Juliana Kolesova
To achieve a historically authentic likeness, digital artist Juliana Kolesova focused on Warren’s facial features, paying close attention to proportions and expression.
Toronto-based illustrator, painter, and photographer Juliana Kolesova has spent more than 25 years creating art across a variety of media. Born in Kazakhstan, she studied at the Moscow School of Applied Arts, focusing on art history, historical costumes, and graphic design. After exhibiting her work throughout Europe, she moved to Toronto and built a prolific career illustrating more than a thousand book covers and projects for publishers in North America and Europe, earning numerous national and international awards.
Kolesova’s connection to her subject, Mercy Otis Warren, shaped her approach to this project. “It was fascinating to read about her life and contributions to American history,” she says. “Being a writer myself, I was especially pleased to portray a strong woman, a poet, and an activist. It was a very meaningful experience, one I consider deeply significant.”