I am grateful for the scholarships and mentorships received from the following:
2025 Sundance Film Festival Collab scholarship: Documentary Filmmaking
2024 Finalist Speculative Literary Foundation Gulliver Grant
2024 SCBWI East PA Illustrator Day Scholarship
2023 SCBWI San Diego 3rd place DEI Grant
2022 WNDB Finalist : Illustration
2022 Asian Women Writer's Consultation Mentorship
2022 Write Mentor WOWCON scholarship
2022 Highlights Foundation : Jane Yolen & Heidi EY Stemple Scholarship
2022 The Writing Barn : Courage to Create Community
2022 Inked Voices : PB Workshop with Wendy McClure
2021 Highlights Foundation : Becoming a Non-Fiction Writer
2021 OC Arts Studios : Graphic Novel 101
2021 OC Arts Studios : Head, Hands, and Feet
And the Canada Council of the Arts for a 2021 literary arts grant to research and create my middle grade historical fiction graphic novel and two more grant for professional development (2022-2023).
I am of Chinese descent, I speak three languages, and have lived experiences in Asia and North America.
Currently a member of CANSCAIP and SCBWI Canada East and active participant in several critique groups (Picture book, Graphic Novel, All Ages and Non-fiction).
My architectural (OHBA, CHBA) and visual arts work have received recognition. My paintings were published by Scarborough Arts in their Big Art Book. I began writing to bring to life characters drawn over the years, while waiting for an entry to children's book illustration.
Illustrating for children comes naturally to me, as I grew up a Disney, anime, and comic fan.
I create characters of children with personality, or anthropomorphic pets set in different imaginary landscapes or interiors.
My illustrations embody fun or delight with constant motion or static tension - ready to bolt into action. My body of work is filled with whimsy, fun, and color using the mediums of ink, pen, acrylic, watercolor, and digital.
I'm interested in picture books, BW middle grade, short graphic novels, and book covers. Buildings, too
Open for commissions, portraits, and guest lecturer : shirley.v.ting@gmail.com
Ways to Keep in Touch
All About Hana
All About Hana Picture Book
Six-year-old Hana is full of energy happily making memories at the park.
Hana is the Japanese word for flower while in other languages, it translates to hope, grace, glow, radiance, “to shine” and “to give out of love”. This picture book shows the time Hana spends with her parents before they go their separate ways.