ARTIST BIO
Claudia Chinyere Akole is an exhibiting artist, illustrator, cartoonist, designer, animation director, and educator from Sydney, Australia (unceded lands of the Gadigal & Wangal Peoples who share the Dharug Language); currently based in Tokyo, Japan. She works as a freelance illustrator, animator, cartoonist, and educator while also creating comics, illustrations, and multidisciplinary artworks in her personal practice. She's an art hag who bleeds pink – with work that tends to cover cultural identity, abstraction, and mental health.
An award-winning cartoonist, Claudia uses the ‘Tracing Paper Comix’ style, which involves creating final comic art traditionally using acrylic paint markers on multiple layers of tracing paper. A fascination with physical layers, symmetry, pattern-making, and wiggly lines is ever-present in her traditional art-making practice. Her visual signature consists of bold block colour and abstract line work rendered by hand predominantly in paint and marker mediums.
Claudia is also a Teacher and Research Assistant at the University of Technology, Sydney in the Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building (UTS DAB) and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (UTS FASS) where she has taught various subjects across design and animation.
Passionate about wider access to practical arts education, Claudia is also experienced with teaching design, comics, and animation workshops at various levels including high school, university, and professional settings. Some examples include: teaching illustration and comic school holiday workshops for young people through Western Sydney organisation WestWords in partnership with Big Sky Stories, and Headspace, Broken Hill. Teaching comic-making workshops to high school students from migrant and refugee backgrounds through the NSW organisation STARTTS. Teaching animation workshops to high school students through the University of Technology, Sydney for a collaborative student animation project with Carriageworks. And being the 2021 Facilitator for Toolkits: Graphic Narratives, an online graphic storytelling program for young Australian writers.
Claudia is a first generation Australian of Armenian-Iranian and Nigerian heritage. She is passionate about social equity and the role of the Arts in communicating and advocating for the human experience in its countless forms. Claudia loves working both as a commissioned artist or educator for projects that further social causes for young people, LGBTQ+ people, First Nations people, people of colour, migrants and refugees, and work that endeavours to close gaps in gender, class, and racial inequality.
Claudia has also been a part of the organising team for Read To Me – A live graphic storytelling event held in Sydney and beyond that invites writers and artists of all calibres to read their graphic narratives to a live audience.
Claudia made her directorial debut as Co-Director & Art Director of ‘She Creates Change: Naifat’, an animated film co-directed by Bonnie Forsyth & Claudia Chinyere Akole as part of the 6-part live action and animation docu-series ‘She Creates Change’. Directed by Emmy-winning director and producer Martha Adams for global charity Room to Read in partnership with Nexus Studios. ‘She Creates Change’ was selected as part of Tribeca X 2023 Official Selections, was screened at SXSW EDU 2024, and premiered in 15 Asian Countries in March and April 2024 via Warner Bros Discovery on Discovery Asia, TLC, and Discovery+ India channels.
FEATURES / Media
Featured Artist on Room to Read — JUNE 2023
Featured Artist on NAVA Artist Files — MARCH 2023
Featured Artist on Variety, Cartoon Brew, Animation Mag, LBB, Skwigly, Businesswire, The Daily News, Bezinga, Yahoo! Entertainment, AOL — MARCH 2023
Featured Event on The Comics Journal — FEBRUARY 2023
Featured Artist on Kapow! Comic Book Show — DECEMBER 2022
International Guest Artist at Short Run Comix & Arts Festival – NOVEMBER 2022
Featured Artist on Ballpit Mag — MAY 2022
Featured Artist on Archie Rose Journal — FEBRUARY 2022
Featured Artist on High Snobiety — MAY 2021
Featured Artist in Sydney Morning Herald — MARCH 2021
Featured Artist in Going Down Swinging 41 — JANUARY 2021
Most Clicked Piece of 2020 on Going Down Swinging — DECEMBER 2020
Featured Artist in 31st International Festival of Comics & Games: Cyber Edition — NOVEMBER 2020
Featured Artist on Grass Fires — OCTOBER 2020
