Petitezoe /
Zoe Sijia Guo
g.sijiazoe@gmail.com
Sijia Guo is a Chinese-born, Japan-raised illustrator and visual storyteller based in London. Working across publishing, editorial and cultural projects, she creates narrative-led imagery shaped by experiences of migration, memory and everyday observation.
Using pastel, coloured pencil and mixed media, her work is characterised by tactile textures, gentle colour palettes and a strong sense of storytelling. Drawing from both fine art and visual communication, she combines conceptual thinking with warmth, humour and emotional depth.
Her illustrations often explore themes of childhood, belonging and cultural identity, transforming personal experiences into visual narratives that invite curiosity and connection.
Alongside her illustration practice, Sijia works across publishing, brand collaborations and cultural commissions, bringing a fine art sensibility to commercial projects.
She hold an MA in Visual Communication from the Royal College of Art, and a BA in Illustration from Kyoto Seika University.
Member of Association of Illustrators
Visual Communication ( London, UK )
2023
BA Illustration
Kyoto Seika University ( Kyoto, Japan )
2021
BA Exchange in University of the Arts London ( London, UK )
Camberwell College of Arts
2020
BA Sociology Nihon University ( Tokyo, Japan )
2016
Interview
ILLUSTRATION AWARDS
MERIT AWARD 2026
Hii Illustration Competition 2023 Unpublished Category
MERIT AWARD 2024
The Spectral Sublime Online Exhibition, Phantasmal Gallery 2024
ULTRA MODERN, Fox Yard Studio - Art Galler Suffolk ( UK ) 2024
13th Dynamic Contemporary Artists Exhibition- Fukuoka Asian Art Museum ( Japan ) 2024
The Colour Show, The Tabernacle, London 2024
Bologna Children's Book Fair, Virtual Illustrators Wall 2024
Pri’s Art Salon:METAMRPHOSIS, London 2023
‘Open Art’ Art Number 23 BCN Barcelona, Spain 2023
WAAITT2023 Group Show, Easter Gallery, London 2023
Aesthetics of Bliss, 67 York Street Gallery, London 2023
Death of the Spectacle, 37 Kensington High St, London 2023
Small House Gallery, London 2023
Global Talent Art Prize (4th edition) 2nd Winner 2023 International Art
Prize- TORAM General Incorporated Association , Japan2024
Room, kara-S Gallery (カラス) in Kyoto Japan
2020
South London Lab in the Peckham town centre park in London
2020
Picks kara-S Gallery (カラス) in Kyoto, Japan
2021
The One Pound Super Short Film festival in London (2022)
The XP Awards in London 2022
Southwark Park Gallery Annual Open Exhibition, London
2022
Global Talent Art Prize (4th edition) 2nd Winner 2023
International Art Prize- TORAM General Incorporated Association , Japan 2024
Collect Art Sculpture & 3D Art/ Special Edition 2024
Global Talent Art Prize (4th edition) 2nd 2023
LandEscape Contemporary Art Review 2024
Last Updated 14.04.2026 by zoe :)
Written and illustrated by Petitezoe
In Mousetachio, everyone seems to know what they want to be, except Mouse. He searches for a magical fountain said to show who he might become, but instead, he sees many possibilities. In the end, Mouse stops waiting for one certain answer and sets off on a new path, carrying all those possibilities with him.
The Fountain in Mousetachio was inspired by a question we often hear as children: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In Mousetachio, every grown up seems busy, certain of who they are and what they do. Mouse, however, has no idea what he might become. He searches for a magical fountain said to reveal his true self, but it gives him no certain answer. Beyond the fountain, he discovers another path and follows it instead. This becomes his bridge to another world, where others’ expectations matter less, possibilities open up, and not knowing yet becomes part of moving forward.