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WORK TITLE: One Day in June
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WEBSITE: https://charlotk.myportfolio.com/
CITY: Dublin
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COUNTRY: Ireland
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Publishers Weekly vol. 267 no. 28 July 13, 2020, Sarah Mirk, “When Love Just Isn’t Enough: Dublin artist Kristensen’s debut graphic novel, What We Don’t Talk About (Avery Hill, Sept; reviewed on p. 60), focuses on an uncomfortable weekend trip taken by Farai and Adam, a young interracial couple.”. p. 61.
Kirkus Reviews July 15, 2022, , “Smith Jr., Charles R.: BESSIE THE MOTORCYCLE QUEEN.”.
Kirkus Reviews Apr. 1, 2025, , “Kristensen, Charlot: ONE DAY IN JUNE.”.
Kirkus Reviews July 15, 2025, , “Harper, Janelle: SALON SATURDAY.”.
ONLINE
Interminable Rambling, https://interminablerambling.com (October 18, 2022), review of What We Don’t Talk About
About & Contact
Charlot is a Danish/Zimbabwean illustrator & book author based in Ireland. Her work emphasises on diverse representation with a focus on empowering Black people. Some of her most renowned clients include Scholastic, Penguin Random House & Google. Charlot has published 3 books, her debut graphic novel *What We Don’t Talk About* was published by Avery Hill in 2020. She was one of 19 Black illustrators who worked on the award winning picture book *Hey You!* by author Dapo Adeola, published in 2021. And her latest picture book with author Charles R. Smith JR., *Bessie the Motorcycle Queen*, came out in 2022.
Illustrator Charlot Kristensen on comics, social media and getting creative with hashtags
by Creative Lives in Progress
Creative Lives
Published 20th October 2021
Charlot Kristensen
Freelance Illustrator
Based
Dublin
Selected Clients
Penguin Random House, Google, Irish Times
Place of Study
BA Illustration, Middlesex University (2012-2015)
website
instagram
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Growing up with a love of comics, Dublin-based illustrator Charlot Kristensen always knew that she wanted to do something creative. After studying for a diploma in art and design, Charlot graduated from Middlesex University in 2015, leaving with a degree in illustration and a handful of connections that led to her first paid jobs. But looking back, it was social media that proved to have the biggest impact on her career. Through contributing to hashtags such as #portfolioday, Charlot was able to grow her audience, attracting clients like Penguin Random House, Google and AARP. Recently, she even published her very own graphic novel, What We Don’t Talk About. Here, Charlot discusses her inspirations, finding your audience and why it’s okay to take on part-time work.
What I do
How would you describe what you do?
I’m a comic artist, illustrator and author. All my work is done digitally using a software called Procreate, which you can purchase on an iPad. I love drawing stylised characters, especially underrepresented ones. The clients I’ve worked with range from magazines like AARP, HuffPost and The New York Times, to book publishers such as Penguin Random House, Macmillan and Puffin Books.
What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Definitely Japanese media such as manga and anime, but also Disney movies like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Hercules; they served as big inspirations for my art style. I love the writing of manga artists and authors Rumiko Takahashi, Ai Yazawa and Yōko Kamio. It made me want to do comics, but I’m also a huge fan of cartoonist Brian Lee O’Malley and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s visual minds.
You recently published your graphic novel, What We Don’t Talk About; can you tell us more about the inspiration behind it?
It was based on my personal experience with subtle racism within my own family. I always wanted to tell a story that delved into how complicated relationships can become when race is a factor. My own relationship with my dad’s family was strained because of that, but we never discussed it, hence the title What We Don’t Talk About. Obviously all the characters in my book are purely fictional.
If you’re looking to publish your own work, write that book or comic and pitch it to publishers. Publishers have a guideline on when they take pitches and how to submit, so it’s important to familiarise yourself with their process. Alternatively you can self-publish using platforms like Kickstarter to fund the project. For this, it’s important that you build up some kind of audience beforehand, for example you could start a webcomic that you run on WEBTOON or Tapas. Both platforms are free to use and thousands of people read comics there daily.
“If you’re looking to publish your own work, write that book or comic and pitch it to publishers.”
Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
Absolutely not; it’s not essential to study art in universities or as a diploma, and there are so many resources available online such as Schoolism. Schoolism is an online art school and they have instructors, workshops and SkillShare videos. You can access all of that on a yearly subscription. But there are also free resources on Youtube and SkillShare, and a lot of artists also share their process on social media. A great example is Devin Elle Kurtz – she shares the process behind her work every Friday on her Instagram.
