With some people you have the sense you knew them already, though you have never seen them before. Anita wrote to me sometime in 2020. She had found me on Instagram, liked my portfolio, and had an idea for a mindfulness “Workbook” project for children.
Anita had written numerous deeply personal poems, gathering them in a small booklet. When everything had matured enough she decided to shape them into a format that would not be only emotive. The poems are very emotional and invite discussion and reflection. Her idea: using the verses to talk with children about their feelings, helping them make sense of situations and sensations. The book therefore places reflective questions and tasks alongside each poem – space for the child to think, even jot notes.
Illustrating poetry is very close to me. I believe the images I make carry their own quiet lyricism. Anita’s project fit me perfectly and also satisfied my pedagogical side: distilling the essence of textual tasks without over‑complicating, yet keeping the layers in the imagery. Together I feel we created something beautiful that can inspire, comfort, delight – and truly help.
