From dancing to teaching, from libraries to museums, Tamisha Anthony’s journey to becoming a children’s book illustrator has been anything but ordinary. With a deep love for storytelling, movement, and vibrant colours, she brings warmth and life to her art. In this interview, Tamisha shares her path to illustration, the inspirations behind her work, and the joy of seeing her characters come to life on the page.

Tell us a little about your journey to becoming an illustrator.

Well, since college, I have always wanted to be a professional artist of some sort. I just didn’t quite understand how to get there or what was possible. It seemed like a wild notion to attempt to “live” as an artist, to truly rely on my art as income. Initially, in college, I thought about creating gallery art, but the work I was creating wasn’t really going in that direction. I loved characters. I was interested in creating a story just as much as I was interested in the craft. And I was always obsessed (and still am obsessed) with cartoons and animation.

So, I decided to try going to graduate school for animation. In my mind, I was like, Yes, Pixar is my future. Let’s do 3D animation. I enjoyed exploring Computer Art at the School of Visual Arts in New York, but again, what I ended up creating and what I found myself interested in didn’t fit what I was striving for. My thesis wasn’t 3D animation like I assumed it would be, but 2D with motion. My main focus for my thesis was writing a poetic narrative and character building.

In hindsight, it seems obvious I would walk in the direction of illustration, but it was confusing trying to “find myself.” Towards the end of my master’s degree, my graduate advisor encouraged me to look into creating picture books. It was at that moment I felt like I was seen, and that I knew where I wanted to go. It just took me another 10 years to get there!

Yes, 10 years. During that time, I worked at a library, a museum, as a dancer (vernacular jazz/chorus girl), and as an educator. All of these were significant parts of my interests and passions, just not exactly my “dream.” I eventually made the decision to have one part-time job and focus on illustration. That focus looked like rebuilding my portfolio, taking classes, receiving reviews of my work, and absorbing as much children’s book industry information as possible.

When I really focused, that’s when things changed for me, and my agent, Anne found my work on social media. I continue to do all these things: update my portfolio, take classes, get reviews on my work, and stay updated on the children’s book industry. I have found my dream job, and this dream job is really hard sometimes, but I love it. At least once a week, I have a moment where I say, “Oh my God, I make picture books….” I can’t even imagine what little five-year-old Tamisha would think of me!

What role has your work as an educator played in shaping your art? Do you have a favourite teaching moment that has inspired a piece of work?

Being an educator really gives me the spark to create. I am often inspired by my students, whether they are children or adults. I’m not only inspired by their creations but also by the conversations we have during class and their perspectives on what we are creating.

I am inspired by their energy and positive attitude. I get inspired by each student being courageous enough to try something new, different, and outside their comfort zone. It reminds me to be strong when I am alone in my studio creating. Because it is difficult sometimes to stay encouraged when you are working alone. But I remember that child who struggled to make a face and said, “Miss Tamisha, I can’t….” But then, by the end of class, they have something on their paper that they are proud of. They are proud of themselves for pushing past that moment of “I can’t.” Their faces are aglow. I carry those moments in my heart.

Your illustrations are so full of life, love, colour, and soul. Can you talk me through your creative process and what helps you achieve this?

Oh, thank you! Well, I LOVE colour. If you look at my workspace, my home in general, or even my wardrobe, I live in a very bright world. I try to incorporate the colours, patterns, and energy that I love having around me into my work. It makes me happy, and I hope it brings other people joy too.

I think one reason my work has so much life is my dance background. I have been dancing since childhood and continued through my early and mid-adulthood. When I dance, I feel most alive. I enjoy playing around with movement in my illustrations. It makes me chuckle to make my characters move in certain ways, to really bring them to life. I even find myself moving around my studio like them to make their poses feel authentic on the page. At other times, I have my husband, who was also a professional dancer, create the movements for me as a reference for my characters. This is always fun and silly to do.

Tamisha teaching dance, dancing with her husband, and dancing as a chorus girl

Your most recently published project On Our Way! What a Day! is a heartwarming story about siblings. How did you approach illustrating this story? Were there particular moments in the text that inspired your illustrations?

I really loved illustrating this book! I usually approach illustrating any picture book with character design. I get so excited about creating a character, really bringing them to life, so that for the duration of the book, the characters and I are friends. We really get to know each other.

For this particular book, I made each character into a family member. The one that really made me chuckle was turning my big brother, Philip Anthony, a grown man with two kids of his own, into a four-year-old mischievous, rambunctious child. Ha! It is the complete opposite of his personality when he was a child. I was always the loud one who would get into trouble from time to time.

If you look at the beginning of the book, you will see I actually got to name him Phil. My editor, Nancy Paulsen, was so supportive of my character building, and that encouragement allowed me to be playful and distinctive with the characters throughout the book.

I found the text incredibly inspiring. I love dance and music, so this text felt like it was created for me. The text, written by the lovely JaNay Brown-Wood, includes onomatopoeic words that create a fun rhythm and playfulness in the book. This really influenced how I drew the characters in movement and dance. It gave me direction to build upon the characters’ personalities and how they would interact as a family.

There’s No Place Like Hope, On Our Way! What a Day!, Seoul Food, Most Perfect You, Sparrow Loves Birds, Brown Baby Parade: In the Neighborhood

You’ve worked on several exciting books. Do you have a favourite project, or one that challenged you in unexpected ways?

Love this question, because honestly, each book I have worked on challenges me in a new way. I am constantly learning different things about myself as a human and as an artist through illustrating picture books.

Each book is like a course where I begin with a certain understanding of the subject and my art, and by the end, I feel completely evolved. I mean, it could be very minor to the naked eye, but internally, it feels revolutionary. I like reflecting on this progress, whether it is visible or not, at the end of each project. I like to acknowledge that, in some way, through this process, I have taken some steps forward and to feel proud of myself.

Tamisha’s childhood drawings

If you could illustrate any story, real or imagined, what would it be?

Ah! I have so many stories I want to write! My debut author-illustrator book is about my mother as a little girl in the 1960s growing up with six brothers. Once I started illustrating On Our Way! What A Day!, which has six children in it, I knew I had to create a book about my mum and her brothers. Illustrating my uncles will be so much fun.

I have created the character designs for this book, and so far, none of my uncles like the clothes I put them in! I think it may be all the colours and patterns.

I have other stories I want to share too, including one about the kid version of me, full of movement, whimsy, and imagination. Little Tamisha wanted to create stories, and she really tried to make her own books, so I want to create this story as a little kiss to her and her dreamy soul.

What advice would you give to aspiring illustrators, especially those who are also educators or balancing multiple creative passions?

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Tamisha’s agent, Anne Moore Armstrong, says:

“Tamisha is a force of nature ~ she is a beautiful soul, full of passion and creative energy. She is generous with her time, supporting other artists and learning to grow as a creative in various realms of expression. Her zest for life is infectious, and we both swoon over vintage designs, gardening and poignant stories. I feel honored to represent her and am thrilled the children’s book publishing world has embraced her vibrant style and unique voice.”

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To work with Tamisha, get in contact with her agent Anne Moore Armstrong here.