Ins and Outs of Moving from Illustrating to Author-Illustrating with Janelle Washington

Janelle Washington, a self-taught paper-cut artist hailing from Virginia, embarked on her artistic journey in a unique way. After graduating from VCU with a BFA in Fashion Design, she spent twelve years as a children's wear designer. Janelle's hidden artistic talents came to light during a company show-and-tell presentation. Intrigued by the concept of paper cutting, she delved into extensive research and eventually crafted her first paper cut, marking the beginning of her artistic exploration. Janelle's artistry is characterized by the simplicity of paper, through which she weaves intricate images that reflect the courage, achievements, and grace of African Americans in the face of challenging circumstances. Her work delves into a myriad of themes, including Black culture, history, identity, family, and feminine beauty. Her paper cuts and silhouettes are meticulously crafted with an X-Acto knife from a single sheet of paper. Janelle incorporates colorful tissue paper, thread, and gold leaf to add vibrancy and depth to her designs. She also infuses her art with West African Adinkra symbols, which serve as a conduit for traditional wisdom and expressions of life and the environment. Janelle's artistic prowess has been recognized and celebrated in numerous prestigious venues. Her work has graced the walls of the Museum of Illustration in New York, NY; The National Children's Hospital; Martha Spak Gallery in Washington, DC; The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, VA; and The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach, VA. She has also been a featured artist in many international, national, and regional juried, group, and solo exhibitions, further solidifying her position in the art world. Her paper cuts are a part of art collections at Georgetown University Library (2023), Inova Schar Cancer Institute (2017), Community of Hope Family and Birth Center (2017, 2022), Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center (2017), and Greenmount West Community Center (2020). Janelle has worked with Women You Should Fund on their #BringHarrietHome Campaign and with Tools and Tiaras Inc. on the Silent Auction. In addition, she has commissioned silhouettes housed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, and hanging art installations at the historic St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, VA. Janelle's silhouettes were published in The Oprah Magazine's September 2020 issue as part of the #SayHerName campaign, which featured Breonna Taylor. She was also interviewed and featured in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper by the 2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Michael Paul Williams, for her art installation at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. In 2022, Janelle made her debut as a picture book illustrator, receiving seven-starred reviews, the Randolph Caldecott Honor Award, the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent/ Illustrator Award, and multiple other prestigious awards for the biography book Choosing Brave, using her paper cut art with the author of Black is a Rainbow Color, Angela Joy. In March 2026, she will debut as an author-illustrator for her picture book, The Heart of Our Home. She is a member of The Guild of American Papercutters, where she served on the board from 2017 to 2018; Artist/Scholars of Color Collective; Art Impact USA, Inc.; Arlifting; and SCBWI.