Featured Comic on All The Best Radio — SEPTEMBER 2020
Featured Artist on Frankie Magazine — SEPTEMBER 2020
Featured Artist on Art Pharmacy Online Store — JULY 2020
Featured Artist on Kapow! Comic Book Show — JUNE 2020
Featured Artist on Art Pharmacy Online Gallery — JUNE 2020
Featured Comic on All The Best Radio — SEPTEMBER 2019
Featured Cartoonist on ANMLY — SEPTEMBER 2019
Featured Exhibition on Life Without Andy — SEPTEMBER 2019
Featured Artist on The All Story — JULY 2019
Featured Artist on SHEER WORLDWIDE — APRIL 2019
Featured Cartoonist on Cartoonists of Color Database — SEPTEMBER 2018
Featured Cartoonist on Queer Cartoonists Database — SEPTEMBER 2018
Awards
She Creates Change (Room To Read x Nexus Studios)
People's Voice Winner [Video & Film] [Public Service & Activism (Branded)] in The Webby Awards 2025
MAY 2025
Why Black Lives Matter Resonates With Black People All Over the World: An Open Letter to Australians (Going Down Swinging)
Awarded a Bronze in Comic Arts Awards of Australia 2021
JULY 2021
Chinyere Comic
Awarded a Gold in Comic Arts Awards of Australia 2020
DECEMBER 2020
Nominations
Why Black Lives Matter Resonates With Black People All Over the World: An Open Letter to Australians (Going Down Swinging)
Comic Arts Awards of Australia 2020 Short List
JUNE 2021
Chinyere Comic
Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly Ledger Awards) 2020 Short List
NOVEMBER 2020
Journal Comix Zine
Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly Ledger Awards) 2020 Short List
NOVEMBER 2020
Repeat: One Song Only Comic (Meet Me In The Pit Issue #2)
Comic Arts Awards of Australia (formerly Ledger Awards) 2019 Short List
MARCH 2019
Festival / Screening
She Creates Change (Room to Read x Nexus Studios)
San Francisco International Film Festival — APRIL 2024
SXSW EDU — MARCH 2024
Tribeca X Official Selections — JUNE 2023
She Creates Change, is an anthology series about six courageous teen girls who achieve things they once thought impossible. Each 11-minute episode begins with an animated short about a life-defining moment. A short documentary then reveals the teen hero behind the story.
Series Director: Martha Adams
‘She Creates Change: Naifat’ Animated Film Directors: Bonnie Taylor Forsyth & Claudia Chinyere Akole
PUBLICATION
THE WASHINGTON POST — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2025
MoAD (Museum of Australian Democracy) — ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2025
SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
JANUARY 2025
BURWOOD ART PRIZE — ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN COLLATERAL
MAY 2024
NAVA (National Association for the Visual Arts) — ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED
APRIL 2024
THE WASHINGTON POST — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2024
SBS ALC — DESIGN & ANIMATION CONTRIBUTED
OCTOBER 2023
GOING DOWN SWINGING #43 — COVER ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2023
NAVA (National Association for the Visual Arts) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
MAY 2023
RARE WITH GOOGLE — ILLUSTRATED POSTER CONTRIBUTED
DECEMBER 2022
FUTURE YOU AUSTRALIA — BRANDING DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION
OCTOBER 2022
NAVA (National Association for the Visual Arts) — ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2022
SHORT RUN COMIX & ARTS FESTIVAL — ILLUSTRATED POSTER CONTRIBUTED
MARCH 2022
ARCHIE ROSE X SYDNEY MARDI GRAS — ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2022
ART GUIDE AUSTRALIA (Jan/Feb 2022) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2022
7 METHODS WORLD — BRANDING DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION
FEBRUARY 2022
THE VERGE — ILLUSTRATION SERIES CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2022
FOLIO (Australian Comics Folio) — BRANDING DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION
DECEMBER 2021
ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
NOVEMBER 2021
VICE (AMATEUR HOUR) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
OCTOBER 2021
ADIDAS X FOOTLOCKER AU (AndPeople) — ILLUSTRATIONS CONTRIBUTED
OCTOBER 2021
THE NIB — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2021
ART GUIDE AUSTRALIA (Sep/Oct 2021) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2021
THE VERGE — ILLUSTRATION SERIES CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2021
AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2021
GOOGLE / WOMENWILL — ANIMATION & TYPE DESIGN CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2021
