Charles Bongers is a professional Canadian illustrator, designer and an Indigo ‘Heather’s Pick’ children’s book author. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, he attended the Cape Town College of Art before starting a career as an art director. After sailing the Atlantic to immigrate to Canada, Charles became co-creative director of Ogilvy, Toronto.

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As a professional artist, Charles is more than comfortable working with agencies, publishers and mission-driven organizations to render meaningful visuals that engage any given target audience. Whether illustrating a campaign, a visual identity or an educational nature book, his goal is always to create "visual stories" that deliver the creative brief.

 

Charles has had a lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors as a world-class sailor, mountain climber, animal lover and tree advocate. He is the author and illustrator of Do Trees Have Mothers? (Douglas & McIntyre/Vancouver), a non-fiction book for children 3 to 8 years old, inspired by the science of trees. Narrated by “Nuts” the playful squirrel, Do Trees Have Mothers? aims to connect young children to nature so that they may see the forest as a community and, one day, become its future custodians. Do Trees Have Mothers? is often the #1 best seller on Indigo's STEM and Nature web pages. 

 

Charles also serves as creative director & illustrator to Wild Entrust, a wildlife conservation trust in Southern Africa dedicated to supporting the long-term viability of threatened large predators and helping children to care about themselves, each other and the natural environment around them.

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Areas of Focus:

• Commercial art

• Environmental and Educational campaigns

• Editorial illustration

• Children’s book illustration

• Stylized sapient & non-sapient portraits​

Currently, Charles shares his time between Toronto and Montreal. He welcomes illustration commissions worldwide.

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Brand Experience:

Microsoft, ecobee, World Wildlife, VW, Royal Bank, GSK, National Bank, Wild Entrust, American Express, Wateshed, Skytap, Cadbury, Quaker, TD, Nesle, Duracel, Midus...