About

Hello and welcome! My name is Tessa Kocken and I'm an illustrator, art educator, anthropologist, partnership facilitator, non-profit advisor, sports athlete and mom of two. I grew up in the Netherlands, did research in South Africa and moved with my family to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012. Here in beautiful California I've rediscovered my passion for illustration and making art.

This website shows projects that I have created as well as my journey as an illustrator. It's a work in progress. I love looking at things from different perspectives, thinking out of the box and telling visual stories. The subjects I illustrate are often connected to the work I have done in partnership management and sustainable development. Supporting positive (social) change is something I deeply care about.

I'm drawn to mixed media handwork, using pen and ink, watercolors and colored pencil. But since a few years I've moved from working 100% traditionally to working partly digitally. Especially to create more depth in my images and to experiment with textures. I really enjoy exploring the wide range of possibilities it has opened up for me.   

I'm available for commissions and collaborations, so don't hesitate to contact me!
You can reach me via email, or through the contact form.