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE END OF EVERYTHING — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
MAY 2021
SBS ALC — DESIGN & ANIMATION CONTRIBUTED
MAY 2021
BUG MAG #3 (Klasse Thomas) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
MAY 2021
SBS CHINESE — ANIMATION & ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2021
FOUR TO THE FLOOR — ILLUSTRATED POSTER CONTRIBUTED
FEBRUARY 2021
GOING DOWN SWINGING #41 — COMIC & ANIMATION CONTRIBUTED
JANUARY 2021
ART GUIDE AUSTRALIA (Nov/Dec 2020) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
NOVEMBER 2020
ALL THE BEST RADIO #437 — AUDIO ADAPTION OF COMIC CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2020
THE VERGE — ILLUSTRATION SERIES CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2020
ABC (Science Friction) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2020
NEW YORK TIMES — ANIMATED ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2020
GOING DOWN SWINGING — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2020
ABC ARTS ONLINE (After Australia Anthology) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
JUNE 2020
STEADY DIET ISSUE #1 — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
JUNE 2020
THE LIFTED BROW 44 ‘DIGITAL INTIMACIES’ — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
DECEMBER 2019
COMIC SANS ISSUE 4 — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
NOVEMBER 2019
READ TO ME (Late Night Library) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
NOVEMBER 2019
ILLUSTRATE YOUR LIFE PIECES PROJECT 2 — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
OCTOBER 2019
ALL THE BEST RADIO #392 — AUDIO ADAPTION OF COMIC CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2019
KNOX STREET BAR — ILLUSTRATED MENU DESIGN
SEPTEMBER 2019
ANOMALY ART JOURNAL #29 — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2019
BRAG MAGAZINE Q3 COVER ART — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
SEPTEMBER 2019
READ TO ME (Refugee Art Project x New Moon) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
JUNE 2019
HAG MAGAZINE ISSUE #1 — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
APRIL 2019
THE LIFTED BROW 41 — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
MARCH 2019
MEET ME IN THE PIT ISSUE #2 — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
NOVEMBER 2018
UTS VERTIGO VOL 4 (2018) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
JULY 2018
READ TO ME — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
JULY 2018
COURTNEY BARNETT — ILLUSTRATED POSTER DESIGN
MAY 2018
THE LIFTED BROW 38 — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
MAY 2018
2 THE FRONT ZINE — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
APRIL 2018
VERTIGO VOL 2 (2018) — COMIC CONTRIBUTED
MARCH 2018
VERTIGO VOL 4 (2017) — ILLUSTRATION CONTRIBUTED
AUGUST 2017
EXHIBITION
FOG PROLOGUE SOLO EXHIBITION
BRIDGE STUDIO, KYOTO, JAPAN — NOVEMBER 2024
‘Fog Prologue’ was a 3-day Solo Exhibition held on Sat 09 Nov – Mon 11 Nov 2024 at Bridge Studio, Kyoto, Japan. It featured work created by Claudia Chinyere Akole during her time as an Artist In Residence at Bridge Studio over a 3-month period from 27 August 2024 - 19 November 2024.
This project was assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
OPEN STUDIO
BRIDGE STUDIO, KYOTO, JAPAN — SEPTEMBER 2024
An Open Studio event at Bridge Studio held on 21 Sep 2024, where visitors were welcome into the studio space to view the works by myself and the other resident artists and studio members. It featured work from Antonio Sobral (Brazil), Lin Chen (Taiwan), at0 Leatherworks (Japan), Colin Zimbleman (USA), Claudia Chinyere Akole (Australia), and Goût Studio (Denmark).
SHORT RUN 2022 MARATHON ART SHOW & PRE-FEST RECEPTION
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY, SEATTLE WA USA — NOVEMBER 2022
Limited Edition Giclée Print contributed. Shary Flenniken in conversation with Larry Reid from 6:00 - 6:30 PM Exhibition on view through Dec. 8th Featuring artwork by: Claudia Chinyere Akole, Shary Flenniken, Megan Kelso, Gareth Brookes, Natalia Novia, Lale Westvind, Anna Haifisch, Ariel López V., Casanova Frankenstein, James Spooner, T. Edward Bak, Madeleine Jubilee Saito, Julia Wald, Rodger Binyone, Jasper Jubenvill, Krusty Wheatfield & V. Vale Short Run and Fantagraphics Bookstore's long-going collaboration continues with the 10th annual Marathon Art Show.
