Rhiannon Mowat - art illustration
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I have been scribbling my thoughts on paper my whole life, for much of it I had no thoughts of career paths or things I could do in my grown-up life. I didn’t fit into the categories of graphic design or fine art, I felt like my creations sat somewhere in the middle. As it turns out they did, they were illustrations.

The long winding path of my life took me through a degree and a couple of diplomas, one of them in illustration, and then to the constantly unpredictable realm of freelancing.

There is an assumption, sometimes, that there is no personal connection for an illustrator and the work they do, because it is a job, a commission with clear instructions. As the years have passed I have found that my illustrations only work if there is something of me in them. I find the world to be a fascinating and fragile place, and the more I learn the more connections I find between everything.

Nature inspires me, plants, animals, seasons and elements. There is a system in play that ebbs and flows effortlessly, it is a million stories playing out together.

Words inspire me, stories and poetry, songs and philosophy. They are our beautiful way to tell our millions of stories and play them out for each other.

I make pictures that go with stories, and pictures that tell stories. I try to project the curiosity and fascination I have with nature, and use it’s elements to tell stories that anyone can connect to.

I make pictures because I have to, it’s how I relate to the world. It’s a strange and sometimes scary place out there, while we all try to figure out where we fit in.

I make pictures and hope that they help.


Rhiannon is an illustrator from Melbourne. She loves drawing animals, flowers and whimsical things. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Editing and a Diploma of Illustration.

Some of her previous commissions include: detailed drawings for Koko Black and Yarra Valley Water; pictures for vendor stories in The Big Issue; and a picture book with Scholastic Australia called ‘Baby Elephant Walk’.