Yokki and the Parno Gry

Richard O’Neill is an award winning, Writer and Storyteller, based in Manchester UK. Brought up in a large traditional nomadic Romany family where he learned his storytelling skills. He has loved books since reading his first one when he was four years old. When he’s not writing and telling stories he’s making traditional wooden toys. He is the recipient of the ‘National Literacy Hero’ award in the UK and a Aesop award in the USA.

Based in the Netherlands, Marieke lived in Mexico and Costa Rica when she was young, and her influences come from cultures all around the world. She’s inspired by nature and creatives such as Edward Gorey, Lisbeth Zwerger, Shaun Tan, Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. Marieke has a degree in Visual Communication, specialising in Illustration, from Art School, ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Natural media is key to Marieke’s individual style. By building up forms with layer upon layer of gouache she gives her images a sense of volume and physicality. Sometimes, she mixes in coloured pencils and ink for a looser style, or works spontaneously with a glass dipping pen for black and white linework. Marieke’s art has all the charm and intricacy of traditional 19th century illustration, infused with drama, humour and narrative thanks to her unconventional compositions, use of light and shadow and small, whimsical details.