Dionnie Takahashi is an author-illustrator who thrives on creating imaginative, adventurous, and often silly stories that spark joy and laughter. She works primarily in digital media and constantly explores new ways to enhance her storytelling and illustration skills. Dionnie holds a BA (Hons) in Multimedia Art (Animation) from Birmingham City University and is also qualified to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) to young learners. She lives in Japan with her husband, two teenagers, and a pair of rescued sibling cats. When she’s not making books, Dionnie enjoys gardening, napping, collecting picture books, and watching comedies.

東マレーシアで生まれ、27年間シンガポールで育ちました。2008年に日本に移り住むまで、デザイナー/イラストレーターとして働いていました。 日本人と結婚し、二人の子供に恵まれました。 彼らの成長のためにもなると思い、自宅で小さな英語学校を経営しています。
絵を描くのを続けていて、児童向けのあたたかく、面白い動物キャラクターが得意です。 子育ても落ち着いてきたので、クリエイターズエキスポ2020でイラストレーターとして日本でデビューいたしました。
海外出身なので、自分のイラストを日本のたくさんの方々に知ってもらいたいです。児童書、文具雑貨等の企業様の方にもお会いできたら嬉しいです。よろしくお願いいたします。

Artist Statement

My illustrations are digital, from sketch to finish as I find drawing and painting with digital art software convenient and forgiving. Having a wide range of drawing tools to experiment with evolves my style and improves my illustration process.With that, I create playful narratives that turn mundane everyday life into adventures and wonders. I invite the readers to let their imaginations run wild as they turn each page and go on whimsical journeys with me and my characters.Books that nurture the curiosity and imagination of young minds have always fascinated me. My early years were filled with enchanted stories by Enid Blyton and “what if” scenarios from Choose Your Own Adventure books.While I was a part-time bookseller, I came across unconventional picture books that helped me see this medium as an excellent portal for creativity and imagination. So here I am, after liberating my inner storyteller from my self-induced “I can’t write” mindset. I no longer want to depend on others for stories to illustrate. I am giving my all to grow as an author-illustrator and would never stop learning from industry experts to hone my storytelling skills.What Dr. Seuss said resonates with me: “The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”. That, to me, includes the wonderfully imagined world of picture book places.

• Check out Dionnie's blog for more!

(External/outbound link)

DIONNIE‘s Life In A Nutshell:

🇲🇾 Born in Borneo
🇸🇬 27 years in Singapore
🇯🇵 Married & Rooted in Japan
👦🏻👧🏻😸😸 Mother of 4
❤️ Gardening 🍇🍓🫐🍒🐝
☆ Christian
☆ SCBWI member

The Backstory of Blackcabbit

Blackcabbit was the brand identity I created for my website in 2006. While searching for a name that was easier to pronounce than my own, I coincidentally came across the word “cabbit.” It is a fictional hybrid between a rabbit and a cat. And since I was born in the Year of the Rabbit and I adore cats, it was ideal. I added my (then) favorite color, and presto! Blackcabbit it is!