Colleen is a picture book maker based in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.  

She graduated from the Cambridge School of Art masters course in children’s book illustration. Her published titles include the double award-winning Our Green City and A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast, which was shortlisted for the 2024 World Illustration Awards. In May 2026 This That What won the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Honour Award for Illustration. Her upcoming authored picture book, Follow Me, Moon, publishes with Nosy Crow in October 2026.

Colleen has had experience in the children’s animation industry, bookselling and running her own soft toy and illustrated print business. She now happily finds herself drawing and making children’s books every day. 

Colleen especially loves illustrating children, movement and emotions, animals and nature.  She works mostly in traditional and mixed media and gets a lot of joy from drawing outdoors in her sketchbook, drawing her family and exploring new ways to have fun with her illustration.

To see a fuller range of Colleen’s work please have a browse of her portfolio over at the Bright Agency.

PRESS PICKS:

WORLD ILLUSTRATION AWARDS - 2024 shortlisted artist interview

BBC WONDER GALLERY - Artist in Residence for November’s Wonder Gallery theme

YOUTH LIBRARIES GROUP - Illustration interview

CHILDREN’S BOOKS IRELAND - Books Makes Things Better campaign interview

Find me on INSTAGRAM …