My name is Eleanore & I’m so glad you’ve stopped by.

I’m an illustrator, watercolorist, and maker driven by a hands-on approach to exploring the world. I trained at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. After a four year adventure living abroad, I’ve returned Stateside to focus on illustration & making.

Using mostly watercolor & ink, I build intricate illustrated scenes packed with details & surprises. Analog sparks joy for me—the pigments doing their own thing on the paper, the sounds of swirling water & dragging nibs, the texture of quality papers—that hands-on, hands-dirty process of making.

Growing up with a professional sign painter, I developed a love for hand-lettering at a young age—there’s nothing better than spotting a well-kerned, hand-lettered sign in the wild. When a fellow art student once asked me what I loved drawing most, I froze. “Letters… I love drawing letters.” I still love hand-lettering—when I spy an interesting letter in the wild, I jot it down.

While traveling and living day to day, I draw inspiration from the seemingly mundane: the everyday places, the everyday experiences, and the quick everyday interactions with everyday people. There’s a magic and charm in just about anything, if you just pause to notice it.

When I’m not in my studio, you’ll find me fiddling with miniatures, making quilts, or out cycling. Some other things about me:

• Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

• Favorite Season: snow

• Current inspiration: Peter Spier & Marina Tiurina

• Dream Project: illustrating children’s books

• Snack Necessity: popcorn

• Underrated joy: snail mail

• No. 1 Animal: the black capped chickadee

Someday I aspire to be an old soul with an old body living in a home filled with plants, a creaky rocking chair, a well-worn passport, and a studio door that never shuts.  

Notable Clients —

• Baker Book House Publishing

• Grand Valley State University Libraries

• Conundrum Publishing

Solo Exhibitions —

• “Places Real & Imagined: An Exploration of the Joys of the Mundane” - 2021 - Seoul, South Korea

Exhibitions —

• “Connected: An Exhibit of Shared Laker Experiences” - 2016 - GVSU Mary Idema Pew Library