James Voûte is an accomplished artist, progressing from painting to illustrating his stories which champion Australian animals and birds, often in humorous settings. James was educated in The Netherlands before migrating to Australia. He spent 15 years in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and remote communities of the Northern Territory before settling in Tasmania. James lives in Fern Tree, Tasmania on the foothills of kunanyi Mt Wellington, a setting which is a constant inspiration, especially observing the wildlife at close quarters.