Announcing our 2022/23 Design Team!
Apr 14, 2022
We are just THRILLED to announce The Pigeon Letters brand new Design Team for 2022/23! We received 4x as many submissions as last year 🤯 and hand selecting just a few artists wasn't easy, but we're super excited about the team we've curated, and we know you will be, too.
At The Pigeon Letters, one of our core values is promoting diversity: whether it be in culture, heritage, technique, art medium of choice, or otherwise. We want to facilitate learning and creativity for all types and levels of artists, and our Design Team must be the embodiment of that.
As a part of our bottom line at The Pigeon Letters, we strive to make creative resources accessible and inclusive to anyone and everyone with a passion to create.
For that reason, I'm pleased to share that we're representing TEN different countries through our talented line up of incredible artists. Ready to meet them?!
In no particular order, please join us in welcoming this incredible group of artists.
Julie Malizia
Julie has been with us during our 2021/22 Design Year and is continuing with us into 2022/23, and we are just thrilled! See Julie’s tutorials here!
Julie is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist living in California with her husband and three daughters. She is inspired by the beauty of the mundane and the chaos of motherhood. One of the greatest joys in life is sharing her art to help ignite the creative spark in others.
Fun Facts about Julie
- Location: California USA
- Sign: Capricorn sun, Virgo rising, Pisces moon
- Fav Color: Indigo
- Animal that most represents her: Crow
- Media of choice: Watercolor & collage
- IG: @harp_and_crow
Shannon Layne
Shannon has also been with us during out 2021/22 Design Year and is continuing with us into 2022/23! See Shannon's tutorials here!
Shannon is an artist from a small island in the Caribbean called Barbados! She creates fun and unique content, whether it's with markers, watercolors, acrylics or on the iPad to inspire other creatives.
Fun Facts about Shannon
- Location: Barbados
- Sign: Virgo
- Fav Color: Turquoise
- Animal that most represents her: Turtle
- Media of choice: Watercolor, brush pens, Procreate
- IG: @byshannonlayne
Vanessa Lesniak
Vanessa is our final 2021/22 alumni returning to our new 2022/23 design year! View Vanessa's tutorials here!
Vanessa spent 16 years as a social worker and originally began experimenting with watercolor as a form of self care. It soon became a profound passion. With the encouragement and support of her wife and 3 daughters, she became a full time artist and small business owner, with a line of Artisanal Handmade Watercolors. She now shares her passion through workshops and online tutorials
Fun Facts about Vanessa
- Location: New York, USA
- Sign: Aquarius
- Fav Color: Red
- Animal that most represents her: Cat
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @vanessa_paints_
Katherine Urban
Katherine is no stranger, as she's held a guest spot on The Pigeon Letters blog for some time, teaching us how she paints her adorable landscape and seascape polaroids! We're thrilled to officially welcome her on board the Design Team. See Katherine's tutorials here!
Katherine is a watercolor artist based in north Texas. As a Florida native, the ocean is a central theme throughout her work. She has loved both art and the ocean for as long as she can remember. Growing up, her favorite place was at the beach or in the water.
In college, she briefly thought I would go into oceanography, but she just could not let art go. She majored in art education at Florida State University and discovered a love for life drawing. Once she graduateds she left the beach behind and moved to Texas, where she has been teaching art ever since.
Although she's been creating art in one form or another for most of her life, it has only been in the last five years that she has had the time to create art for herself. Watercolor is her escape, her calm moments in her busy life.
In addition to ocean themes, she loves to paint landscapes of the nearby farmland. As an artist, she tries to capture the undisturbed beauty of nature, a place where the chaotic world can be forgotten, even if only for a moment.
Fun Facts about Katherine
- Location: Texas, USA
- Fav Color: Yellow
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @katherine.urban.art
Alicia Bruce
Ready to bring in a ton of playful, cheery color to the Design Team?
