Yawen Zhou is a painter, children’s picture book author, and illustrator based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Originally from China, she has published seven picture books, two chapter books, and illustrated eight additional children’s titles over the past decade. Her work has appeared in literary columns, children’s magazines, and international exhibitions—including Children’s Books from China, which toured countries such as Germany, Italy, and the U.S. Her books are also held in public library collections around the world, including in Canada.

Yawen holds a BFA in Animation (Cartoon & Comics) from Nanjing University of the Arts and is currently completing a Certificate in Visual Arts (Painting) at NSCAD University, where she will begin her MA in Art Education in 2025.

Since arriving in Canada in 2023, she has been passionate about connecting with local artists and sharing her cross-cultural storytelling experience to foster creative exchange and collaboration through visual art.