I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles where I created art inspired by my family in a crowded house. As a recent late-diagnosed ADHD Combined Type, I aim to help reduce the neurodiversity stigma in Asian American communities. I earned my fine arts degree at UCLA, then studied fashion design in NYC and Florence, Italy. A former fashion designer turned fashion illustrator, I spent a large part of my childhood creating picture books and magazines with my drawings. As a womenswear designer, I worked for Ralph Lauren in NYC and Tommy Bahama in LA. As a fashion illustrator, some of my notable collaborations include Beyoncé, Oscar de la Renta, Harrods of London, Fenwick of Bond St. Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, and the Toronto International Film Festival.

As a co-founder of the podcasts Share Your Asian Story and We Doodle in the Margins, I co-host the live shows for artists, authors, and changemakers to illuminate their unique yet shared experiences. My current focus is on We Doodle in the Margins, where we highlight marginalized picture book authors and illustrators. My co-host and I illustrate our guests and their characters from their picture books during the live interviews. By drawing inspiration from my family's immigrant journey, I carry the hope of stirring wonder and sparking delight with my stories. I am represented by Joanna MacKenzie at Nelson Literary Agency. In my spare time, I love to paint, dance, and craft custom stationery. I live in Southern California with my funny husband, our three creative children, and a cuddly puppy, Ralphie. I am still inspired by my family in our crowded house.

Visit Karen online. Follow her on Instagram.

Books by Karen Koh