We were lucky to catch up with Angela Gooliaff recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

A current meaningful project I’m working on is illustrating “The Broken Book” for authors Paula Jernigan and Jonean Walton of Texas. This children’s book empowers kids with dyslexia to view their unique abilities as superpowers. The story follows Braxton, Jernigan’s seven-year-old son, who becomes disheartened when he struggles to read. His journey culminates in a touching conversation with his father, where Braxton learns he actually possesses a special gift.

The most rewarding aspect of this project is collaborating with Jernigan and Walton. Jernigan, who has dyslexia, is dedicated to creating empowering children’s literature. Walton, born with cerebral palsy, leads a vibrant and dynamic life, continually challenging the limits of her condition, and is already a published author. Both have faced significant losses—Jernigan’s husband and Walton’s father—but together, these best friends live together on a large ranch, raising Jernigan’s two boys, and turning their challenges into strength and motivation. Their journey is truly inspiring.

“The Broken Book” is set to publish in fall 2024 and aims to support educators, parents, and caregivers in empowering children with dyslexia.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As an illustrator for children’s books and a voiceover actor specializing in various roles, I thrive on interpreting and enhancing narratives. Whether through visual storytelling in illustrations or bringing characters to life with my voice, I enjoy bridging the gap between text and audience. Whenever there’s a narrative challenge, I strive to innovate solutions on the spot or collaborate with the team to strengthen the storyline.

I’ve been fortunate to contribute illustrations to over 40 children’s books and work in diverse voiceover projects, including animations, commercials, and my passion project—described video. Described video enhances accessibility by providing audio descriptions of visual content, ensuring inclusivity for individuals who are blind or partially sighted. You can hear my described video work in Netflix series like “Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight,” “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” and films such as “Barbie Mermaid Power” and “Re: Uniting.” I’m excited about making storytelling accessible to a wider audience.

My work centers around the power of storytelling. Story serves as the backbone of society, shaping how we perceive ourselves, others, and our place in the world. It can unite, inspire, and drive us forward. This compelling force is what drives me to collaborate on impactful projects.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes! My mission is to bring my children’s book, ‘A Fun Food Friends Adventure,’ which I wrote and illustrated back in 2017, to life as an animated series. The revamped and innovated story aims to empower children to discover the joy in learning and to recognize their self-worth from within, rather than succumbing to harmful behaviors like comparisons or undue hyperachievement. Through the protagonist Blueberry, I intend to impart life lessons in an engaging and lively manner, exploring the fundamental building blocks of life.

My dream is to collaborate with my friends from the film and TV industry to transform this project from the page into an animated production. Currently, I’m in the initial stages of seeking funding to allocate more time to this endeavor and involve talented collaborators in bringing this project to life. If you’re an investor interested in supporting a grassroots project with a positive message, I invite you to reach out.

Looking ahead, I aspire to continue collaborating on creative projects while expanding my repertoire to include writing my own stories for children’s books and animation. Building teams and creating meaningful, impactful content are essential goals for me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

That’s an easy one: market research. Understanding your ideal client and their needs before creating anything is crucial.

Although art school is important, it often taught the opposite—assuming that creating something would naturally find a market. In my experience, this hasn’t always been the case. It’s essential to first engage with your target market, understand their challenges, and then find ways to help them achieve their best outcomes.

Art school excelled in fostering conceptual and out-of-the-box thinking, which has been invaluable. However, to thrive as a creative business professional, I’ve found it essential to complement these skills with business and marketing strategies. Learning from experts like Amy Porterfield, Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi has been transformative, providing insights that go beyond traditional artistic education.

Understanding that business at its core is about helping people has made the learning process enjoyable and rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angelagooliaff.com
• Instagram: @antartist
• Facebook: Angela Gooliaff Artist
• Linkedin: AngelaJoelleGooliaff
• Other: Pinterest: @angela_gooliaff

  Email Newsletter for free coloring crafts: https://angela-gooliaff.ck.page/freebies

Image Credits

Ashley Ross Studios