WHO IS THE ARCHITECT GIRL?
Jamila Pearl is a girl who wants to be an architect when she grows up. She is a very outgoing and creative person who enjoys using her imagination. Her favorite color is red. She is the third of five children and a natural-born leader. She is going to be the Next Great Architect and her journey begins in first grade!
MEET THE AUTHOR
Hello! My name is Kionna Louise Walker. I am the founder of Next Great Architects and a mother to six beautiful children. I was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and moved to the United States when I was in the fourth grade. I grew up in E. St. Louis, IL, and graduated from high school in Belleville, IL. I knew I wanted to be an architect in the eighth grade. I love art and math, and architecture is a beautiful combination of the two subjects. When it came time to go to college, my mom would not let me go further than the neighboring states of Illinois. It was a great compromise since Ball State University was ranked 5th in the nation for top architecture schools at the time.
College was tough but with the passion I have, nothing could stop me from reaching my goal. I graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and eventually received a Master of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College. I gained a lot of experience in architecture through employment at architectural firms, but I realized if I wanted to make a mark in architecture, I would have to blaze my own trail.
I founded Next Great Architects in 2014. I became the person I needed when I was pursuing architecture. I wrote Jamila Pearl The Architect Girl as an extension of Next Great Architects with the mission of introducing more children to the profession of architecture.
MEET THE ILLUSTRATOR
I am Tashema Nicole Davis, owner of Expressive Expressions by T. Nicole. I am, first of all, a follower of Jesus Christ, an artist, an art teacher, wife, and proud mother to two beautiful girls. I enjoy creating arts of all kinds, but my favorite is creating portraits. My love of drawing portraits started long before I can actually remember. I always wanted to be the creator of a cartoon character and have it develop into a cartoon show… maybe one day down the line.
I grew up in the projects of Gary, Indiana, and truly enjoyed my life and my surroundings. I often found myself creating pieces that remind me of home and the times of my childhood. I left Gary in 2000 to attend Ball State University where I received Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. After a few months, I realized that was not my passion, so returned to Ball State for graduate studies. I received my Master’s in art and a license to teach art in 2010. I have been teaching various art courses at Marion High School in Marion, Indiana since 2011 and I absolutely love teaching art! Along with teaching art, I am also the sponsor of the Marion High School art club, sit on the advisory board for the art and writing scholastics of the Fort Wayne museum of art, book illustrator, and do community beautification projects.
The ultimate purpose for my art is to be an expression of all things beautiful and meaningful in my life. I believe art transcends the typical and doesn’t always dwell in the realm of just color, line, and form. Art is also composed of higher thought, in the divine commission to help others become better, and to spread peace. I pray that I can help everyone who comes across my work to express themselves, become better, and to love more.
“It is so cool to take the ideas in my mind and bring them to life. I am always thinking about design.”
- Jamila Pearl