Deb Gruelle is the great-great-grand-niece of Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, so she grew up on his whimsical stories. One of Deb’s most fulfilling roles in life has been to be a mom and raise her three children, who are now adults. She has been certified as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to help children in foster care navigate the court system and has volunteered at her local women and children’s shelter and at Habitat for Humanity. She also enjoys indoor skydiving, snorkeling, and counting stars.

Gabi Murphy’s career in art was built on the enthusiasm of a bubbly, eccentric art teacher who claimed with exuberant arm waving: “Darling, you must do art!” She has been a freelance artist for over 35 years and has spent happy hours creating lots of cutesy, fluffy characters. She has recently studied acrylic and oil painting at ISoA and has also discovered an interest in digital art. Everything and anything can trigger a scribble session, but color is her greatest inspiration.