Cayla is an illustrator, photographer and multimedia designer based in Michigan. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2022. She has illustrated several collaborative picture books and has over a decade of experience as a certified art educator, graphic designer and illustrator. She is inspired by early 20th century printmaking and Golden Age illustrators like Kay Nielsen. Cayla uses collage, photography and traditional drawing to explore themes of heritage, self-discovery, empowerment, and celebration. Her interest in folktales and complex human-nature relationships lends a magical realism to her work.