About

As a self-employed Canadian illustrator, mostly of children’s picture books, I greatly enjoy the marriage of text to image and researching the detail needed to construct a believable world on the page. In the long-ago days as a student at Sheridan College, I could never have foreseen the direction – or the distances – that illustration would send me.

Happy coincidence has led me to the wonderful field of archaeological illustration. Since 2008 I have been the artifact illustrator for a dig in south Turkey and this year (2018) I’ve joined the dig at Tell Keisan in Israel for the first time. In consultation with archaeologists, my role is to accurately document the ‘small finds’ from the dig and then create accurate, careful drawings of each object for study. Although these drawings are far more technical than my children’s book work, the background of research and observation has served as preparation.

Whether sketching out of doors or absorbed at my desk drawing an ancient artifact, I enjoy examining and recording the intricate world around me. Time spent drawing is an occasion to truly see and often an exercise in personal discovery and connection. Through my art and writing I hope to invite others to make similar discoveries and to share the delight of exploring our shared environment.

To see more of my work, please visit my website at: www.karenreczuch.com