SHORT RUN 2022 SPECIAL GUEST SHOWCASE / KICK-OFF!
THE GROCERY STUDIOS, SEATTLE WA USA — NOVEMBER 2022
Reading & performance with international special guests Natalia Novia, Anna Haifisch, and Claudia Chinyere Akole.
A live reading of the comic ‘Chinyere’ was presented as part of this kick-off event held on Thursday 3 Nov at The Grocery Studios in Beacon Hill.
MARDI QUEER 2022
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — FEBRUARY 2022
Original Installation Art contributed. Mardi Queer is a curated arts event that brings artists together in celebration of the LGBTQIA+ Community and their historical legacy. Curated by Oliver Vincent, Total Bore, and Noni Craig.
YES EXHIBITION 2021
AMBUSH GALLERY, WATERLOO — NOVEMBER 2021
Original Installation Art & printed canvas art contributed. YES Exhibition is a LGBTQ+ Art Exhibition held annually in Sydney on the anniversary of Australia voting yes to equal marriage rights. Curated & organized by Bowen Halkett.
RESTLESS ROOM / A SEMI PERMANENT HOTEL
PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL, SURRY HILLS — MAY 2021
Semi Permanent and High Snobiety launched a two-day experiential takeover of Sydney’s Paramount House Hotel on 25-26 May 2021 , each room of the hotel was dedicated to artists, designers and creators to present a vision for the future. Aptly called A Semi Permanent Hotel.
Restless Room included a range of new and adapted works in the form of printed textiles, printed canvas, painted ceramics, video animation, and large-scale original illustration installations.
Special thanks to Semi Permanent’s Mitchel Oakley Smith (Global Content & Creative Director) and Lucille Piovan (Execituve Producer).
YES EXHIBITION POP-UP SHOW
LUNA STUDIO, NEWTOWN — MARCH 2021
Original poster art contributed to the first ever YES Exhibition Pop-up Show. 2020 prevented YES Exhibition from running their third annual exhibition, so they held their first ever pop-up show. Featuring 10+ LGBTQ+ artists, one day only, same day as Mardi Gras! Curated & organized by Bowen Halkett.
STEADY DIET LAUNCH SHOW
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — MARCH 2021
Three pages of original comic art contributed to the launch show for 'Steady Diet', a collection of 12 self-contained short stories from the Ledger Award-winning publisher of 'Meet Me in the Pit'. It features some of Australia’s best emerging cartoonists exploring their relationship with food. Edited by Chris Neill.
GOOD TO BE BACK GROUP EXHIBITION
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — JANUARY 2021
An original illustration contributed to the ‘Good To Be Back’ group show welcoming back Goodspace with a roster of local regulars. Held over 3 days from 11-13 Jan 2021. Curated by Drita Ajredin.
AUSTRALIAN COMICS presented by IllustrateYourLife
AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY, BERLIN, GERMANY — FEBRUARY 2020 - APRIL 2020
Several pages of final comic art was contributed to the Australian Comics group exhibition, which intended to showcase a mix of Australian comic artists and cartoonists in Berlin, Germany. Presented by IllustrateYourLife and curated by Jakub Mazerant.
RESTLESSNESS — SOLO SHOW
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — SEPTEMBER 2019
RESTLESSNESS was Claudia Chinyere Akole’s first solo exhibition, which showcased her hand-drawn illustration, cartooning, and design practice. RESTLESSNESS was a glimpse into full-scale original drawings, illustrations, comic art, Tracing Paper Comix, hand-drawn type, and their associated process material including comic pencils, sketches, and drafts.
HAG MAGAZINE ISSUE #1 LAUNCH SHOW
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — APRIL 2019
Two pages of comic art contributed to the launch show for the Hag Magazine Issue #1 launch. Curated by The Art Hags (chief editors Georgette Stefoulis and Ella Sanderson).
MEET ME IN THE PIT ISSUE #2 LAUNCH SHOW
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — NOVEMBER 2018
Three pages of comic art (originals and print versions) contributed to the launch show for the Meet Me In The Pit Comic Anthology Issue #2 launch. Curated by Chris Neill.
