Illustrator – Author – Speaker – Educator

Kaz Windness loves to make her readers laugh. Kaz is an award-winning, genre-crossing illustrator and author of heart-warming books for young readers. Proudly neurodiverse (Autstic-ADHD), Kaz specializes in character-driven books celebrating inclusivity, grit, and kindness. Her recent books include “When You Love a Book” (Flamingo/Penguin Random House, May 2024), “Worm and Caterpillar are Friends” (Simon Spotlight, January 2023), and “Bitsy Bat, School Star” (Simon & Schuster, June 2023).

Kaz is a professor of illustration and curriculum author at her alma mater, the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD, 2013-present) and founder of CuddlefishAcademy.com where she inspires students to tell stories with pictures.

Kaz loves squishy-faced dogs, waffles, thrifting, and all things Halloween. Her favorite art mediums are pen and ink, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, collage, and pencil, but mostly digital illustration. There’s not much she won’t turn into an art supply.

Kaz lives in Colorado with her English teacher husband, two children, and a bunny-obsessed Boston Terrier named Remy.

Representation: Timothy Travaglini, Literary Agent Transatlantic Agency 

Sarah DeVore, Speaking and School Visits How Now Booking

Books: Swim, Jim! (Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster, May 2022), Worm and Caterpillar are Friends (Simon Spotlight, Simon & Schuster, January 2023), Bitsy Bat, School Star (Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster, June 2023), Cat vs. Vac (Simon Spotlight, Fall 2023), Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea (w/Andrew Hacket, Page Street Books, Coming April 2024), GO! GO! DINO! (Simon Spotlight, May 2024), A Book is a Friend (w/Heather Brockman-Lee, Viking Flamingo/PRH May 2024), Bitsy Bat, Team Star (Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster, February 2024) + several older titles and not yet announced books

Education: Valedictorian BFA Graduate, Illustration–Children’s Book Focus
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, Colorado: August 2002

Magazine & Newsletter Publications: Society of Illustrators Original Art Show (2022), RMCAD EDU newsletter (2022, 2018), SCBWI Kite Tails Newsletter (2016, 2017), RMC-SCBWI Newsletter (2016, 2017, 2018)

Exhibitions:

  • Society of Illustrators Original Art Show, NYC, October-January 2022
  • Stabbified Thrifts Solo Show, Wandering Jellyfish, CO, September 2021
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, LA, February 2019
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, NYC, February 2019
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, LA, August 2018
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, NYC, February 2018
  • RMC-SCBWI, calendar exhibition featuring contest winning images, January 2018
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, LA, August 2017
  • RMC-SCBWI, calendar exhibition featuring contest winning images, January 2017
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, LA, August 2016
  • RMC-SCBWI, calendar exhibition featuring contest winning images, January 2016
  • SCBWI National Portfolio Showcase, LA, August 2015
  • RMC-SCBWI, calendar exhibition featuring contest winning images, January 2014
  • Horse Expo Art Market, Denver Merchandise Mart, March 2013
  • RMC-SCBWI, calendar exhibition featuring contest winning images, January 2013
  • RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference exhibition, September 2012
  • RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference exhibition, September 2011
  • RMC-SCBWI Featured Illustrator, First Place Illustration Contest Winner, June 2011
  • RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference exhibition, September 2010
  • Studio 13 Gallery at Nine10Arts, Denver, Gone to the Dogs Exhibition, October-November 2009
  • Ink Lounge Gallery, Denver, Colorado Alliance of Illustrators Annual Show, May 2, 2008
  • BARK! Doggy Daycare Art Exhibition, May 2008 – August 2010
  • Craft and Hobby Association Expo, February 10-13th, 2008
  • Open Studios at Nine10Arts, November 30th, December 1st-2nd, 2007
  • Mouthfuls Pet Boutique, Denver, November 2007 – present
  • The Uncommon Gallery at Uncommon Scents, Denver, September-December 2007
  • Pickets Display Window/Golden Fine Arts Festival, August 2007
  • InsideOut07 at Nine10Arts, July-August 2007
  • Colorado Alliance of Illustrators Exhibition, May 2007
  • Nine10Arts Featured Artist, Show: “Who Let the Dogs Out – Of the Closet”, May 2007
  • Studio 6 Coffee House, April 2007
  • Holiday Art Market at Nine10Arts, December 2006
  • Reed Art & Photo Gallery, Denver, Colorado: April-May 2006
  • Lokken Gallery, Colorado: April-May 2006
  • Hands2Hearts Gallery, Denver, Colorado: May 2005
  • The Nook, Denver, Colorado: April 2005
  • Sunflower Art Gallery, Denver, Colorado: April 2005 – January 2008

Affiliations:

Personal:

Kaz resides in Colorado with her writer-teacher husband, two children, and a Boston Terrier.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All images found on this blog are owned by Kaz Windness or credited photographer and may not be used, scraped or reproduced without the owners’ express permission. ©Kaz Windness