Ashley Belote is an award-winning illustrator and a 2012 summa cum laude graduate of Alderson-Broaddus College where she earned a B.F.A focusing on visual art with a minor in creative writing.  After completing two semesters of graduate work at West Virginia University she continued her graduate study through the Simmons College satellite graduate program at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. She has a Masters degree in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky. She has always been the creative type and has been extremely fortunate to turn her passion into a career. Ashley began illustrating children’s books and painting murals during her undergraduate study at Alderson Broaddus. She also draws pencil portraits, teaches painting classes and does freelance work. She has illustrated multiple award winning children’s books that include 15 Mom’s Choice Awards, 7 Indie Book Awards, an Indie Excellence Award, International Book Award, USA News Best Book Award and 10 Creative Child Magazine Awards.