Introducing a New Illustrator with a Bright and Bold Future,
Cheryl Thuesday!
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Please join us in welcoming our newest illustrator to the Full Circle Literary family and to the children’s books community! |
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Cheryl “Ras” Thuesday is a Chinese-Jamaican, New Jersey-based illustrator originally from South London, England, who loves the outdoors, mystery, magic, and the supernatural. We’re excited to represent her at the start of an exciting career in children’s book illustration. |
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While her family cultural background spans the globe, Cheryl’s heart belongs to Asbury Park, New Jersey, where she spent childhood and teen weekends with her grandparents at the shore. She loves the beach and swims in the ocean any chance she gets (if it’s not too cold!). |
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As part of the Windrush generation, Cheryl’s grandparents moved from Kingston, Jamaica, to England seeking a better life. After twenty years, the family, with little Cheryl in tow, emigrated to the US.
Her adored Chinese grandfather grew up in Jamaica. From an early age, she visited New York’s Chinatown and other Asian communities with him to embrace that aspect of her culture. She counts the energetic, vivid storefronts as well as her mother’s collection of figurines as being influential to her work.
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What identifies a Cheryl Thuesday piece is vibrant color and experimentation. She finds joy in using bold hues to portray a story and communicate emotion.
Her artwork is bold, powerful, and bright.
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When Cheryl begins a piece, research comes first. She will sketch ideas with pencil on paper or on her iPad. Next, she creates small-scale thumbnails of her interpretation of the story, selecting the scenes that flow best. If the sketches are hand-drawn, she then transfers them to the iPad to ink a full-size sketch. She dives into color with either a Wacom tablet or the iPad, and sometimes she will create texture or explore found textures, working them into the final pieces. |
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Her favorite subject matter includes nature in all its forms, camping, exploring, hiking, trees, rocks, ocean scenes, the Caribbean, folk tales, children, families, intergenerational stories. In fine weather, she will bring her work to favorite spots—Bear Mountain, Cheesequake Park, Asbury Park Beach—allowing her surroundings to contribute to the image. |
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Her lively illustrations were first seen in Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders written by Sarah Prager (Running Press, 2022). She is currently working on images for a picture book coming early in 2024 (Simon & Schuster), and Just Love Story Bible, a progressive and inclusive take on the bible written by Jacqui Lewis and Shannon Daley-Harris (Beaming Books, 2025).
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Cheryl studied Media Arts at Middlesex County College and attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City before going to work as an in-house graphic designer. Since turning to illustrating full-time she has created illustrations for, among other clients, the New York Times, NPR, Adweek, Adobe, and WePresent, WeTransfer’s storytelling and digital arts platform. One of Cheryl’s illustrations, “Anansi and the Story of the Moon,” was shortlisted in the 2022 Communication Arts illustration competition.
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As a member of the LGBTQ community, Cheryl worked with Adweek to provide illustrations for Pride month 2022, and an interview with Cheryl ran in Adweek Talent Pool feature (September 2022). |
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Cheryl welcomes a broad variety of illustration projects including picture book, board book, covers, spot illustrations for nonfiction children’s and adult projects, stationery (journals, greeting cards), editorial illustration, and textile and identity design. Her fabulous, trippy beach towel by Brooklinen was an Oprah Daily pick!
She would love to work on a Christmas book, a folk tale (especially one based in Caribbean, Chinese, and African cultures), stories about self-discovery and confidence, space, and Afro-futurism.
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Welcome, Cheryl! We are thrilled to have you join the Full Circle Literary family!
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We look forward to creating beautiful books with you! |
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About Full Circle Literary
Full Circle Literary is a literary agency representing children's books from toddler to teen, and creative nonfiction for all ages. We work with both award-winning veteran and debut writers and artists and our team has a knack for discovering and developing new and diverse talent. For more information about all of our Full Circle Literary illustrators, please visit our website and follow us on Instagram/Twitter @fullcirclelit.
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Full Circle Literary
3268 Governor Drive
San Diego CA 92122
Copyright 2023 Full Circle Literary. Copyright artwork 2023 by Cheryl Thuesday
All rights reserved
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