Jacqui Grantford
lllustrator (Melbourne, VIC)

Jacqui is a Melbourne based artist and lives in Parkdale. She completed a Bachelor of Music Education in 1991 and began working as a music teacher, but when her first-born used to cry every time she played the violin, she made the decision to move into the visual arts. She spent two years sleeping in the lounge room so she could use the bedroom as a working space, but now has a gorgeous, very messy studio at the back of the house that she treasures dearly.

Since this decision Jacqui has had eleven books published including ‘Various Faerious’ (Allbooks Editor's Choice Award for 2003), ‘Shoes News’ ( NSW Premiers Reading Challenge), ‘Pemberthy Bear’ ( NSW Premiers Reading Challenge), ‘A True Person’ (Victorian and NSW Premiers Reading Challenge) and ‘Wishes For One More Day’ (included in Children's Literature's Recommended Books) and ‘Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs’.

Apart from illustration Jacqui works as a freelance artist and portrait painter. Her work has been exhibited in a number of exhibitions and in 2003 she won the Victorian Salon Des Refuses Peoples’ Choice Award for her Archibald Prize entry.

In 2006 Jacqui was crowned the Grand Dragon at the Dromkeen Museum of Children’s Literature. Each year Dromkeen picks an illustrator or author for this role who then works with a group of children called the Dragoners throughout the year. She was officially crowned with a Dragon Crown, sceptre and a real tail!  She has developed a lovely association with Dromkeen, often doing workshops there, and recently had the honour of  having one of her illustrations from Shoes News acquired for their permanent collection.

You can visit Jacqui at her website www.jacquigrantford.com

Jacqui is available for commission work.

Contact Jacqui Grantford
Visit Jacqui Grantford's website