B.T.W. BETWEEN TWO WORLDS GROUP EXHIBITION
FREDA’S/DOWN UNDER SPACE, CHIPPENDALE — MAY 2018
Illustrated and written material from the pre-production stages of the short animated film ‘Mama-Jon’ were contributed to the Between Two Worlds group exhibition based on the theme of multicultural identity in Australia.
LUCKY I’M A LADY GROUP EXHIBITION
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — AUGUST 2017
Two illustrated posters were contributed to the Lucky I’m a Lady all-women charity group exhibition, curated by Martina Martian.
ILLUSTRATED RIGHTS GROUP EXHIBITION
GOODSPACE GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — FEBRUARY 2017
An illustrated poster was contributed to the Illustrated Rights charity group show, based on the theme of the 2017 Women’s Marches, and curated by Synsoc (Synergy Society). All proceeds of works sold were donated to Planned Parenthood.
PUT IT ON WAX GROUP EXHIBITION
AMBUSH GALLERY, CHIPPENDALE — AUGUST 2016
Illustrated material was contributed to the Put It On Wax charity group exhibition, curated by Lord Street Collective. All proceeds of works sold were donated to local charity Heaps Decent.
Residencies
BRIDGE TO KYOTO
Bridge Studio, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
AUGUST 2024 – NOVEMBER 2024
COMIC ART WORKSHOP 2022
Yarrangobilly Caves, NSW, Australia on Wolgalu & Wiradjuri Country.
NOVEMBER 2022
Invitation / Lecture / Appearance
International Guest Artist
SHORT RUN COMIX & ARTS FESTIVAL 2022
Seattle, WA, USA on Duwamish Country.
NOVEMBER 2022
PANELS
Panelist on She Creates Change: A Global Tapestry of Stories Woven by Women Directors with Nexus Studios for Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market 2024
With: Electra Fotopoulou (Producer), Hannah Lau-Walker, and Prashanti Aswani (Animation Directors)
Le Campus – Room 1, Annecy, France – 13 JUNE 2024
Panelist on Drawing a Connection: Using Art to Communicate Complex Issues for Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) & International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
With: Chely Esguerra, Pascal Hufschmid, David Tuck, and Nancy Schneider
Online Livestream – 1 MARCH 2022
Host on Toolkits LIVE: The Grimey Reality of Comics Publishing presented by Express Media
With: Pat Grant
Online Livestream — 20 MAY 2021
Host on Toolkits LIVE: Non-Fiction Storytelling in Comics presented by Express Media
With: Samuel Luke
Online Livestream — 6 APRIL 2021
Panelist on Underground Comix Panel for Kapow! Virtual Comic Con with a Cause
With: Pat Grant, Safdar Ahmed, and Sarah Firth
Online Livestream – 30 AUGUST 2020
Panelist on A, B, Comics. Sequential Art in Support of Education Panel for Comic-conversation presented by IllustrateYourLife
With: Ben Mitchell, Fionn McCabe, Tim McEwen, and Jakub Mazerant
Ashfield Library — 13 JULY 2019
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication
Western Sydney University (WSU) 2012-2014
Bachelor of Design in Animation
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) 2014-2017
Bachelor of Design in Animation (Honours)
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) 2018 (incomplete)
Research
RESEARCH ASSISTANT – JANUARY 2021 - JULY 2023
Claudia was a design-based Research Assistant through University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), University of Melbourne (UOM), RMIT Melbourne in partnership with the National Library of Australia, Australia Council for the Arts, and Craig Walker Design funded by Australia Council of the Arts.
“The official name of our 2020 Australia Research Council-funded Linkage Project is ‘Contemporary Australian Comics 1980-2020: A New History’. In collaboration with our amazing Partner Organisations the National Library of Australia, Australia Council for the Arts, and Craig Walker Design, we will map, archive and promote Australian comics and graphic novels produced in the last 40 years, and the artists who created them.”
RESEARCH ASSISTANT – JANUARY 2018 - DECEMBER 2019
Claudia was a design-based Research Assistant in the field of Design and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) in Social Robotics through University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and Honda Research Institute, Japan (HRI-JP).
The prototypical social robot ‘Haru (春)’ is a joint research project between Honda Research Institute, Japan and 20+ universities and organizations from all over the world, operating as the Socially Intelligent Robotics Consortium (SIRC) group.