Sonia MariaLuce Possentini

Sonia Maria Luce Possentini was born in Canossa (RE), and she shares her work and home life between Canossa and Pigneto sul Secchia (MO). Having graduated in Art History from the DAMS institute at Bologna University, and Bologna’s Accademia di Belle Arti, she studied under Stepan Zavrei at the Sàrmede School of Illustration and took Kveta Pakovskà’s course in illustration at Venice’s Associazione Culturale Teatrio. She has been awarded grants from the Fondazione Magnani, in Rocca di Mamiano (PR), and the Olands Grafiska Skola. A painter and illustrator, Possentini has taken part in several exhibitions, both as part of a collective and individually, and seen her work published in illustrated volumes, on book covers and in publicity material for publishing houses Fatatrac, La Margherita Edizioni, Kite Edizioni, Mine-Edition, Grimm Press, Giunti, Mondadori and Sonzogno. She has been awarded prizes and accolades in Italy and internationally, including the Silver Award in the Illustration Competition West 49 organised by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. Her book Un bambino (Kite Edizioni, 2011) was selected by IBBY Italia and competed at the BIB – Bratislava Biennale. In 2012 she took part in the Città Invisibili project within the Biennale di Letteratura e Cultura per l’Infanzia, organised by the Regione Veneto. She teaches illustration at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics in Reggio Emilia and the Masters course in illustration for children and aesthetic education:” illustrazione per l’infanzia ed educazione estetica: per una pedagogia della lettura iconica” at the University in Padua.

In 2017 won the Italian Award Andersen as Best Illustrator.

Awards

• Andersen ( Italy) Award Best Illustrator 2017
• Prize for “The Reggians for example” 2017 section Arte -Reggio Emilia-
• Selection “The Penguin Without Frac” – corsiero Editore – for White Ravens 2016
• First Prize at the International Literature Competition for Children’s Literature Cento (FE) 2016
• First Prize “Gianni Rodari “2015
• International selection  White Ravens 2014 children book: “l’alfabeto dei sentimenti” Ed. Fatatrac
• First Prize at the “Città di Bitritto” Bari NationalAward for Children’s Literature Bari 2014
• First Prize at the “Premio Pippi”Award for Children’s Literature Bologna 2014
• First Prize at the IV Mariele Ventre National Award for Children’s Literature, Section ages 12-16, Sasso di Castalda (PZ), 2011.
• Silver Award, Illustration Competition West 49, organised by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, 2011.
• Select Luzers-Archive “200 Best illustrators worldwide”
• Silver Prize at the International Children’s Illustration Competition, Cento (FE), 2010.
• First Prize at the Syria Poletti International Competition: On Butterflies’ Wings, Local Councils of Bordano (UD) and Sacile (PN), 2008.
• First Prize at the Lucca Junior National Competition, organised by Lucca Comics and Games, 2007.
• First Prize at the International Illustration Competition in Swanenstadt (Austria), 2006.
• Special Prize for graphic experimentation at the VI International Stepan Zavrel Competition in Cassano Jonico (CS), 2006.
• First Prize at the Buon compleanno Andersen National Competition, Perugia, 2006.