Hi, I’m Tsunami Hee Ja,

 

A late-diagnosed, proudly Autistic Artist  and Illustrator.

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I was born in South Korea, raised in rural New South Wales, and currently reside on the coast of Adelaide with my magnificent husband, brilliant children, delightful rat, crazy dog, feisty chicken, several decent cats, a pair of noisy frogs, and one barely tolerable rabbit.

I studied Visual Communications at the University of South Australia, graduating way back in 2004. Already interested in manga and anime, I incorporated elements of this aesthetic into my own illustration work and soon became known for it.

My dream as a kid was to become a cartoonist, or a writer. Creating my own comic narratives gives me the opportunity to do both, so it's something I usually return to no matter what other creative tangents I head off on.

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Over the course of my freelancing career I’ve had the opportunity to take on a diverse array of creative jobs, from drawing live portraits, to painting murals. My artwork  has also been displayed in multiple solo and collective exhibitions.

I have a genuine passion for increasing the creative confidence of young people, and am often contracted by schools, libraries and festivals to host workshops teaching children how to draw characters in my style. I also volunteer with a couple of great community organisations, one a youth service where I run the art program.

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Despite all that, I wouldn't call myself an extrovert. Most of the time I’m home among my pets and house plants quietly working on too many projects, but you can check for upcoming appearance updates on my event calendar, or by following my socials.

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If you’re looking to engage my professional services, feel free to contact me via the message function of this website, or you can email tsunamiheeja@internode.on.net

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Thank you for taking the time to know more about me, and I hope you enjoy my work.

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Cheers!

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