Vanessa Balleza

Illustrator / Art Teacher / Cultural Promoter

Picture by Maura Morandi 

Vanessa Balleza

Vanessa Balleza is a Venezuelan illustrator based in Florida USA, Art-Teacher in her studio, and other art schools like  Kalos Music Art. She has a college degree in visual arts from the Central University of Venezuela and studied comic and illustration at the López Allaco Comic Book School. These studies have influenced her making of a style that combines different techniques and formats.

Her work can be found in many children’s books with independent authors and publishers. Her experience in the world of children literature includes illustrating for Santillana, Edaf, Benchmark publishing, Romor, Monte Ávila, Planeta y Biosfera, producing: Canito Dónde estás?, La T Alta, Oto el Pirata, El Origen de los Mosquitos, Greña/ Crazy Hair y Star with you. She also works with independent authors like Kianny Antigua, Constanza Pollier, Adriana Devers and Luz Mack.

As a visual artist, she and Cristina Núñez founded Artistas en conjunto, a collective who produces and coordinates art shows and exhibitions since 2004. She currently works full time in teaching, illustration, and visual art. News about her current art and editorial projects can be found at www.vanessaballezaa.com.ve, Facebook, instagram, and Twitter.

Awards.

  • 2018. 1th Place Hispanic Heritage Doral Art Exhibit. 2018. USA.
  • 2018. 1th Award International Latino Book Awards – Most Inpirational Children’s Picture Book- Bilingual. Greña/Crazy Hair. Kianny Antigua. USA
  • 2017. Top Ten Best Children and Teen Books for 2017 by The Latin Authors. USA
  • 2017. Letras de Ultramar Award. Un Zompopo Peculiar. Kianny Antigua Ilustraciones de Vanessa Balleza. USA
  • 2010. Award Ciudadano Dycvensa Salón de Artes Visuales Dycvensa. Venezuela
  • 2009. Award Zuplemento. Humor cartoon. El Chivo. Venezuela
  • 2008. Award Emergent Artist- I SIACM. Salón Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo en Museos. Latin Art Museum of America. Pomona. California. USA.
  • 2004. Award Ciudadano Dycvensa. Salón de Artes Visuales Dycvensa. Venezuela
  • 2004. III Salón de Arte Digital. Best Animation “Frida en silencio”. Venezuela

CANITO UN DIA DE VERANO / SUMMER'S DAY

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

Adapted and illustrated by Vanessa Balleza with her endearing character CANITO

British Council Venezuela

A world of fantasy turned into tales

“It is not about the strength of her imagination, but the force of wind that, as Lichtenberg would say, drove Vanessa to create these stories, since she elaborates these unreal scenarios in an absolute natural way” 
Perán Erminy 
Pintor, crítico de arte, curador y docente.