About

Sarah Allen is an illustrator and children’s author based in Melbourne, Australia. The natural world is her biggest inspiration. Through her colourful picture book series, Sarah introduces children to Australia's amazing wildlife. Sarah's work has been commissioned for Australia Post stamps, greeting cards, games and murals. 

Books

Author-illustrated titles

• Ingenious Insects, due for release on 25 June 2024, Affirm Press

• Jumping Joeys, Sarah Allen, author-illustrator, October 2021, Affirm Press. Notable listed for Children’s Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year - Early Childhood 2022.

• Busy Beaks, Sarah Allen, author-illustrator, September 2020, Affirm Press. Shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year - Early Childhood 2021

Illustrated

• Nosy Lion, Anna Milbourne, illustrator Sarah Allen, August 2021, Usborne Publishing 

• Little Lift and Look Bugs, Anna Milbourne, illustrator Sarah Allen, April 2020, Usborne Publishing 

• Are You There, Little Unicorn?, Sam Taplin, illustrator Sarah Allen, February 2019, Usborne Publishing

• Little Lift and Look Garden, Anna Milbourne, illustrator Sarah Allen, March 2019, Usborne Publishing

• Origami Dinosaurs, March 2017, Usborne Publishing

• Origami Animals, September 2016, Usborne Publishing

Select clients

Djeco, Usborne Publishing, Affirm Press, Australia Post, Earth Greetings, Text Publishing, Amber Lotus, VicSuper, Victoria State Government and local councils.

Residencies

• 2023, City of Melbourne, Shop 54 residency, Creative Spaces

• 2021, Creative Workers in Schools Program, Regional Arts Victoria

• 2021, Falls Creek Artist in Residence Program

• 2019, ArtsBox, City of Maribrynong

Exhibitions

‘Beaks of the Bay’, Laneway Gallery, Laverton, 1 November 2021 to 3 January 2022.

Celebrating Australian Birds, solo show, The Boroughs Store, East Brunswick, December 2019.

Public art

Dinosaur Bird, Metro Tunnel Creative Program, Scott Alley, Melbourne, August 2022
Waterways of Epping, Epping West Primary School lobby, Sydney, May 2022
Beaks of the Bay, Woods Street Arts Space, Laverton, Hobsons Bay City Council, Jan 2022
Bird Count, Deer Park North Primary School, Deer Park, December 2021
Hello Hakea mural, City of Maribyrnong Street Works program, West Footscray, April 2019

Mural and public art portfolio

Education

Make Art That Sells online classes taught by Lilla Rogers, 2015 - 2020
Post Graduate Diploma Internet and Web Technology, RMIT, 2000
Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts), Ballarat University, 1995

Online art classes

Memberships

• Illustrators Australia

• Children’s Book Council of Australia (Victorian Branch)

• Australian Society of Authors

• National Association of Visual Arts

• Birdlife Australia

• Team Kowari