This year’s ICCRF carried child literacy as the theme. It was held on 29 November-2 December 2018 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aurora’s work was submitted along with other nineteen works by students in illustration and children book design class of DKV ITB. Participants come from various countries in Southeast Asia.

Participants from Indonesia excelled in the event. After several assessment processes conducted by five jury coming from different background and country, three ITB students named Aurora, Kidung, and Mika out of five participants won in The ASEAN Children's Book Illustrator Rising Star Award category.

Aurora, one of ITB students, submitted a work titled “Kina”, which depicts a kid suffering from malaria. The kid is looking for a cure to her illness, and it turns out a traditional medicine called Kina is the medicine to cure her malaria. “How important this God’s creature is such as a plant as medicine. Do not abandon it,” Aurora said about the message in her work.

Aurora authored the work long before the competition. She believes that a finished work is usable for events such as competition or exhibition and thus will open new opportunities. “It does not stop after it is finished. The work is usable for other needs such as self-publishing, competition, exhibition,” she added.

Asked about the difficulty she found during the competition, she said that no particular difficulty was found because the work she submitted has been finished for long. Submission was conducted online, thus it required no expense when doing so.

By opening new opportunities, she means that she got the opportunity to see other participants from various countries and meet more competent illustrators who have variety of styles. “It is a luck to share ideas and get inspired as well as new references from illustrator overseas,” she said.

Aurora said that she entered children’s book illustration class when she was really interested in drawing with color ballpoints. “I have an aim to author a drawing book whose illustration is done with ballpoint. The book has finished and is currently displayed in Galeri Soemardja,” she said. Besides exhibition, Aurora received an award and have an exhibition in Singapore. “My hobby that I take seriously brings me here,” she said.

*Illustration by Aurora

For Aurora, her achievement is unexpected. A small hobby can be this far and big. She always teaches herself not to be afraid to make something from what she likes the most.

“If you have a hobby, find a place to channel it and find out what to create so that the hobby does not go to waste or only becomes a hobby. From a hobby, it can be something. Try finding some opportunities with our work so that it does not stop at just being a work. Make an exhibition, self-publish it, or participate in competitions that is beneficial for ourselves. Follow your hobby and make something,” she concludes.