2025 Illustration Mentorship is Coming Soon!

by Jay Whistler

While the weather outside may be frightful, I have some news that is delightful. As you may know, our next mentorship is right around the corner. If you’re an illustrator, 2025 could be your year, as 2022 was for Bear Howe, who won a mentorship with illustrator Bea Jackson. You can read about Bear’s experience below. 

But before we get to that, I want to make sure you know where to find more information about the mentorship, what you need to submit, how to submit, and any other mentorship info you may need.

• For general info, visit this page.

• You can get answers to FAQs here.

• This page has specific submission instructions

• For anything you can’t find on the website, please email Jay Whistler, our mentorship coordinator at scbwi.mi.mentorship@gmail.com

I hope Bear’s experience helps you take a chance to enter the mentorship. Think of it as a gift to yourself! Or ask a loved one to show how much they support your illustration and your career. It’s a gift that will return incredible benefits. Even if you don’t win, you will get feedback from THREE professional illustrators to help you on your journey. There is literally nothing to lose! 

And now, take it away, Bear!

My 2022 Mentorship Opportunity

Bear Howe

In 2022, I had the opportunity to have an illustration mentorship with Bea Jackson. We met online monthly on a flexible schedule depending on when we were both available and I was ready to get feedback as I worked toward my next goal. This format really worked well–having a “deadline” that was somewhat flexible as a creative practice sometimes is!

I cannot say enough about Bea’s generosity and insight. She was really tuned into helping me right from where I was that day/week/month. The pandemic really took a toll on my health and my art practice and my goals were somewhat mushy and unclear. I felt insecure in some ways about not having clarity about my kidlit goals anymore. In fact, I was working on a lot of art that wasn’t kidlit related but that was therapeutic for me to make. I was exploring how the two might merge, and Bea’s feedback each month came at the right time! Bea was great at seeing the big picture of what a creative career looks like, and helped me push forward even when my way felt murky and unsure.

I’d recommend this mentorship to anyone, no matter your experience level. The internship is designed to work within your practice, with some structure that holds you accountable, but isn’t oppressive, and should flow with what you’re hoping to accomplish. The connection and friendship with your mentor is an extra bonus I am grateful for with Bea. And having a dedicated creative session at regular intervals with someone who is also a committed creative is priceless.

To learn more about Bear, please visit their website at bearhowe.com