Hi, Iβm Shari!
I create whimsical, story-driven illustration and design for books, brands, and thoughtful, collectible products.
My Approach
Collaborative + Intentional
I approach each project as a collaboration, building on what already exists to create something thoughtful and cohesive.
My work is rooted in storytelling, detail, and creative direction. Iβm most energized by projects that allow space to develop ideas fully, whether thatβs through illustration, special edition design, or product-based work.
My focus is on creating high-impact, meaningful pieces that connect with my clientsβ audience and feel worth keeping
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Illustration
Whimsical, story-driven artwork for products, licensing, and custom merchandise designed to feel thoughtful and collectible.
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Books
Illustration and design for books, from covers and special editions to complete, cohesive book experiences, including packaging and supporting visuals that help bring the work to life at launch.
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Graphic Design
Thoughtful, illustration-led design for brands and products, with select support for web, print, and digital assets.
About my Work
Iβm drawn to projects that feel immersive, thoughtful, and a little bit magical. Whether Iβm designing for a book, a product, or a brand, I love bringing ideas to life through detail, storytelling, and cohesive visual direction.
My goal is always to create work that feels meaningful, intentional, and worth keeping.
Featured Projects & Collaborations
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Collaboration with Piecely Puzzles
Piecely Puzzles creates modern jigsaw puzzles by artists from all over the world. My design, βThe Hideawayβ is available to purchase as a Mini Puzzle at www.piecelypuzzles.com and as a 1,000-piece version at this link.
**NOTE: U.S. Residents, the Mini Puzzle is available to ship to residents of the United States from the U.S. Retailer, Puzzledly. Linked Below! The 1,000-piece version is available on Puzzledly.com
ALSO, if you are local to Oakdale, California - head over to The Shoppe on 3rd Avenue to purchase a mini puzzle in store! For more info on hours/location check out their website.
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Collaboration with Munimade
My licensed collection with @munimade continues to grow! Our latest release, Parisian Reader, has sold out but others in the collection are still available!
Munimade, a small, family-run shop known for their high-quality diamond painting kits, first reached out in Fall 2024 to license my artwork, and Iβm thrilled to keep expanding this collection together.
You can now find five Diamond Painting Canvas Kit designs with Munimade: Blooming Greenhouse, Pet Games, Secret Garden, Parisian Reader & Sugar and Spice with MORE in production! Shop them all at Munimade.com, and be sure to follow along for future releases! π«
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Collaboration with Grump & Sunshine Booskhop
β¨ Special Edition Collaboration β¨
Iβve teamed up with Cassidy James Taylor, owner of Grump & Sunshine Bookshop, to illustrate exclusive special edition romance novels for collectors and book lovers. ππEach edition features thoughtfully designed details including custom illustrated dust jackets, foil-stamped hardcover cases, illustrated edges, and full-color endpapers, all created to bring the story to life beyond the pages.
Several titles in the collection are now available at grumpandsunshine.com, with more designs releasing as the series continues.
β¨ View the full series and artwork here:
https://www.shariborba.com/grump-sunshine-limited-edition-book-series -
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Collaboration with Story Books and Toys
β¨ New Collaboration Alert! β¨
I had the joy of creating this custom illustration for Story Books & Toys to celebrate their one-year anniversary in downtown Oakdale! πThe design is inspired by the charm of the bookstore itself and the cozy, story-filled community that gathers there. Creating this illustration in collaboration with Lauren was such a fun way to celebrate this special milestone for the shop.
You can find the shirts in-store at:
π 150 S 2nd Ave, Oakdale, CA 95361If you're in town, stop by, support local, and browse one of Oakdaleβs most magical little bookstores. π
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Blackwing Ambassador
Iβm honored to share that Iβve joined the Blackwing Ambassador Program! β¨ Known for their premium pencils and rich creative legacy, Blackwing has been a favorite of artists and writers since the 1930sβJohn Steinbeck and even Looney Tunes creator Chuck Jones were fans. Today, their pencils are still crafted with genuine California incense-cedar and Japanese graphite, staying true to their analog roots. π€βοΈ
As an ambassador, Iβll be sharing behind-the-scenes peeks into how I use Blackwingβs beautiful tools in my own creative processβfrom layering their colored pencils over watercolor to slowing down with sketchbook studies. You can explore their full collection here and use Code SHARI at checkout. (Affiliate link: I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.) π
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Collaboration with Refuge Coffee Oakdale
Iβm so excited to share this custom Refuge Coffee Downtown Oakdale design, created in collaboration with one of my favorite local coffee spots! βπΏ
Inspired by the cozy, welcoming atmosphere of Refuge and the heart of downtown Oakdale, this design celebrates community, coffee, and the place so many locals gather each week.
The artwork is now available on sweatshirts and tote bags at Refuge Coffee.
You can find them in-store at:
π 113 N 3rd Ave, Oakdale, CA 95361Stop by for a great cup of coffee, support local, and grab one while you're there!
