Rahele jomepour Bell
ARTIST STATEMENT
Rahele Jomepour Bell’s inspiration comes mostly from her childhood and Friday night family gatherings at her grandparents’ house and illustrated books from around the world. She is happiest creating illustrations that send the imagination flying, offer a new look at an old idea, and reassure the viewer of their place in this world.
ARTIST BIO
Rahele Jomepour Bell is an Iranian American illustrator, author, and educator. She moved to the United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of becoming a free international artist and earned her MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. She is an assistant professor of Illustration at the Kansas City Art Institute and a full-time freelance picture book Creator, represented by Christy Ewers at The Cat Agency.
Rahele has illustrated over 20 picture books published across Iran, the United States, and Canada. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, including Vietnamese, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Turkish. Her illustrations have garnered numerous accolades, including a win at the 2023 Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustration Exhibition, the 2025 Blue Ribbons Award, and selections in the Society of Illustrators’ Original Art and 67th Annual Exhibitions, and also American Illustration 44 CHOSEN Winner. In 2025, she was nominated by USBBY to represent the United States at the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB).
Her research and creative practice center on diversity, cultural identity, and inclusive visual storytelling. Rahele has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012 and serves as a mentor in the KS/MO region. She regularly presents and leads workshops at national and international conferences, including SCBWI, ALA, and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
Born and raised in Iran, Rahele draws deeply from her childhood memories, story-filled nights at her grandparents’ house, and richly illustrated books from around the world. Inspired by artists such as Zdeněk Miler, Fyodor Khitruk, and Farshid Mesghali, Mohammad Ali BaniAsadi creates illustrations that invite the imagination to travel, challenge expectations, and celebrate belonging.
As an educator, Rahele is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of visual storytellers. She teaches full-time at the Kansas City Art Institute’s Illustration Department, where her pedagogy is grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Through courses such as Senior Image Thesis, Children’s Picture Book Illustration, and Professional Practices, Rahele fosters inclusive, student-centered environments that honor diverse learning styles and cultural backgrounds. She emphasizes storytelling as a powerful personal and social connection tool, encouraging students to find and express their unique voices through illustration. Beyond the classroom, she actively mentors emerging artists, connects students with industry opportunities, and builds interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge creative writing, design, and motion arts. Her goal is to empower students with technical skills and confidence, critical thinking, and a deep sense of purpose in their creative practice.