WAXHAW, NC – The teen behind the illustrations of “Boomer the Rabbit” is local to our community. Iliana Ballew recently worked with author Philip R. Morehouse and Simply Snowden Publishing to complete her first illustrating project. “Boomer the Rabbit” is a children’s book that tells of a young rabbit that is experiencing being made fun of because of his big feet, but the lesson learned through this skillfully-written and beautifully-illustrated book is one that anyone from young to old can learn from: “Just because in some way you may be different from others, doesn’t mean that your ‘difference’ can’t be a strength that no one else has.” Through the pictures and words, this book is sure to make a difference in so many different people’s lives.
Iliana Ballew is a local teen artist that has loved to draw since she has been able to grip a pencil. Her eye for details and love for art have served her well from a young age into her teen years. She has had much success with the realism art style in the community and has so many supporters and fans, including her mother Barbara Ballew. One might say her mom is her biggest fan, but the support she has received from family, friends, and the community speaks volumes about this young lady’s talent. Drawing is a passion that she has, and it can truly be seen through her work. While she is mostly self-taught, Iliana has recently started to attend art classes through the North Carolina Academy of Arts. She is an inspiring artist who is pursuing her dream of becoming a professional artist, and it’s well on the horizon.
“I am excited to announce the first children’s book I’ve illustrated,” Iliana shared. “This was quite difficult at first since I am used to realism, but in the end, I am happy with how things turned out. When I was younger, I used to make children’s books myself and do all the illustrations. I wanted to get them published then, but that didn’t work out. So seeing myself years later be able to do something I always wanted to do when I was little makes me happy. Thank you, Philip Morehouse and Lori Snowden, for this opportunity, and I enjoyed working with you. Thank you everyone for your kindness and support.”
Iliana is very grateful for the opportunity to have her artwork published and learned immensely from the experience. Her style of art typically is the art of realism where she perfects faces, bodies, and scenes, but the style of “Boomer the Rabbit” was different. Being a children’s book, the art style is more bold illustrations with far less detail. Iliana was the first to admit that transferring from one art form to the next was a challenge when the project started, but as the bookprofressed, it was a challenge that was well-accepted. The process of illustrating a book is long, but she never gave up and never looked back. It may have been stressful at times, but the success and support of everyone around her made the experience even more beneficial.
“Connecting with Iliana Ballew for the illustrations on Phil Morehouse’s latest children’s book ‘Boomer The Rabbit’ was a blessing,” said Lori Snowden of Simply Snowden Publishing. “Although she had not done this type of illustration work before, she was able to adapt quickly using her creativity. Iliana not only has exceptional talent, but she is easy to work with and I look forward to working with her more in the future.”
To show your support to this local artist, Iliana Ballew, Philip R Morehouse, and Simply Snowden Publishing, please join them at White Tulip located at 5917 Waxhaw Hwy, Mineral Springs, NC 28108 on August 21, 2022, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for the book signing of “Boomer The Rabbit.” A copy of the book can also be purchased at https://www.amazon.com/Boomer-Rabbit-Philip-R-Morehouse/dp/B0B373SRT4?asin=B0B373SRT4&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1