Alicia is a 30-something photographer and artist with a love of color and a refusal to act her age. She favors a mix of pastel and bright colors, reminiscent of southern California and the 1960s, and is inspired by her travels around the world, wildflowers that might have been found in a hippie's flower crown, and lettering that has a little bit of flair to keep it whimsical.
Fun Facts about Alicia
- Location: Virginia, USA
- Sign: Virgo
- Fav Color: Hot Pink
- Animal that most represents her: Dog
- Media of choice: Gouache & digital
- IG: @thealiciabruce
Vinitha Mammen
Speaking of color, Vinitha gets bold and daring in her color palettes!
Vinitha is a mechanical engineer turned fashion designer who's now a full-time freelance lettering artist, illustrator and Skillshare Top Teacher. She is most passionate about creating work around feminism, women empowerment, body-positivity and self love. She loves playing with bold colors and minimal styles and her best work comes from creating for the sake of creating.
Fun Facts about Vinitha
- Location: Originally from India, currently resides in Oman
- Sign: Aquarius
- Fav Color: Black
- Animal that most represents her: Cockatoo
- Media of choice: Procreate
- IG: @artthrobbymammen
Adeline-Julie Bee
If this is your first time coming across Adeline-Julie, you're in for a real treat.
Adeline-Julie is an artist and teacher specializing in watercolor. Former textile designer, lover of pigments and natural colors, she finds her inspiration while foraging through the bountiful valleys of the Belgian Ardennes collecting ingredients used to create her own inks & watercolors.
Fun Facts about Adeline-Julie
- Location: Belgium
- Sign: Pisces sun, Leo rising
- Fav Color: Avocado Pit Ink
- Animal that most represents her: Bee
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @adelinejuliebee
Shreya Gada
You probably know Shreya for her stunning landscapes that are simply eye candy...
Shreya is a full time artist, Art Educator, Youtuber and Skillshare teacher from India who works with various mediums. Her go-to medium is the free flowing, unsecured nature of watercolors. Nature is her biggest inspiration and the sole reason she loves painting landscapes, seascapes, florals, the night sky and Northern Lights, and so much more. She finds peace in painting and her ultimate goal is to make everyone feel the same through her work and through her teachings.
Fun Facts about Shreya
- Location: Mumbai, India
- Sign: Gemini
- Fav Color: Blue
- Animal that most represents her: Dolphin
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @artistshreyagada
Lisa M. Griffin
Lisa believes in "play time", so that a person can create without pressure and do something just for themselves.
From simple sketches to fully rendered illustrations, Lisa spends her days making art from a cozy studio in beautiful New Hampshire. Her illustrations have been featured on stationery, decor, and over 20 children’s picture books.
Lisa infuses joy and artistry into her creations, in the hopes of adding more happiness to the world one illustration at a time.
When she is not busy in the studio, Lisa enjoys yoga, reading, being outside in the sunshine, and spending time with family and friends.
Fun Facts about Lisa
- Location: New Hampshire
- Sign: Leo
- Fav Color: Mauve
- Animal that most represents her: Moose or Hummingbird
- Media of choice: "Tradigital" (We LOVE this term, Lisa!)
- IG: @lisamgriffinart
Natasha Miller
Speaking of play, Natasha is going to be bringing us a plethora of just that!
Natasha is a mom to 2 spirited boys, currently living in Alberta, Canada. She is passionate about creative journaling as a way to manage her mental well-being and practice self care. In doing so, she has found her true love in hand lettering and illustration, and hopes to show others the power of putting pen to paper.
Fun Facts about Natasha
- Location: Originally from South Africa, currently residing in Calgary, Canada
- Sign: Capricorn
- Fav Color: Green
- Animal that most represents her: Tiger
- Media of choice: "Tradigital" (Natasha loved this term, too because it definitely resonated with her style! Can you relate?)
- IG: @natashamillerletters
Amandine Thomas
I had the pleasure of meeting Amandine as she joined our Top Teacher group at Skillshare, and let me tell ya, she introduces wonderful exercises to combat creative block!
