Heather Karlsson

My name is Heather Karlsson, and I am the creator of Norman the Hedgehog and Shark. I am a self-taught artist and doodler extraordinaire. I've scribbled and drawn for as long as I can remember, but I didn't really start taking it seriously until 2019, when I decided I needed a more creative outlet than my usual line of work. My mediums of choice are watercolor and watercolor brush marker, although I do use gouache for larger works. I use pen and ink to line out the pencil sketches I make, then add color with watercolor and marker. The result is an illustrative style reminiscent of children's books and comic strips. My goal is to make this silly little hedgehog and his equally silly little shark friend live in as real and beautiful a world as possible. Some of my art influences include Bill Waterson (the creator of "Calvin & Hobbes"), Will Henry (the creator of "Wallace the Brave"), Kate Ashwin (the creator of "Widdershins", among other things), Georgia Dunn (the creator of "Breaking Cat News"), and of course Charles Schultz (the creator of "Peanuts"). When I'm not creating art, I am rebuilding woodwind instruments. This has been my main line of work for over twenty years. I stay pretty busy, but I do like to travel and hang out on the Texas gulf coast, as well as crochet, look at cool rocks, and hoard plants. I live in Carrollton, Texas with my husband and my deranged elderly housecat.