Alumni Spotlight: Jonna Dempsey, Children's Book Illustration

Why did you choose to study Children’s Book Illustration at Leith School of Art? And then the Artist's Mentoring course?

During the pandemic I began to write and illustrate my own children’s stories, and it became my ambition to have my work published. I am not a trained artist and have never worked in the creative industries so took a couple of years to develop my own practice. As good fortune would have it, just as I was looking for my next steps on the path to professional illustration, LSA began advertising their Children’s Book Illustration course. It was too good an opportunity to miss so I applied for the course and was thrilled to be offered a place.

The mentoring course offered me progression the following year. I had found working with Harriet [Hobday] incredibly valuable during the CBI course and wanted the chance to further develop my work under her careful guidance for another year. I also wanted to spend time focussing on transitioning into professional practice and the mentoring course is designed for exactly that. This was an important step for me and during the year I developed a professional portfolio and website with the aim of finding an agent and getting my first commissions!

How would you describe your time at Leith School of Art?

In short, lots of fun and lots of hard work! The CBI course was absolutely the highlight of my week. Harriet has designed the course to be thoroughly informative, challenging and playful. I was lucky enough to be part of a year group that was fully invested in the course, who worked very hard and who laughed a lot along the way. I think you get out what you put in, and Harriet is good at tailoring her teaching to the individual needs and desires of each student. The CBI course is great for learning and developing skills that form or supplement a creative practice as a hobby and is a low pressure setting in which to do that, and if you want to push yourself there are endless opportunities to do that too. I wanted a lot from this course and always felt that I was being sufficiently challenged to meet my potential. It laid the foundations for my professional practice and came with the unexpected bonus of making wonderful friends along the way.

Things got serious on the mentoring course. Having laid the foundations, I needed to get my head down and give myself the best opportunity of breaking into the publishing industry. Harriet again proved an invaluable mentor in this respect. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge and is so generous with her time and in her teaching. I came away feeling as prepared as I could be for taking my first big-girl steps on a professional path. A real highlight of the mentoring year was the end of year exhibition. It felt like a huge achievement and a real celebration of the individual artists. LSA provides a precious artistic community, and I continue to feel the support of that community since graduating.

What has your experience been like since graduating both courses?

During the summer after graduating, I was offered representation by my now agent Lucy Juckes, and I am so excited to have received my first commission for a children's book. I am learning that things don't necessarily happen quickly in the publishing industry – patience and resilience are key skills for an aspiring illustrator! Happily, I am now doing the work that I've pursued for years, and I feel that I've been well prepared for it. One thing that has been especially important to me since graduating is the community of illustrators that I found during my time at LSA. Illustrating is solitary work and having that community as a friendship group, sounding board and support system is something I couldn't do without.

What did Leith School of Art prepare you for?

Everything! Harriet is an open book when it comes to learning about the publishing industry. I have gone into it with not just the skills needed but the knowledge of how to conduct myself and what to expect. I absolutely love my work, but being a freelance artist is a harsh reality, and I feel grateful to have come into it with my eyes open. I am quietly confident that I can thrive and find success in this space that I love because I have been well prepared for it, and that makes me very lucky.

Do you have any advice for new and/or current students?

If you're considering applying for the CBI course, go for it! You won't regret it.

Be prepared to work hard to get the most out of both the CBI and mentoring courses and rest assured that they will give you the best chance at professional success.

Children’s book publishing is the most joyful industry to be a part of, and at the heart of it all is the chance to indulge that inner child - so have fun with it!