Janelle Washington

Janelle Washington is a self-taught paper-cut and silhouette artist from Virginia. Janelle debuted as a picture book illustrator, receiving the Randolph Caldecott Honor Award, The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent/ Illustrator Award, and multiple other prestigious awards for using paper to illustrate the biography book Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till Mobley and Emmet Till sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Choosing Brave has also received several starred reviews and was featured on multiple best-book lists.

Her illustrations are hand-cut and designed using an Exacto knife and one piece of paper. Her paper-cut art has been exhibited and can be found in museums and public and private art collections nationally and worldwide.

Janelle is a member of The Guild of American Papercutters, Artist/Scholars of Color Collective, Art Impact USA, Inc., Ikouii, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and ArtLifting.

As a former public school librarian assistant, elementary paraprofessional, and after-school art teacher, Janelle enjoys sharing her love of art and paper with students of all ages.

Photo: Jeffery Albright- PBF