At age four, Amandine announced to a bewildered family that she would become a children’s book illustrator, and grew up writing and illustrating short stories. Fast forward to present-day, not much has changed: Now an award-winning author and illustrator, her playful illustrations and empowering stories make big themes accessible to little humans all around the world.
Fun Facts about Amandine
- Location: Frenchie living in Melbourne, Australia
- Sign: Scorpio
- Fav Color: Teal
- Animal that most represents her: Donkey
- Media of choice: Watercolour
- IG: @amandinethomas
Alán Ramiro Manning
The way that Alán embraces capturing energy on paper is something I wish for everyone to experience at some point in their life. We are honored to welcome him to the team.
With 10 years experience working in architecture design and a lifetime obsession of sketching, Alán Ramiro combines the two holistically to travel the world as an urban sketch artist.
SeeTheLines is your urban sketching guide to awaken intuitive sketching skills without needing technical know-how.
Fun Facts about Alán
- Location: Global traveler, currently in Mexico
- Sign: Cancer sun, Libra rising
- Fav Color: Ultramarine blue
- Animal that most represents her: He would have self identified as a leopard, but after taking a test, found out he’s a woodpecker!
- Media of choice: Ink & Watercolor
- IG: @seethelines
Stacey Dodd
I love that Stacey refer's to her country as "The Land of Kiwis" so much.
Stacey is from New Zealand, based in the upper North Island. Before having her son, she was a primary school teacher. When her son was born with complex needs, Stacey dived into art as a form of art therapy. She enjoys working with acrylic and watercolor paint. Stacey discovered her passion for making watercolor paint 4 years ago and has been obsessed ever since. She enjoys teaching others how to make watercolor paints through her online and in person workshops, as well as her blog. Stacey loves color, loves the art community and of course kitty cats!
Fun Facts about Stacey
- Location: New Zealand
- Sign: Sagittarius
- Fav Color: Teal
- Animal that most represents her: Shark
- Media of choice: Watercolour
- IG: @stakiwicolours
Nikki Hess
Nikki has such an approachable, fun spirit and we're so happy to invite more of that into our little corner of the internet.
Nikki has a passion for all things creative but watercolor painting has really stolen her heart. She loves teaching others how to paint and believes that it can be a beautiful act of self care. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband and mischievous Corgi. When not painting, she loves to get out in nature where she gets her best inspiration.
Fun Facts about Nikki
- Location: California, USA
- Sign: Virgo
- Fav Color: Coral
- Animal that most represents her: Dolphin
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @lavenderandsea
Cris Rogerson
You'll recognize Cris from her swoonworthy botanical watercolors on social media and Skillshare, and she's bringing her talents our way and we couldn't be more excited!
Cris is a self-taught artist living in Richmond, Virginia. She works in watercolor (her first love), gouache and digital design. She gravitates to botanicals, but loves painting along with the seasons and trying new subject matter like food, buildings and birds!
Fun Facts about Cris
- Location: Originally from Upstate New York, currently residing in Virginia, USA
- Sign: Pisces
- Fav Color: Blue
- Animal that most represents her: Blue heron
- Media of choice: Watercolor
- IG: @sweetseasonsart
Brenda Bakker
We welcome Brenda's incredible Procreate skills and her adorably quirky personality to the team!
Artist, illustrator, letterer and teacher, Brenda Bakker is a Procreate addict who loves to experiment and explore all kinds of creativity, inside and outside the iPad as well. She loves bright colors, rough textures and smooth color blends.
Fun Facts about Brenda
- Location: The Netherlands
- Sign: Virgo
- Fav Color: Black
- Animal that most represents her: Bernese Mountain dog
- Media of choice: Procreate
- IG: @dekwebbel
Now we get to watch the blog for our weekly drops of SO 👏 MUCH 👏 KNOWLEDGE and goodness!!
And don't forget to visit the great content that our 2021/22 team has provided. I can't wait to see where they go next!
