Featured Artist Jody Wheeler

Illustrator Jody Wheeler shares a delightful portfolio of watercolors that includes some well-known characters. Learn more by visiting her website.

 

 

Long before I knew what an illustrator was, I was already under the spell of stories. My great aunt Opal Wheeler was a children’s book author. Every Christmas, like clockwork, a box of books from her publisher, Dutton Books, would appear under the tree. Imagine it: a stack of picture books, each one brimming with color, wonder, and characters I couldn’t wait to meet. Those books weren’t just gifts—they were passports. I was hooked.

 

 

Years later, after graduating from Elmira College, I worked at places like the Dial Press and Simon & Schuster. I decided to leap headfirst into the world I’d always dreamed of—children’s book illustration. I opened my own freelance studio. The very portable medium of watercolor became my sidekick. There’s something magical about the way it moves. It’s never fully controlled, always a bit wild. That felt just right for the kinds of stories I wanted to help tell.

 

 

While much of my career has been focused on children’s book illustration, I have a deep love for finding time to create still lifes. I capture the essence of a subject, whether inanimate or alive for other outlets such as greeting cards. There’s something meditative about observing the quiet details that often go unnoticed.

 

 

One of the most treasured chapters in my illustration journey was working on E.T. books. Bringing that beloved alien to life with watercolor was an unexpected joy—a blend of nostalgia, wonder, and imagination that felt deeply personal. It reminded me why I do this in the first place: to capture that spark, that feeling that anything is possible.

 

 

That same spirit carried into one of my more recent and meaningful projects—illustrating Corduroy the Bear. For that, I reached back into childhood memories, drawing from the warmth and simplicity of my own to reflect Don Freeman’s original work. I used techniques that honored his timeless style. Corduroy is a character who feels like an old friend—slightly worn, but full of love. It’s a joy and privilege to carry his story forward.

 

 

One of my absolute joys is stepping away from my drawing table and into classrooms and libraries. Sharing books with kids, watching their eyes widen as they recognize a character or see a sketch come to life—that’s the good stuff. I love telling them that yes, real people make the pictures in their favorite books. And maybe, just maybe, they could too.

 

 

My goal has always been simple: to help bring stories to life and leave a little magic behind on every page. I want kids to know that pictures matter just as much as words. Together, they make something unforgettable. When I hear a child say, “I love that book,” it’s like a little bell goes off in my heart.

 

 

I hope to keep creating books that inspire, encourage, and stay with young readers long after the last page is turned.

 

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