila Frijat
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.