Testimonials
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Itβs hard to put into words how enjoyable it was to collaborate with Shari. She spent time helping us uncover the real needs and goals of our project, guiding us through ideas and pulling out what would work best for our brand. Her consultation process was thoughtful and thorough, so I always knew what to expect. We were beyond pleased with how everything turned out. Once the design launched and was brought to life, the collaboration sold out in just two days. We are so grateful to work with Shari and look forward to many more projects together.
Lauren Dutch, Bookstore Proprietor, Story Books & Toys
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Working with Shari was such a genuinely great experience. Sheβs not only incredibly talented, but also organized, easy to communicate with, and really thoughtful throughout the whole process. I came in with a rough idea of what I wanted, and she brought it to life in ways I never couldβve imagined. The final edition completely blew me away, and I know readers are going to connect with it on a deep level. If youβre an author who needs some structure, direction, or just wants really beautiful book design, youβd be lucky to work with her.
- Cassidy James Taylor, Bookstore Proprietor, Grump & Sunshine Bookshop
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Our practice has struggled for years to have consistent social media. Having a capable, dedicated person has grown our business through our visibility on social media. Shariβs artistic and perfectionist eye reflects the professionalism of our business. Shari is extremely responsive, checks in to make sure I feel comfortable with everything, and has been so easy to work with. She has also taken the content of our old website and made it visually new and modern. She also has created flyers, office signage, and letterhead to make our office look consistently nice. The process has been truly easy and I wish we had started working with her years ago.
- Lindsey Todorovich, Pediatric Dentist, Butte Pediatric Dentistry
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We have had the pleasure to work with Shari multiple times now and each opportunity has been such a great experience from start to finish. From the first conversation, she really took the time to understand our business, the feel of our shop, and what we wanted the design to communicate. Instead of just creating something that looked good, she focused on creating something that truly fit our brand and our personalities. The design process felt very collaborative and easy. She shared ideas, asked thoughtful questions, and was incredibly receptive to our feedback. Each experience never felt rushed, and every revision brought the design closer to exactly what we had envisioned. Shari's creativity paired with her attention to detail made the whole process smooth. We look forward to working with her again in the future.
- Kara & Kirsten, Owners, Refuge Coffee Oakdale
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Shari creates artwork that feels like stepping into a beautifully crafted world full of rich textures, soft details, and complex characters. As a fellow artist, I truly admire her thoughtful, nuanced approach to everything she makesβwhether itβs an immersive book cover or a story-driven piece bursting with personality. Her work has a compelling energy that invites you to look closer and discover something new with every glance.
- Megan Roy, Author & Illustrator, @roymeister
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I have had the pleasure of working with Shari in a creative and professional capacity for the last several years, and truly every time - itβs been a delight! Shari is so incredibly talented as an artist: she is a creative, thoughtful and talented powerhouse. When I reached out with two projects, I had tight deadlines and large requests, and Shari not only repeatedly provided valuable insight and help, but she did it all with a laugh and a smile. I cannot recommend working with Shari enough - she is a delight!
- Sarah Simon, Artist, Author & Teacher, @themintgardener
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It is always such a pleasure to host art challenges with Shari on Instagram. She is always very supportive and reliable. Her art, excellent communication skills as well as friendly, open personality are a great source of inspiration. She contributes so much to the artist community!
- Anna Galitskaya, Childrenβs & Editorial Illustrator, @galitskaya.illustration
FAQs
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First things first, if you havenβt filled out my inquiry form, this is a great place to start. Then, we will start with a free consultation to determine your design needs (and if weβll make great collaborators!) From there, I prepare a proposal detailing the scope of work per our discussion, any additional items you might want to explore, the overall process, pricing options and any other necessary details. I give you all the information to decide whether it is a good fit before any work begins.
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Pricing is based on both the projectβs scope and your desired timeline. After we meet to discuss your needs I will draft up a proposal giving you pricing options and/or packages for you to choose from. I promise fair rates and will always require your approval before I begin my work.
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Timelines depend on the project, but I always provide a general outline of timelines in my proposal after our initial client meeting and before our project begins. In general, at least a month will be dedicated to each client unless the scope of the project requires less or more.
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Yes! You may find art available for licensing in my website portfolio but I am also always adding art to social media or behind the scenes that might not make it to my portfolio right away so be sure to ask me if there is something in particular you are looking for. I am also happy to work in collaboration with you and design just the piece youβre looking for!
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So glad you asked. I love creating book covers aimed to capture the essence of the story you have written, attract potential readers, and ultimately entice them to purchase your book. In order to do that I work with you through a discovery process, provide research and ideation until we come up with a concept that you love, then I create digital sketches & provide color exploration and finally I fine tune and finalize artwork for your cover. A more detailed process outline is given in a proposal prior to beginning work.
Now Booking for 2026
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Now Booking for 2026 γ°οΈ
Get in Touch!
Fill out the inquiry form today to discuss your illustration or design needs and Iβll be in touch!
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