Maria van Lieshout was born and raised near Amsterdam, where she spent many weekends in the Museum Quarter row house where her grandparents lived with her artist aunt and metalsmith uncle. After high school in Leiden, Maria studied Visual Communications at George Washington University in Washington, DC, and worked in design and innovation at Coca-Cola. In 2000, Maria became an illustrator full-time. She has illustrated and written several picture books. Song of a Blackbird is Maria’s first graphic novel.

(Photo credit: Adissapong Praphantanathorn)