If you could sum up your job in a meme, what would it be and why?
I think this one (below) explains itself.
How I got here
What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
I always knew I wanted to do something creative. When I was 12 I discovered my love for comics, but since that wasn’t exactly something you could study in school, I ended up doing a diploma in art and design. The course didn’t specialise in one art form so you got a chance to try different things out, but it was there that I learned about illustration and how comics fall into that field.
When I finished my illustration degree in London, it did take some time to get work. The connections I made in uni helped land some first gigs, but it wasn’t until three years later that my work started getting noticed by clients on social media.
If you could pick three things that you’ve found useful or inspiring to your work or career, what would they be and why?
TheDirty Old Ladies podcast by Amanda Lafrenais, C. Spike Trotman and Kel McDonald taught me a lot about publishing, how to pitch work and make connections. I should say listener discretion is advised, preferably using headphones.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud – It’s a comprehensive book for any comic lovers or for someone getting into comics.
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli – I keep going back to this masterpiece of a graphic novel.
We’re Family article illustration, AARP
Summer Article article illustration, AARP
What would you say has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Earning enough to survive, ha. It’s a skill in itself that I’m finally getting the hang of, but you really have to be firm and say no to work that doesn’t value your skills. It’s no easy feat to stick to your fees.
How important would you say social media and self-promotion are to your work?
All my art commissions have come from connections I’ve made on both Twitter and Instagram. My first recurring client found me on Instagram and reached out to see if I wanted to work together. So it’s been vital for me to keep a social media presence. It’s really about getting yourself involved through hashtags like #portfolioday, #visiblewomen and #artvsartist; people post selective work on the days they run and I’ve found that has helped grow my network.
Black Irish Lives cover, Irish Times Magazine
Dr Moody Google Doodle
What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
My first year as a full-time freelancer was the hardest; I wasn’t making enough and I did end up finding part-time work. It’s important to have time to create but also be in a position to look after yourself financially. I often see artists burn themselves out because they take whatever they can get. Having that income on the side allows me to be more selective.
How did you go about landing your first clients?
Again, through social media, but also knowing how to target your audience. Since my work focuses on Black empowerment I definitely noticed a bigger interest from the US. So I ended up connecting with a lot of Black illustrators and writers from there. The hashtag that really helped my work be seen was #drawingwhileblack, created by Abelle Hayford back in 2018.
My advice
What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
For me it was figuring out what my passions were. It’s easy to draw pretty pictures, but it’s harder to combine that with a passion or calling. When I realised I wanted to use my art to amplify and empower Black people, my art suddenly took on a deeper meaning. Potential clients also started noticing my work.
What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?
Draw what you like, work on skills that will enable you to capture the images you see and get involved with your local art community. You learn a lot from others; if it wasn’t for the people I’ve met in the art industry, I wouldn’t have found work or opportunities. Check what art conventions and fairs are happening and get yourself a table to sell your art – it’s the best way to meet like-minded people.
Illustrator Charlot Kristensen on creating empowering Black comics
#Art
Author and illustrator Charlot Kristensen is originally from Denmark and grew up in a mixed family with a Danish dad and a Zimbabwean mom.
She found her artistic streak at the age of nine drawing cartoon characters, beginning with Disney but soon discovering the world of Anime and manga. Despite being at such a young age, Charlot knew that comics were her calling.
Charlot left Denmark for Ireland at 16 with her family and ended up in Belfast.
‘I definitely had a tough year adjusting in Belfast as a teenager. Leaving your friends back home to start all over at that difficult age was some of the toughest years I experienced but I now look back at it in a more positive way,’ she tells me.
‘I feel it’s taught me a lot about adapting and that you’ll always make new friends wherever you go. I also got to be around some artists for the first time ever so it had its good moments.’
Charlot Kristensen with her comic What We Don't Talk About
Charlot Kristensen with her book What We Don’t Talk About
Charlot spent four years in Belfast before moving to Dublin where she’s been since with the exception of studying in London for three years.
‘Today I’ve got a lot of communities around me and some really close friends that have made Dublin feel like home,’ she says.
Charlot focuses on work that empowers Black people and minorities and decided to explore this as she never saw herself represented in the media growing up.
‘Funny enough I only really drew white characters because that was all I really could see around me,’ she muses.
‘I didn’t know what a Black superhero looked like or how diverse and 3-dimensional we could be so I thought these were things that weren’t for us. Also, no one ever told me I could just draw Black people.’
It was in 2014, Charlot’s final year in University, that she decided to change that. This also coincided with the year that the Black Lives Matter movement began to gain traction.
