Dian Folkersma (honourable mention

BEAR AND PANDA

Bear thinks he can hold the moon and wants to show it to his best friend, Red Panda. They watch the night sky together and when the moon emerges, Bear creates the illusion with his paws. Later that night Red Panda ‘catches’ a star.

This story is about the feeling of magic and wonder when surrounded by nature. The pictures are made using gouache resist technique, which is later painted with watercolours and gouache.

Dian likes to work traditionally, using watercolour, gouache, oil paint, coloured pencils and ink.

DIAN FOLKERSMA (1994) lives in Groningen, a city in the northern Netherlands. She has been passionate about picture books for as long as she can remember. Although she felt too old to read them by the age of 10, she would still enjoy them nevertheless. She was inspired by the illustrations, the colours and the otherworldly feeling they gave her.

At 16 years old, she decided to become a nurse. It was a struggle. Her free time was spent drawing, painting and writing stories. Then she decided to get serious about art, and signed up for a study at the Classical Art Academy. She studied there for 4 years, drawing and painting in a figurative fine art style.

At the Academy she saw the poster for the Picture This! contest. She remembered her childhood dream of painting a beautiful and fantastical picture book. So she joined the contest to follow her dream, and is now looking forward to continuing this creative adventure.

BEAR AND PANDA Dian Folkersma (Honourable mention)

JURY REPORT Dian Folkersma receives an honourable mention for the illustrations of a bear and a red panda attempting to catch the stars. They are dreamy, intriguing and tranquil images that each tell a whole story. Atmospheric pictures without much action, all the attention is concentrated on the main action: catching stars and releasing them again. The direction of the animals’ gaze and their interaction also direct the viewers’ gaze. A special piece of work.