Ashley Halsey is an illustrator based in Portland, Maine, who specializes in botanical and wildlife illustration. She is also an experienced book designer specializing in children’s books.
Ashley has over 15 years of experience as an illustrator specializing in nature and wildlife, and as a book designer specializing in children’s books and a wide-variety of self-published titles. Ashley also has over 10 years of experience as an art director for children’s books and stationery products.
Ashley loves living in Maine and seeing the changing colors of the landscape that are a huge source of inspiration in her art. She especially loves to promote conservation and environmental awareness through her work.
In Maine, when she’s not painting, Ashley loves gardening, taking long walks with her dog, sampling pastries from the amazing bakeries in Portland and trying out different craft skills.
Clients
HarperCollins Publishers
Macmillan Children’s Books
Lee & Low Books
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Charlesbridge Publishing
Pink Eraser Press
Skidmore College
American Farmland Trust
Mystic River Historical Society
The Telling Room
New York Racing Association
Sellers Publishing Inc.
Tythe Design
Testimonials
“I’ve worked with Ashley on several picture books over the years. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, Ashley approaches each book with a keen understanding of the subject matter while balancing the artist’s vision. Her sensibilities as a fine artist is reflected in her design work as they always serve to complement and elevate the illustrations.”
— Jessica Echeverria, Editorial Director, Lee & Low Books
“I have been working with Ashley for the past decade, and her cover, interior book design and illustration is exquisite. She always listens to what each client wants, and brings her expertise to each project so every design is custom made. Ashley’s professionalism is top notch, and her work is always delivered on or ahead of schedule. She is a delight!”
— Molly McGrath, Publisher, Pink Eraser Press
“Working with Ashley is a dream. She is incredibly professional, and her attention to detail and passion for creating beautiful, inspiring, and meaningful art for children shines through on each page.”
— Suzanne Buzby Hersey, Author & Editor
“Ashley is a true professional and her expertise made the books look as polished as any published by a major press. She is a pleasure to work with. I could not have managed without her.”
— Valerie L. Egar, Whistle Oak Publishing
“It was fantastic to work with Ashley on the first two volumes of the Maine Community Cookbooks. She met really compressed deadlines with great designs, layout implementation, and creative suggestions that made her an indispensable part of the production and editing team.”
— Karl Schatz, Community Plate Founder