This album features the illustrations for the second story in the Jera series — “Jera is Lost.”

When my client Audrey first shared her idea of creating a book filled with family stories about her mother’s beloved horse — now her children’s grandmother’s horse — I had my doubts at first: would I be able to draw horse illustrations well?
But as the work progressed, I gained confidence and began to truly enjoy every step of the process.

When I started illustrating the stories about Jera, I wanted them to have a classic feel while still preserving the spontaneity and energy of quick sketches.

I really wanted to keep the illustrations in a noble, subdued color palette to convey the spirit of the time. After all, they depict the grandmother in her youth — these are her own stories about her beloved horse.

The story takes place in Fort Bragg, California, so it was important for me to capture the essence of the local landscape — its distinctive scenery and natural character, which I’ve come to love deeply.