Mariko Ando was born in 1969 in Japan and was raised in Osaka and Nara. She studied visual design and illustration as well as teaching at Shukugawa Gakuin College in Hyogo, Japan. Ando moved to Vancouver, Canada in 1999 and has been a resident there since. She is a printmaker and illustrator whose works have been exhibited internationally and whose book illustrations have received multiple awards. Ando’s hand-colored etchings are known for their detailed technique and thoughtful, humorous nature. Her prints often feature rabbits, birds, and other creatures in mischievous scenarios.