Kaz Windness

Kaz Windness is the Geisel award-winning, genre-crossing illustrator and author of funny and heart-warming books for young readers. Proudly neurodivergent (ASD/ADHD), Kaz specializes in character-driven books celebrating inclusivity, grit, and kindness.

Kaz studied children’s book illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) where she was a valedictorian graduate in 2002. Kaz is passionate about helping artists succeed and believes education is key. She is a professor of illustration at RMCAD and founder of The Cuddlefish Academy, where she inspires students to tell stories with pictures.

Kaz loves squishy-faced dogs, waffles, and all things spooky. She loves working in watercolor, acrylic, collage, pencil, but mostly Photoshop. There's not much she won't turn into an art supply.

She lives in Colorado with her English teacher husband, two teen children, and a bunny-obsessed Boston Terrier named Remy. Kaz loves making deep-dish pizza from scratch and sketching animals at the zoo.