Hello! I’m a children’s book illustrator and author from California, and I recently completed my masters in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art.

After many years as a singer-songwriter, I aim to add poetry and whimsy to the everyday. I’m drawn to old movies, limited color palettes, and vintage children’s books. I explore themes of loss, found community, friendship, and music in my storytelling. During the MA, I spent a lot of time in the print room, where I discovered offset monoprinting, lithography, and the risograph machine. I like to work traditionally, and all of my projects start in my very messy sketchbooks.

Contact

For publishing and illustration inquiries, please contact Erica McGrath:
emcgrath@writershouse.com

For other inquiries:
chloefrenchnelson@gmail.com

Awards & Exhibitions

• MA Children’s Book Illustration Printmaking Award, winner, 2026

• V&A Illustration Awards, shortlisted, 2026

• dPictus Unpublished Picturebook Showcase, longlisted, 2026

• Selected for the Searle Award, CSA Graduate Showcase Exhibition, 2026