RMKLF: Illustration Stations with Erika Wilson, Jeanne Bowman, Eddie Tanzosh, and Jennifer Ard

Learn how to illustrate using various mediums with published professional illustrators!

Erika Wilson is a Montana artist with two passions--children’s book illustration and printmaking.  She illustrated MONTANA’S MEMORY DAY by Sue Lawrence; SKEDADDLE and THE SPILL by Jacqueline Leigh, and MADDIE MCDOWELL AND THE RODEO ROBBERY by LuAnn M. Rod. Erika is an active member of SCBWI, and served as the Illustrator Coordinator for SCBWI Montana from 2018 - 2021. Whenever Erika isn’t illustrating books, you can find her treadling an antique press in her letterpress print shop, The Windy Mill Press, which is located in Billings. You can learn more about Erika’s creative endeavors at windymillpress.com.

Jeanne Bowman is the illustrator of Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge written by Emily Crawford Wilson (South Dakota Historical Society Press) and The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde (Familius). She graduated from Rocky Mountain College in 2010 and has exhibited work at the Yellowstone Art Museum, the Harwood Art Gallery in Albuquerque, NM, and the Mondak Heritage Center in Sidney, MT. She works in watercolor, cut paper, and most recently, digital. 

Edward Tanzosh is a military and law enforcement veteran who decided to give up this career path to pursue his passion for art. Edward attended Rocky Mountain College where he graduated with a degree in art. He has always been drawn to art, especially illustration, and also enjoys writing for children. Edward enjoys illustration since it brings the written word to life on the page, can invoke emotion, and cause smiles and laughter, which the world can always use a little more of. Edward currently lives in the state of Montana where he loves spending time with friends and family. He can be found in his drawing room or on the open roadways of Big Sky Country on his motorcycle. You can also find him on Instagram at edward_tanzosh or his website edwardtanzosh.com.

Jennifer Ard is a children’s book author and illustrator from Laurel, Montana. Most recently, she illustrated Nest, by Montana author Precious McKenzie. She loves writing about and illustrating all the fur, fins, feathers, exoskeletons, and habitats she can find. Her favorite stories to work on are those that have a little bit of science, some humor and a lot of heart or those stories that shed light on misunderstood or under-appreciated creatures. She paints in watercolor, gouache, and digitally. In her spare time, she enjoys flyfishing and identifying plants and insects that she finds along the way. She is also a picture book collector and a reader of books about nature. Follow Jennifer on Instagram @jenniferardart to see her latest work.