Grant approved by Australia Council for the Arts

Celebrated author Libby Hathorn and I have gained Australia Council for the Arts, Literacy Grant to create a heartwarming picturebook on Japanese haiku establisher Basho and children. Thank you for a long strong support, all friends(=you!). Please share our joy. Libby, my mentors and AC celebrated it. I cried in joy. 

I want to make my dream come true. My dream is to create an Australian Classic picturebook in my life. I hope our picturebook will socio-culturally bridge between Japan and Australia. May any children will access it. The grant will give me an emerging illustrator, the big positive real step and a new horizon in a career. It will give me credit and job opportunities onward. This is my second grant experience, Friends, you know.

In 2015, when I got the NSW accessible Arts grant, I became speechless. I anyhow rang up mentors, Helen Chamberlin and Books Illustrated and shed joyous tears. And, the same feeling has happened on me this year. This time, I have a working partner, Libby!! Wonderful. On my facebook, particularly, people in publishing industry celebrate our grant news. I'll do my best for this project. 

I'll be a lifelong starter forever. Australia Council for the Arts already recommends me to try another grant application and mentorship programs they offer. I want to respond to their support and encouragement. AC has been cheering me up for ages since my debut. Really a lovely team. I want to grow as an artist and a person. 

I deeply appreciate my supporters :  Helen Chamberlin, Books Illustrated, Margaret Hamilton AM, Susanne Gervay, Dr Robin Morrow AM, Gail Erskine, uni lecturers, peak bodies/CBCA, SCBWI, ASA, NAVA, Accessible Arts NSW, WestWords, etc. We’ll do our best to produce a quality book! 

Thank you very much for your support, Friends!! 
Happy Painting and Happy Illustrating!