Sanctuary is a hardcover, 24-page picture book written and illustrated by me. It follows two children, Isaac and Cassidy, as they set out to watch a sunset together. The story traces their friendships and interactions. It explores their expression of love for each other, and how we might express our own platonic love towards friends.

Each spread pairs a finished illustration with moments of fairytale like rendering, transporting the reader into the youth’s sanctuary. Interspersed are preliminary sketches that reveal the creative process: composition studies, and character explorations that show how the final images grew from simpler lines and ideas.

The book’s tone emphasizes love and nostalgia, inviting readers of all ages to savor the build-up to a single sunset and to notice how shared experiences become places of comfort and belonging. Designed as a keepsake, the hardcover presentation and richly rendered art make Sanctuary both a story to read aloud and an object to return to again and again.