Keeping wonder in the world

Heidi's greatest passion in life is writing and illustrating children's stories. She also creates illustrations and designs for clients like Borders, Shaman Drum Bookshop, the Ann Arbor Public Library, and the Ann Arbor Book Festival.

Her background includes 12 years in advertising as an art director and copywriter creating campaigns for Fortune 500 clients. Advertising honed her skills in storytelling, developed an appreciation for brevity and wit, and challenged her to perform under tight deadlines.

After earning a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from College for Creative Studies (www.ccscad.edu), Heidi refined her collage technique with artist, illustrator and teacher John Dinser (www.rockyworld.com). Heidi now works with award-winning children's book illustrator Susan Kathleen Hartung (www.susanhartung.com) in a year-long mentorship program.

An enthusiastic advocate of literacy, Heidi donates her creative talents to the Ann Arbor Book Festival (www.aabookfestival.org). When she's not drawing pictures or writing stories, Heidi enjoys cracking jokes with her husband Ray, playing with her "spug" (pug/spaniel) Taz and collecting fortune cookie sayings, hoping that her lucky number comes up sometime soon.