Manuja Waldia

About

Photo by PrintText (Ben & Janneane Blevins)
Bio by Yvonne Pearson

 

Manuja Waldia is a designer and artist who combines symbolism and storytelling through two unique styles of art. She received her BFA in Communication Design in 2014, and her whimsical, painterly and playful work takes us on a magical journey of ethereal rituals, festivals and gatherings covering themes of feminism and friendships. In contrast to this is Manuja’s vector based illustrations—detailed and geometric, like her illustrations for the Penguin Classics Shakespeare series.

She has been featured in Forbes, The Atlantic, PRINT, Fast Company, Creative Review, Wired, Illustration Age and more. She was also awarded a gold medal in the 2016 Society of Illustrators, and another by 3x3mag in 2017.

Manuja is from India, now based in Portland, Oregon. She lives with her cat Crookshanks aka Kitty Baby.

Goals for the next 5 years

S77A0468.jpg
 

Education

National Institute of Fashion Technology
New Delhi (India) 2010-12
B.Des. in Communication Design

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Milwaukee (USA) 2012-14
BFA in Communication Design

 

Selected Press

 

Selected Books & Magazines

Penguin Classics: Cover to Cover 
Penguin Random House (US)
2016

Indianapolis Monthly
November 2016

Asymmetry
PrintText (US) 
2016

 

Selected Awards & Shows

Society of Illustrators  
Gold Medal , Book Category
For Pelican Shakespeare
2016

Society of Illustrators  
Uncommissioned Category
For Matriarchal Memories
2016

3x3
Gold Medal
For Pelican Shakespeare
2017

3x3
Merit
For Self Care & also
For various greeting cards
2017

50 Books | 50 Covers 
For Pelican Shakespeare
2016

American Illustration  (AI 36)
For Pelican Shakespeare
'The  Tempest'
2017

American Illustration  (AI 36)
For Pelican Shakespeare 'Macbeth'
2017

"Be My Cover" 
Curated by Fabrizio La Rocca
Turin, May 2016