Born and raised in northern British Columbia, Rene Engström developed a passion for drawing and storytelling. With a natural talent for sketching and a love for creating characters, she went on to study Fine Art at The University College of the Caribou. You’d think it couldn’t sound any more north than that, but you would be wrong.
After uni, Rene moved to northern Sweden where she could in essence kiss the polar circle. It was here she realised her career as an illustrator, creating vibrant and playful illustrations and concept designs for a variety of clients including animated film, online communities, and children’s books. However, her true calling was found in creating her own stories and characters through comics and graphic novels.
Rene made her debut with Anders Loves Maria, which was published online between 2006-2010 to millions of readers. Anders Loves Maria was met with critical acclaim for its engaging storytelling and well-crafted characters.
Between 2010 and 2018, Rene worked as an artistic adjunct at Malmö University in the School of Arts and Communication.
Today Rene is living in Malmö, Sweden and working as a freelance artist.
When not creating, Rene can often be found foraging mushrooms in the woodlands of Skåne, playing video games, snowboarding and spending time with her family.