Turning passion into a bestselling career: Kerri’s journey from fine art to author

Kerri Cunningham’s journey began at the University of Central Lancashire, though not in the field she initially intended to study. After a short time, she decided to drop out, return to college, and complete a foundation course in Art. This marked the start of her career in Illustration and Visual Merchandising.

The following year, Kerri returned to the University to pursue a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. Having always been passionate about drawing, this felt like the right path for her. Reflecting on her decision, Kerri said: “I just loved drawing, from as young as I can remember drawing was just my favourite thing to do. It sounds like a silly reason to study something at university but in reality, I think it makes perfect sense to pursue something that makes you happy. Drawing, painting, creating and studying art made me happy.”

After graduating, Kerri moved to Manchester and began working as a Visual Merchandiser for renowned clothing brands such as Burberry, Ted Baker, and Boohoo. Her role involved planning and optimising apparel and design displays, analysing reports, and using her creative skills to develop visually appealing layouts for customers both in-store and online.

In 2016, Kerri welcomed her first child and decided to step away from her role as a Visual Merchandiser. A few years later, she rediscovered her love for art and began building a business from scratch, selling cards, stationery, and prints. In 2023, Kerri published her first book, ‘A Book to Brighten Your Day’, a heart-warming compilation of illustrations and poems, followed by her first children’s book, ‘There is a Season’, which was published by UCLan Publishing, the University of Central Lancashire’s own publishing house. Reflecting on this milestone, Kerri said: “My greatest achievement is building my own business from scratch and having my children’s poetry book published with UCLan Publishing. It’s a dream come true.”

Kerri’s second book earned notable success, appearing three times in Bestseller Charts: third in the Small Publisher chart, fourth in the Independent Bookshop chart, and sixth in the Children’s Non-Fiction chart. Moreover, Kerri's illustration of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with the words ‘Hello again Lilibet’ gained popularity across social media in response to the Queen's death in 2022. The artwork helped the NSPCC raise around £18,000.