Personal:

The images in “Ride with Me” were drawn with blue and purple soft pastel on blue pastel paper.

I chose pastels because they can be smudged to create soft, atmospheric effects and the illusion of movement. The blue theme echoes the sadness of the story.

I had always been timid around horses until I helped out at a fundraiser for Riding For The Disabled. That evening, I watched horse whisperer Wayne Banning teaching trust to a frightened horse and I learned so much from watching.

Although I’d never drawn a horse before, I decided to make a book from the experience.

The story is important to me too because my mother died when I was a teenager and I hope to help other young people suffering from a similar loss.