‘And for the first time, I started paying attention to what was happening to my people and how my own experience as a Black person had affected me my whole life.’
Lovers by Charlot Kristensen
Charlot joined the full-time freelancing world in February 2019 after years of working in IT customer service.
‘Juggling commissions on top of my day job became too exhausting and I remember starting to feel like I either had to drop working as an artist or quitting my job, so I took the risk,’ she says.
‘It’s been a learning curve and definitely a strain on my financial income but it has also come with great benefits such as a healthier mind and more time to create.’
Charlot spent a lot of time building on her connections on Twitter by interacting with other artists and noticed that her art was more well-received by a US audience so began focusing on connecting with artists living in the States.
Jumping on popular hashtags like #portfolioday, #visiblewomen and #drawingwhileblack helped a lot she tells and also led her to be noticed by clients who are interested in her art.
‘What We Don’t Talk About’ is Charlot’s latest project and it came about when her now publisher dropped her a line over on Twitter asking if she would be interested in working together.
‘I had never created a fully written/drawn graphic novel before so I was quite unaware of how much work and time it would take,’ Charlot says.
‘I remember working so many evenings into the early hours of the morning but I learned a lot. Especially that it’s okay to ask for help or rely on others more. All my art is created on my iPad on a program called Procreate using my Apple pen.’
‘I love how easy it is to use this painting tool although it’s not ideal for comics. So when I’m done I usually finish up in Photoshop where I add the text and layout to my comics.’
Anime and manga still remain a strong influence in Charlot’s art. Artists such as Yoko Kamio, Hayao Miyazaki, Tomoko Ninomiya, Rumiko Takahashi and Ai Yazawa have had a great impact on her, especially when it comes to adding atmosphere and emotions as well as storytelling elements.
Bryan Lee O’Malley, Craig Thompson, Minna Sundberg, Nabi H. Ali, Sarah Burgess and Mariko Tamaki also influence her work.
Charlot’s cover for The Irish Times
The talented artist just got a new book deal through her literary agent and will also be the illustrator for a graphic novel titled “CARLOS ALEJO HAS TO LOSE HIS CHICHOS” written by Mathew Rodriguez.
It’s set to be released in 2023. Apart from that, Charlot is also developing her own new story, which she hopes to work on in the future.
What was the seed of an idea that got you started?
It's quite personal; I grew up in an interracial family. My mom is Zimbabwe-born and my dad's Danish. I grew up seeing ugly stuff happening, particularly on my dad's side of the family, who weren't really accepting of my mom. It's weird growing up with differenr identities, but also feeling like you're not completely accepted by your white family. I always wanted to write about a strong character like Farai, someone who really knows her worth.
How did you want this book to be different than other stories about interracial couples?
So many films will end like "love overcomes anything," but they don't talk about the complexity of being with someone who's different than you and had a different experience of the world I wanted Adam to be a complicated character that you didn't necessarily hate, but he was in conflict with himself because he couldn't really accept that he was with a Black person. I wanted to show that you could love someone, but you could still hurt them. Even though this story obviously touches on racism, I think a lot of people can relate to it in terms of lack of communication in a relationship.
During the weekend, Adam's mom makes racist microaggressions--small comments about African cultures and Farai's outfits--are they drawn from real life?
They were drawn from things I witnessed as a child, but I also reached out on Twitter. Black people told me about all these different experiences. But my inspiration was my parents. My mom was in a difficult position, coming to Denmark at the age of 19, when there weren't many Black people around. She always wants to please people, and she's taken a lot of stuff, I can see it's really worn her down. There was a part of me that wanted to create a heroine who responded differently.
There's a scene where Farai is getting dressed up to join Adam's family and deciding whether to put on her bright, African-patterned head wrap. What did that mean to you?
I started wearing a head wrap about two years ago. I remember the first time putting it on and going into public and thinking, "Wow, people are really gonna look." Because it's not something you see in Dublin. It's a way for me to connect with my African roots. I wanted Farai to share that kind of connection, in moments where she's questioning, "Should I hide myself?" and she realizes, "No, actually, I should be proud."
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 PWxyz, LLC
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Mirk, Sarah. "When Love Just Isn't Enough: Dublin artist Kristensen's debut graphic novel, What We Don't Talk About (Avery Hill, Sept; reviewed on p. 60), focuses on an uncomfortable weekend trip taken by Farai and Adam, a young interracial couple." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 28, 13 July 2020, p. 61. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A631140528/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1a1b0d70. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Smith Jr., Charles R. BESSIE THE MOTORCYCLE QUEEN Orchard/Scholastic (Children's None) $18.99 9, 20 ISBN: 978-1-3387-5247-2
She's one cool rider.
