Tracie is a visual and performing artist and has been throughout the country and overseas working in the arts. She currently lives in New York City and is originally from the small town of Wintersville, Ohio near the border of the state, which she describes as Steeler Country.
She is a Congressional Arts Caucus Award recipient, and had one of her paintings displayed in the US Capitol Building as part of a one-year collection. She is a graduate of Chatham University, where she studied Arts Management with a concentration in Visual Art and Art History. She is also a veteran of the United States Navy, where she was a mechanic on the flight line based in Northern Japan.
Her professional visual art credits include murals and décor for many restaurants throughout the country including in Rainforest Cafés, Landry’s, Joes Crab Shack, and along the Keemah Boardwalk near Galveston, Texas. She has been part of the team at Spaeth Design, where she helped create and build the Christmas windows for Macy’s in New York City as well as those for Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. She also worked for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission helping to restore artifacts for the museums of Pennsylvania. As a performer she has appeared on television and the silver screen as well tours entertaining the troops overseas in Korea, Kuwait and Iraq.
Illustrators/Artists
We are dedicated to tirelessly reading manuscripts, hearing stories, and looking at artwork to find the best emerging multicultural talents to publish works for AcuteByDesign. We find our writers and artists as fascinating as they are talented. Read on to get to know a bit more about each of our inspired authors and illustrators.
Amanda Sardi
Illustrator
Amdanda is the illustrator for Esmerelda's Journey.
A wanderer by trade, Amanda has been letting her old soul guide her around New England, exploring her roots along the way, since 1989. From a young age she demonstrated talent in painting and drawing and cultivated her skills through the years with help and inspiration from her beloved grandfather. When he passed away in 2015, he left her his paints but most importantly, the encouragement to pursue her passions. Amanda can be found on
Instagram @ aislingaquarelle.
Tyrelle Smith
Illustrator
Tyrell is the illustrator for Princess MeeCheli and Just Indian.
Tyrell is an artist from Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended the Cleveland Institute of Art and majored in illustration.
A big fan of fantasy and science fiction, he always strives to give his own artwork a sense of scale, and epic, mythic quality.
Verónica Rosado
Illustrator
Verónica is the illustrator for Heartfelt, the Special Reindeer and Abuelita's Tree.
Verónica has always admired the Victorian and early 20th century children’s book illustrators and painters. As a child, she was hypnotized by these kinds of images, doubly so if fairies or other magical creatures were depicted.
Sakharam Umrikar
Illustrator
Sakharam Umrikar is a professional illustrator from Mumbai, India. He has nearly 19 years of experience in commercial arts. Sakhar has contributed to multiple illustrations books & animation films in India & Overseas.
Tracie Mitchell
Illustrator
Tracie is the illustrator for Moving Day for Alex.
Tracie is a visual and performing artist and has been throughout the country and overseas working in the arts. She currently lives in New York City and is originally from the small town of Wintersville, Ohio near the border of the state, which she describes as Steeler Country.
Matsue Z. Wiles
Illustrator
Matuse is the illustrator of The Lost Bicycle.
A native of Monrovia, Liberia, Matsue relocated to Louisiana in the early '80s so that her father could attend Louisiana State University (LSU). The Wileses returned to Liberia four years later, only to seek shelter in Baton Rouge again in the '90s to escape the brutal civil war in Liberia.
Jane Elliott
Illustrator
Jane is the illustrator of Beatrice and the POGS.
Jane Elliott studied art at Cal State Fullerton and has taken many other classes as she explors the world of art making. She is currently studying illustration and visual media design. Aside from drawing and painting Jane has expressed her creativity as a photographer, metal sculptor, woodworker, costume maker and surface pattern designer. art galleries.
Nikki Key
Illustrator
Nikki is the illustrator for The Last Drop of Sunshine and When I Got a Sister.
Nikki is originally from a tiny town in east Texas and moved to New York in her twenties.
She majored in studio art at The City College of New York and spent a year of intensive figure study at The Art League of New York.
Meg Petrillo
Illustrator
Meg is the illustrator for Abela's Adventure.
Meg Petrillo is an illustrator who grew up on the outskirts of Queens, NY. She devotes a lot of her time to creating art and encouraging new artists. She learned art at a public high school and SUNY FIT. Her work can be seen at MegPetrillustration.tumblr.com.