Janelle Washington

Janelle Washington is a paper cut and silhouette artist, educator, and illustrator living and working in Richmond, Virginia. Her primary materials are paper and digital media. She also incorporates colorful tissue paper, thread, and gold leaf to add color and dimension to her designs. All her papercuts and silhouettes are created using an Exacto knife and a single piece of paper. Her debut picture book, Choosing Brave, written by Angela Joy (Roaring Brook Press), received numerous awards and recognitions, including a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for Illustrations, and the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor.

Janelle's paper cuts and silhouettes have been exhibited at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, the National Institute of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach, VA, among many others. In addition, she has commissioned silhouettes housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, and created art installations for the historic St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, VA. Her work has been published in O, The Oprah Magazine, and Country Living magazine. Janelle has a BFA in Fashion Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. When she’s is not cutting paper, she spends time traveling with her husband, reading sci-fi and fiction books, and basking in the sun.