Biographical information and poetry combine in this biker-book bonanza about Bessie Stringfield, a Black motorcycle aficionado who crisscrossed the United States in the late 1920s and early 1930s. When traveling, Bessie relied on fate--specifically a penny and a map--to determine where she'd head next; during her travels she performed in circuses and in races. The story does not shy away from the racism Bessie encountered in her travels; when she couldn't find anywhere that would let her spend the night, she slept alone on her bike. As Smith notes, biographical information on Stringfield is scant, as little has been written about her, but the author's note and the brief bibliography will help curious readers learn more, including her love of telling a good yarn. The text rides a fairly smooth road: "Bessie slung her jacket / over her back, / reached under her chin / and undid her strap, / slid off her helmet / with style and grace, / then stunned the crowd / with her hidden brown face." But the real leaders of the pack are the illustrations, which incorporate color in exciting ways while providing Bessie a classic vibe for her adventures. Unexpected pops of purple, pink, and teal create a strong visual interest that will help draw readers into Bessie's story. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A great tale about one bad biker. (Picture-book biography. 8-10)
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"Smith Jr., Charles R.: BESSIE THE MOTORCYCLE QUEEN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2022. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A709933361/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=126e9cb6. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Kristensen, Charlot ONE DAY IN JUNE Putnam (Children's None) $18.99 5, 27 ISBN: 9780593525371
On a day in June 2020, people across New York City gather in defense of Black trans lives--and to honor queer activist and icon Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992).
"You see the way we are exactly ourselves, no more, no less? That's because of Marsha." Addressing both a young child and readers, a Black caregiver offers glimpses of Marsha's life: her style, her attitude, her struggles, but most especially her seemingly simple but radical acts of kindness and acceptance. Connecting these past moments to the present, Tourmaline's text is wonderfully light on its feet, dancing through rather than around the threats faced by Marsha and by Black trans people today while also showing that the sunshine of connection and joy is more than a match for the shadow of all-too-real struggle. A distinctly intergenerational pulse thrums under every word, emphasizing the storytelling and living knowledge at the heart of queer, trans, and Black community resilience and resistance. Kristensen's illustrations bring Marsha's full glory to bear as she sweeps not only skirts too fabulous for words, but also a larger-than-life light across the cityscape of her home and her people. Most impressively, Tourmaline brings Marsha the icon into the more intimate space of Marsha the person as she finds joy in accepting herself and others, knowing "that's how we change the world"--something the youngest of readers will understand they can do.
A tribute as bright, luxuriant, and giving as Marsha herself. (author's note, additional resources)(Informational picture book. 3-8)
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"Kristensen, Charlot: ONE DAY IN JUNE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A832991579/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3f0a16c3. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Harper, Janelle SALON SATURDAY Viking (Children's None) $18.99 9, 23 ISBN: 9780593526330
A Black girl chooses a hairstyle.
The unnamed young narrator's grandmother, mother, and big sister go to the salon every Saturday, and today the protagonist is joining them for the first time. As they head down the street and board the bus, she worries about selecting the right style. The people on the street have their own unique 'dos, as do the women in her family; they each have advice on how to decide ("Think about ease," advises Momma, while Sissy says, "Think about personality"). "What is my kind of beautiful?" wonders the protagonist. After a tingly shampoo and a spell under the hair dryer, she's inspired by her loved ones and makes her decision before happily joining "the parade of styles marching down the street." While the story structure feels a bit formulaic, the relationships are warmly and thoughtfully portrayed; this is a joyful depiction of a milestone in a child's life. Reminiscent of animation, Kristensen's illustrations use abstract settings and spot art to showcase different hairdos. The combination of bright colors and pastels gives the setting an eclectic appearance.
An upbeat introduction to a beloved rite of passage.(Picture book. 4-8)
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"Harper, Janelle: SALON SATURDAY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A847367659/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dc1eb416. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Beauty and Love in Charlot Kristensen’s “What We Don’t Talk About”
October 18, 2022 / Leave a Comment
by Matthew Teutsch Unknown's avatar
During my recent trip to Philadelphia, I had to stop by Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse before they closed on October 15. Thankfully, I had some time to go to Almagam, look around, and pick up a few books. On the recommendation of someone at Almagam, I got Peter Calloway and George Jeanty’s Shadow Doctor. As well, I purchased Canizales Amazona and Charlot Kristensen’s What We Don’t Talk About. I chose these books because flipping through them, before I even read them, I kept thinking about how I would possibly use any of them in my classes. So far, I’ve only read Kristensen’s What We Don’t Talk About, and her book is, as the back cover notes, an important and powerful work that examines “contemporary issues of race, bigotry, and the challenges that interracial couples face.”
