Giselle Potter

Giselle Potter's artistic journey began at an astonishingly young age. By the time she was three, her parents had established “The Mystic Paper Beasts,” a captivating puppet theater company. Traveling across the United States and with her sister, Giselle immersed herself in the world of storytelling and performance, experiences that would later fuel her imagination in her acclaimed children's books, including “The Year I Didn’t Go To School” and “Chloe’s Birthday… and Me.” A graduate of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1994, Giselle enriched her education by spending her final year in Rome as part of RISD’s an Honors Program. This transformative time abroad inspired her to create “Lucy’s Eyes and Margaret’s Dragon: Lives of the Virgin Saints,” a beautifully illustrated collection of saint stories, which was published by Chronicle Books. After relocating to Brooklyn, Giselle's career took flight with her first illustration commission from The New Yorker. This breakthrough opportunity marked the beginning of a prolific career, leading to collaborations with a variety of prestigious magazines and children's book publishers. In 1997, Giselle released her debut children's book, “Mr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folk Tale,” and since then, she has illustrated over thirty books, partnering with renowned authors such as Toni Morrison, Mary Pope Osborne, Ursula Hegi, Mathea Harvey, and Gertrude Stein. Giselle's artistic practice is characterized by her exploration of diverse mediums, including gouache, ink, watercolor, and collage. Initially drawn to the subtle textures and muted colors of the Italian materials she discovered, she has since embraced the vibrant possibilities of gouache, particularly for projects requiring a bolder palette—such as a commission for a laundry soap campaign. This dynamic interplay of inks and gouache allows her work to remain fresh and engaging, while her use of collage, though sparing, adds an exciting dimension to her illustrations. Now residing in the picturesque Hudson Valley with her husband and two daughters, Giselle continues to create and inspire through her enchanting art and heartfelt stories, leaving a lasting impact on the world of children's literature.