Mavis Smith grew up in a typical suburban town in New Jersey, and has been drawing for as long as she can remember. By age five, she was attending art classes at the local community college. She later studied art and design at Pratt Institute in New York City, and after graduation spent a few wonderful, albeit turbulent, years travelling through Europe. It was in Amsterdam that she met Monika Penders, a local children's TV host, and they created their first children's book together, Ik en Jij. Returning home to New York, Mavis continued to write and illustrate children's books. She is the illustrator of over sixty books for children, including You Can't Smell a Flower with your Ear by Joanna Cole, and the popular Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig series by Kate Mc Mullan. In recent years she has been concentrating on her fine art, with a particular interest in the ancient medium of egg tempera. Mavis Smith Studio is located in New Hope, PA. Her work is represented in public and private collections and museums throughout the country. You can view her paintings online at www.mavissmithart.com.