Laura has always been drawn to drawing. After considering a career as rodeo clown, rocket scientist and inner-city bike messenger, she soon decided that illustration is what makes her happiest.

She takes great pleasure in creating whimsical characters that add that “little something extra” to the written word. “I truly believe the more seriously a character sees himself, the more ridiculously he should be portrayed.” For Laura, this often means elongating an occasional nose, overdoing a foolish costume, and/or adding an imaginative (and oversized) hairdo.

From a comfortable home office in Mountain View, California, Laura continues to fashion urchins, imps, dwarves and trolls using nothing more than her imagination and a collection of Number Two pencils. She lives blissfully in the company of her husband, Clarke, and their faithful dog, C.J., who refuses to stay off the furniture.

Laura’s seriously silly characters will be showcased in the delightfully whimsical picture book, Chef Etouffee and the Great Gumbo Day to be published by Leaping Antelope Productions in 2004.