We’re completely smitten by Allison Black’s children illustrations. Sweet, bright, and cheerful, her artwork is featured in children’s’ books, as well as her stationery company Hip-Hip. She’s also developed many products over the years, from baby bedding and toddler clothes to Christmas ornaments and Easter baskets.
Originally from Upstate New York, Black has received her BFA at Syracuse University and has since lived in LA, Minneapolis, and now Columbus, Ohio. “Art always came naturally to me,” she admitted in an interview with the Papier blog. “I have two siblings that are several years older, so I typically couldn’t keep up with them but when it came to drawing I could actually hold my own! My mom picked up on my interest and she enrolled me in some classes that I really enjoyed.”
“Eventually she found a local artist who taught group classes for kids in her home studio,” she recalled. “I went to her class every week from fourth grade until I graduated high school. Her name is Pam Ford and she basically taught me how to draw! It wasn’t until I applied to colleges that I realised the specific field that I should go into was illustration. I just knew I liked to draw things that had a story or a purpose.”
Indeed, her quirky characters (cute and colorful) have a story and a purpose. Take a look for yourself.
