Ami Shin is a Korean illustrator based in Ulsan, South Korea. She loves traveling, and her work is deeply inspired by diverse cultures around the world. Since childhood, she has been fascinated by patterns and intricately detailed objects, a passion that continues to shape her visual language.

She graduated from the Cambridge School of Art in 2015 and won the WIA Award in 2016. Her work was selected for the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition in 2020, 2023, and again in 2026. She is the author and illustrator of Mice in the City: London, Mice in the City: New York, and Mice in the City: Around the World, which have been translated into many languages.

Her book Ian’s Imaginary House was selected for BRAW’s Amazing Bookshelf at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Her second book, Ian’s Extraordinary Adventure, was published in 2024 and was selected as a winner of the 2026 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Education

 

MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art

BA Illustration & Animation (First Class Honours), Kingston University

 

 

 

 

Awards & Honors

​

2026

Illustrators Exhibition 2026, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy (Ian’s Extraordinary Adventure)

IBBY Korea Books for Everyone Nominee (Ian's Imaginary House)

 

2025

Sharjah Illustration Competition, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

 

2024

ICMA award, Bronze, 14 ICMA series books, Meerbusch, Germany

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2023

Hii Illustration, Children's book category, Merit award, China. (Ian's imaginary House) 

Ananas Illustrators Competition, Beijing International Book Fair, Beijing, China (Ian’s Imaginary House)

Illustrators Exhibition 2023, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy (Ian’s Imaginary House)

BRAW Amazing Bookshelf, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy (Ian’s Imaginary House)

Communication Arts Illustration Annual 64, Books Category, Belmont, USA (Ian’s Imaginary House)

ICMA Award of Excellence, 13 ICMA Books, Meerbusch, Germany (Ian’s Imaginary House)

Selected Book, Bookstart Korea, Seoul, South Korea (Ian’s Imaginary House)

 

2022

Chen Bochui Original Illustration Competition, Excellent Work Prize, Shanghai, China
(Mice in the City: Around the World)

 

2021

Eye Level Literary Award, Excellence Award, Seoul, South Korea (Ian’s Imaginary House)

Ananas Illustration Competition (BIBF), Finalist, Beijing, China
(Mice in the City: New York)

 

2020

Illustrators Exhibition 2020, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy
(Mice in the City: London)

 

2019

Moscow International Book Fair, Image of the Book, Diploma, Moscow, Russia
(Mice in the City: Around the World)

Ananas Illustration Competition (BIBF), Finalist, Beijing, China
(Mice in the City: New York)

Applied Arts Magazine, Young Blood – Entire Illustration Winner, Toronto, Canada
(Mice in the City series)

3×3 Illustration Annual No.16, Merit, New York, USA
(Mice in the City: London)

Children-Spectators, Selected Illustrators, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy
(Mice in the City: London)

 

2018

Chen Bochui Illustration Exhibition, Shanghai International Book Fair, Shanghai, China
(Mice in the City: Around the World)

Concurso Internacional de Álbum Ilustrado
Biblioteca Insular de Gran Canaria, Finalist, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

3×3 Illustration Annual No.15, Merit, New York, USA
(Mice in the City: New York)

 

2017

Autori di Immagini Annual 2017, Bronze, Milan, Italy

 

2016

Concurso Internacional de Álbum Ilustrado
Biblioteca Insular de Gran Canaria, Finalist, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Silver Award, Global Voice of Future Generations Children’s Competition
(in partnership with the United Nations), UK

Children’s Book New Talent Winner, World Illustration Awards (AOI), London, UK
(Mice in the City: London)

 

2015

Ronald Searle Award, Shortlisted

 

2014

Macmillan Prize for Illustration, Highly Commended, London, UK

 

2010

LG Hazzys Illustration Competition, 3rd Prize, Seoul, South Korea

 

2009

Illustration Competition, First Prize, Claudio Association Foundation Buziol, Venice, Italy

 

 

 

Exhibitions

 

2025, Award-winning Works Exhibition, Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

2024, 2023 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, CXC Art Museum, Seoul, Korea

2023, 1916 Workshop of Cultural Heritage Park, Ministry of Culture, Taichung, Taiwan (The Mask Play) 

2023, Landscapes and portraits of BCBF 2023, Bologna, Italy

2023, Braw Amazing Bookshelf2023, Bologna bookfair, Italy (Ian's imaginary house) 

2023, Illustrators Exhibition 2023, Seoul

2023, Illustrators Exhibition 2023, Bologna Bookfair, Bologna, Italy (Ian's imaginary house) 

2022, CICLA Original Illustration Exhibition, Baoshan, Shanghai, China (Mice in the City: Around the World) 

2022,1916 Workshop of Cultural Heritage Park, Ministry of Culture, Taichung, Taiwan (Mice in the City: New York)

2021, National Changhua living art center, Taichung, Taiwan (Mice in the City: Around the world) 

 

2019, Themed exhibition, Bologna bookfair, Bologna, Italy

2019, Children-Spectators, Teatro Testoni Ragazzi (La Baracca Testoni), Bologna, Italy 

2018, Chen Bochui Exhibition in Shanghai International Bookfair, Shanghai, China 

2017, Annual 2017, Laboratorio Formentini per l'Editoria di Milano, Milan, Italy

2017, Seoul Illustration Fair, Coex, Seoul, Korea

2017, Aberystwyth Arts Center, UK

2017, Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, UK

2017, Roe Valley Arts, Limavady, UK 

2017, UWTSD Swansea, UK

2016, Somerset House, London, UK  

2015, MA Children's Book Illustration Graduation Show: Exhibition in the Ruskin Gallery, London, UK 

2015, MA Children's Book Illustration Graduation Show: Exhibition at Candid Art Trust, London, UK

2014, Illustration for Macmillan Prize for children's book Illustration Exhibition in The Coningsby Gallery, London, UK

2012, Collaboration art of 'This is a public art' Sejong Center, Seoul, Korea

2009, D&AD New Blood, Earls Court, London, UK 

2009, Fresh Meat, Shoreditch Town Hall, London, UK

 

 

Interviews & Media

 

Pulse 95 Radio Interview, Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival 2025 (SCRF25), United Arab Emirates

Domus Magazine, November 2023 (Italy)

Rakibium Magazine, South Korea

Yongin City Library, South Korea

​AOI 2016 WIA New talent winner, London, United Kingdom

 

 

 

Books

 

Ian’s Extraordinary Adventure, Kidsschole (Onul Books), December 2024

Ian’s Imaginary House, Kidsschole (Onul Books), August 2022

Mice in the City: Around the World, Thames & Hudson, August 2018

Mice in the City: New York, Thames & Hudson, February 2018

Mice in the City: London, Thames & Hudson, February 2018

Draw It! Color It! Creatures: With Over 40 Top Artists, Macmillan Children’s Books, September 2015
(Contributor)

Contact  

For all inquiries, please contact 

jevisatang@gmail.com