I am a full time children's book illustrator and author. My home and studio sit at the top of a hill, near the edge of a forest in semi rural New Hampshire. There is a magic wand on my desk and a dragon in my basement. Everything else is nearly normal. Although I came into this field later in life, having been a teacher and travel agent, I always found a way to use my art. Eventually I left my day jobs to concentrate on children's picture books as an author and illustrator. The experiences I have had with children and their parents and my visits to many other countries and cultures has been an added blessing. As an illustrator, I have been fortunate enough to have been chosen to illustrate a number of delightful children's books. As both an author and an illustrator "Gunther the Underwater Elephant" is the first in a group of children's books I have written and illustrated. When I create a picture book I want it to be fun for the adults as well as the children. If you smile when you read one of my books, or read it over and over, I want you to be as happy with the experience as I was as I created it.When I paint with either traditional media or in the computer my goal is to create enjoyment, excitement, a bit of action or drama, and tell a story within each picture. Trained as a traditional painter, I still continue to create with paint, pen, pencils, but find that the high end painting programs I can use in the computer are a beneficial blend of both. I call that unique blend of traditional and digital "tradigital." Examples of my work are on my website at: www.gingernielson.com..