When I initially read the back of the book, I knew I wanted to get it, and I immediately started thinking about teaching it alongside something like Ernest Gaines’ Of Love and Dust, Octavia Butler’s Kindred, or Alice Childress’ The Wedding Band. However, as I started to read it, I began thinking about it in connection with something like Jordan Peele’s Get Out or other works because What We Don’t Talk about addresses, on a very personal, narrative level the psychological affects of racism, specifically through microagressions, and the ways that these acts harm and sever intimate connections between individuals, in this case the two-year relationship between Farai and Adam.
What We Don’t Talk About takes place over a few days when the couple head to Adam’s parents so he can introduce them to his partner Farai. From the moment they arrive, Martha, Adam’s mother, attacks and belittles Farai. She belittles Farai’s parents and their education in Zimbabwe, even though Farari’s mother is an engineer and her father is a doctor. Martha claims that Britain provided Zimbabwe and Africa with everything it has today, she says islamophobic and xenophobic comments to Farai when Farai wears a head wrap, and she spouts racist comments about a gardener they had to “let go.” All the while, Farai looks to Adam for support, but all he does is deflect and cower in the face of Martha’s racist attacks.
Martha’s racism, coupled with Adam’s cowardice, leads to various confrontations throughout the text. In each of these confrontations, Martha or Adam blame Farai for not being able to “get along” with them or for making everything about “race.” While Martha’s comments are straight up racist, Adam is just as complicit in attacking Farai through his inaction and through his audacity to blame Farai for, as he angrily asks her, “Why do you always have to make everything about race?”
Following one of her fights with Adam, Farai retires to the garden to draw. As she sits in the lush landscape, Martha approaches and takes a seat directly across from Farai. Martha crosses her hands under her chin, looks at Farai, and says, “Look Farai, I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot.” She condescendingly continues by telling Farai that she’s “trying really hard to get along with” her but Martha feels like Farai doesn’t like her. Martha acts like she has been a generous and genial host, doing everything in her power to make Farai’s stay at their house pleasant, even claiming that Farai has been unkind to her. Farai merely smiles, looks at Martha and asks, “Really, I was unkind to you?” At this, Martha angrily gets up and storms off, telling Farai to not be late for dinner.
The sequence ends with a lightning flash, signaling the tempest arising as the climax approaches. The final page of the sequence has three panels and narration. The panels begin with ominous clouds, and then we see lighting in the last two panels. Farai narrates over the course of the panels, “People will only see racism when it’s at its most extreme. But racism is more than just slurs and violent acts. I think it’s important to be true to yourself. If something feels wrong, you should speak up.”
Here, Farai sums up, in many ways, the entirety of What We Don’t Speak About. I see her narration as affirming her agency and her actions at the end of the text when she leaves Adam. While we know that Martha’s comments may not be the “most extreme,” we know them as racism, islamophobia, and xenophobia. That is clear. What Farai also makes clear is that Adam’s blatant inaction, under the guise of not wanting to offend his parents or his claims that they’re of a different generation is just as damaging, if not more so, than Martha’s blatant racism. Adam’s inaction hurts Farai just as much, if not more, because she loves him.
At the end, Farai gets on a train and leaves Adam, telling him that she needs him to support her and to stand up to his parents. What We Don’t Speak About ends with two pages and Farai’s narration. The first page has four panels, each depicting rain falling on a cobblestone street as Farai narrates, “Walking away from the person you love is never easy. But if that person refuses to see you for who you really are, if loving them means you have to silence yourself to please them, then that love is not worth it.” The book ends with a panel depicting the sun shining through the clouds, surrounded by a black background as Farai states, “You’re worth more than that.”
The final page highlights Farai’s beauty, her love for herself, and the racism that she endures. Darkness encases the panel, and we can read this in two ways. If we think about the black background as the racism that Farai encounters, then we see it as still encroaching on her, even though the sun shines through the clouds. However, I would rather see this final page in a different way. Rather than connecting the black background with the racism, and thus reinforcing connotations of black with bad or negative, I want to think about the background as Farai herself, her beauty and love for herself. The sun shining through the clouds illuminates Farai, and it reinforces her worth and her beauty. Reading the final page in this manner, we support and love Farai for who she is and condemn Adam’s inaction and Martha’s blatant racism.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below, and make sure to follow me on twitter @silaslapham.