“Through literature, animation, and illustration, I’ve devoted my career to giving breath to tales and characters, aiming to enrich our world with meaning and mirth. It’s about crafting joy, fostering connection, and sprinkling a bit more magic into our lives, all in pursuit of a brighter, more beautiful existence.”

Narjes (Jessy) is a visual artist and author working across animation and picture book illustration. Her practice is rooted in storytelling and a meticulous attention to detail, creating work that engages audiences of all ages.

From 2024 to 2025, Narjes was selected as one of eight talents in the NEXT Talent Hub, where she developed her new animation Number 22 and created illustrations for Kunstlock and other projects.

Her journey in the arts began in Iran, where she illustrated several children’s books. Her critically acclaimed picture books have been translated into multiple languages and sold thousands of copies worldwide. What a Brilliant Idea! received international recognition, winning awards at festivals including White Raven, COW, and the Hiiibrand Illustration Prize, and was selected as one of the best books by the Victoria Government in Australia in 2021. More recently, her new book Mira en de Vogel was published by one of the Netherlands’ most prestigious publishers, Querido.

After moving to the Netherlands, Narjes studied animation and expanded her practice as an animation director and motion designer. Her animated short Hi! was selected for over fifty international festivals, including Kaboom, Cinanima, Animatic, Taafi, Cinekid, and the Netherlands Film Festival.

Narjes believes in the transformative power of narratives, particularly for children. She sees children’s books and animations as tools to transcend boundaries, foster empathy, and ignite imagination. Her work aims to bring joy, hope, and creativity to young audiences through engaging stories and playful visuals.

Beyond her personal creative projects, Narjes curates animation programs for festivals and institutions such as Kaboom, Cavia, Arnhem Museum, and Kino. She also shares her expertise through lectures at institutions including ArtEZ, Rhode Island School of Design, and Dokuz Eylül University.

Narjes is currently working on her next picture book and animation project. Her latest work can be explored https://www.singeluitgeverijen.nl/querido/boek/mira-en-de-vogel/.

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