ILLUSTRATOR Eman Salem

I’ve always wanted to be a children’s book illustrator. Anything ‘storytelling’ has always fascinated me. So much so that I’ve illustrated several books and wrote three of my own. My Palestinian culture has inspired me to always be true to myself and those around me. Being Canadian has pushed me to look at what I do in the spaces of where I live and realize how precious things are. Practicing my Islamic religion has shaped me and given me strength to move forward. My artwork in whatever format, is a story being told. The telling of a story allows us to travel lands untouched, gives us experiences unknown and whimsical dreams. It gives one the power to change a narrative. To give a voice to the voiceless, to offer something unusual. My choice of medium is usually watercolour or inks, sometimes pencil. I studied at the Alberta College of Art, where I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree. My background is in textiles where I became fascinated with Palestinian embroidery (Tatreez), natural dyes, eco printing and silk dying as well as papermaking using natural elements. More recently, I’ve been exploring paper engineering and hand-made pop-up books.