I'm a cartoonist, a book illustrator, an author and now a painter too. I live in Sydney Australia.

I have been cartooning since 1986 and have twice been awarded Best Single Gag Cartoon Artist by the Australian Cartoonists' Association.

One book I illustrated was voted CBC (Children's Book Council of Australia) Book of The Year, Junior Readers, and one was a runner-up, another was nominated and one has been turned into a movie.

I have been a clown from time to time, I like to sing and I like to do paintings, play a bit of piano and ukulele. I have learning a bit of acting, and I'm working on speaking French.

After studying zoology, I came to Australia and studied to be a veterinarian. I was a vet for a time and then took a break for moving and having babies. I also got a crazy dog and took him to dog training classes. The Club who held the classes had a newsletter called Yaps and Yelps. I though it would be fun to do some cartoons for it and there was such a good response to them that I thought I'd look into being a cartoonist until I went back to vetting.

I loved animals while I was growing up and was very interested in them. Our house was full of them, including a squirrel monkey called Joey. I'd seen her in a pet shop where she looked so sad that I visited her again and again. I told my parents about her and they said, "NO MORE PETS".
But, one day we came home from school and there she was in a cage on the kitchen table. My parents had visited her and felt so sorry for her they'd brought her home. We let her out of the cage and she bossed us all around from then on.

I started out by cartooning for a computer magazine, then before long was working as a freelance cartoonist forThe Sydney Morning Herald. I have worked for lots of other publications since then.

I took some drawings to a book publisher and asked if she thought I could illustrate some books for her, and she said, "Yes!"

The first book was Just Like Emily by Sally Odgers.

Now I have illustrated a lot of books, something I really enjoy doing.

One book, Nim's Island by Wendy Orr has been turned into a movie! And I got to be in it for 1 1/2 seconds!!!

Wow!!!! I got to be hugged by Jodie Foster and kissed by a sea lion. Amazing where life can take you!!!

I am interested in connecting with people through clowning and in 2007 I went to Russia with clown doctor Patch Adams and a group of 36 other clowns. We came from 13 countries around the world to play with kids and parents and staff in hospitals and orphanages and with people on the streets. It was a wonderful adventure.

When the publisher asked me one day if I'd like to write my own book I said, "Yes!"

Gordon's Biscuit started out as some scribbles on a big piece of drawing paper. Now it has been published in Korea as well as having a new version in Australia.

My second book is Quincy and Oscar

In 2008 I travelled for three months going all the way around the world. You can find the trip in my Blog: August, September and October. Check out September 4th...the day I picked up a car and had to drive across the country with a nutty GPS.

At the moment I am busy making and exhibiting paintings - exploring and experimenting with acrylics on canvas . It has made me feel content - I have been a painter on the inside since I was 8 years old and did my first oil painting. Now I am a painter on the outside too.

My first exhibition opened on Sept 3rd 2009 and ran for a month. it has been very exciting to have my friends and neighbours and family see all of the very different work I've been doing.

At the moment there are 10 of my paintings hanging at the Gordon branch of Westpac, 737 Pacific Highway Gordon, NSW, Australia. It will be interesting to see what customers think! Some are also hanging in a local cafe, and a local hairdressing salon, and at Gallery 41 in Woolloomooloo (Sydney), and my second exhibition is hanging at Gordon Library. Time to make some new ones...I love painting because I never know what will turn up next!

Come and visit me next door at Kerry Thompson's Gallery

( Did you roll your mouse over these pictures ? )