Lotus and Feather by Ji-li- Jiang illustrations Julie Downing
The tune Lotus plays with her reed whistle epitomizes her world.
"The sound drifted around the empty lake like a wisp of sorrow."

The day arrives when Feather must return to the wild. With a heavy heart, Lotus sets him free. Eventually Feather returns. Lotus' whistled tune now becomes a sound of joy.
"Her whistle, accompanied by the birds' singing, echoed far, far away in the golden sky."
"If there is one goal I would like to achieve in my life, that is to bridge the gap between China and the western countries ... " Ji-li Jiang
I was surprised to learn that Downing used digital tools to develop the illustrations. It is a laborious process, requiring hours of painstaking work. She painted about 70 separate transparent layers and then digitally arranged and rearranged them to create the final product. Learn more about the art of creating her stunning images here.