I am an artist, writer, and librarian. My artwork is inspired by fairy tales, gender roles, and identity, and my work is often personal, conveying memories and a lot of feelings. I live in Toronto with my partner, our mutt, and many many books.
Please contact me for requests, proposals and collaborations. I would be happy to hear from you!
If you like my artwork and projects, you can support me directly on my Patreon!
Studies
2015- 2017 Master’s degree, Library and Information Science, The University of Toronto
2011 – 2014 Bachelor of Arts, English Honours, The University of Winnipeg
Work
July 2019 – present – Project Administrator at Canada Comics Open Library
November 2017 – present – Freelance Illustrator and Writer
November 2017 – present – Freelance Library Projects
September 2016 – September 2017 – Student Library Assistant at Media Commons, University of Toronto
September 2016 – September 2017 – Student Library Assistant at Eberhard Zeidler Library of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
March 2016 – December 2016 – Interim Librarian and Graduate Student Library Assistant at Innis College Library
Volunteer
February 2018 – present – Founder, President, and Librarian at Canada Comics Open Library
October 2017 – September 2019 – Volunteer Zine Librarian at The Toronto Zine Library
June 2016 – August 2016 – Practicum, Cataloguing and Data Analysis at Toronto Tool Library
October 2015 – May 2017 – Treasurer, Librarians Without Borders, University of Toronto Student Chapter
2012 – 2013 – Studio Workshop Volunteer at Art City, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Professional Service
Juries
2019 – Canada Comics Open Library, Comics Creator Residencies
2019 – Doug Wright Awards Judge
Collective Exhibition
June, 2009 – Pair Down and Buckle Up, a group show which explored the female experience during recessions, at Graffiti Gallery, 109 Higgins Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Publications
2019 – “Gaters” – Call Out Comics 4
2016 – “Drawing Identity: Examining Graphic Autobiographies and Diaries as Subversive Archives for Surveillance and Construction of Identity”, the iJournal, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
2014 – Cover art and drawings published in Juice 14, University of Winnipeg Creative Writing Journal
Zines
2019 – Named After Flowers
2018 – tumble gently, tumble home
2018 – Toronto Renting Adventures
2017 – Shop Girl
2009 – The Alphabet of Wicked Women
Please visit my online store to view recent projects.
Art Fairs
2019 – TCAF – Zineland Terrace, Toronto – Tabled (zines and drawings)
2018 – Canzine – Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto – Tabled (zines)
2018 – Made by Feminists – Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, Toronto – Tabled (paintings, illustrations, zines, and handmade goods) – Toronto
2018 – Framed by Feminists – Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, Toronto – Tabled (paintings, illustrations, zines, and handmade goods)
Public Engagement
Guest Lecturing
2019 – “The Canada Comics Open Library: Building a Community Space Dedicated to Comics Accessibility” for the course Graphic Novels and Comic Books in the Library – Guest lecture at the Faculty of Information – University of Toronto
Conference Presentations
2020 – “Building a Community Comics Library” Session presentation, OLA Super Conference – Dream Here – Metro Toronto Convention Centre
2019 – “Comics and Cartoonists in the Library” Paper presentation “Reading the Shelves: The Politics of Creating a Diverse Comics Library”, 2nd Annual Conference of the Comics Studies Society – COMICS/POLITICS – Ryerson University
2016 – “Drawing Identity: Examining Graphic Autobiographies and Diaries as Subversive Archives for Surveillance and Construction of Identity and Promoting Graphic Life Narratives in the Library” Paper presentation, presented on the panel “Recontextualization and Subversion in Children’s Literature”, Many Worlds to Walk In: Exploring Diversity in Children’s Literature, Librarianship, and Education – University of British Columbia
2016 – “Women Drawing Identity: Graphic Autobiographies, Surveillance, and Power” Paper presentation, presented on the panel “Representing others”, Defying Conventions: Innovative Perspectives in the Information Field – iSchool Student Conference – University of Toronto
Panels
2019 – “Panel Discussion with the Canada Comics Open Library & iJournal” Panel, Information & Museum Studies Conference – Community Knowledge: Shared Practices of Sense-Making, Communication, & Collaboration – University of Toronto
Workshops
2018 – Facilitated Zine Workshops for TPL Teens Young Voices with Toronto Zine Library – Toronto Reference Library
2018 – Facilitated Zine Making Workshop for Youth at Maker Festival with Toronto Zine Library- Toronto Reference Library
Media
Wednesday Night Reviews, interview (YouTube), published March 15, 2020. “Talking Shop #4 – Rotem & The Canada Comics Open Library“. Interviews collected here on Sequential Magazine’s website.
North West Territories Library Association, Snowshoe newsletter “Meet Rotem Diamant”
The Canada Comics Open Library
Women Write About Comics, September 27th, 2019. “The Canadian Comics Open Library Is Shaping Our Shelves” by Wendy Browne
Centre for Social Innovation, May 30th, 2019. “A Comic Library Comes to CSI!” by Audra Williams
Quill and Quire, May 9th, 2019 (May issue). “Canadian Comics Open Library calls for a new order in how graphica is catalogued” by Ryan Porter
TVO, May 3rd, 2019. “How a new Toronto library is trying to change the way we see comic books” by Chantal Braganza
TVO, Ontario Hubs, mini documentary, aired May 2nd, 2019 on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. “Changing the Way We Look at Comics: Ontario Hubs field producer Jeyan Jeganathan visits the Canada Comics Open Library in Toronto.”
Radio Free Krypton, podcast interview, April 4th, 2019. “How Toronto got a new library just for comics”
CBC Arts, January 29th, 2019. “Comic books and graphic novels haven’t gotten the library love they deserve — until now” by Laura Kenins
Broken Pencil Magazine #82, January, 2019, Pencil Sharpeners, page 4. “Comics Librarians Begin Open Library” by Jonathan Valelly
BlogTO, November 27th, 2018. “Toronto Might Get Comic Book Library” by Tanya Mok
Comicon.com, November 11th, 2018. “Talking With The Canada Comics Open Library About Their Launch and Future Goals” by Koom Kankesan
Contact
for any request, contact Rotem here!
Instagram: @monstersandmaidens
Elsewhere
Writing blog: Library Kind
Art Store: Monster Maiden Zines
Clothing Design Store: Monsters and Maidens
Drawing Tumblr (2009-2018): Monsters and Maidens
