Rotem is an artist, writer, and librarian. Their artwork is inspired by fairy tales, monsters, gender roles, and identity, and their work is often personal, conveying memories and a lot of feelings.
They recently moved to Victoria BC from Toronto with their partner, mutt, and many books.
Please contact them for requests, proposals and collaborations. They would be happy to hear from you!
If you like Rotem’s artwork and other projects, you can support them directly on 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 and Founder, President, and Librarian at Canada Comics Open Library.
I founded CCOL in 2017, and in my role I have been in charge of: building a diverse comics collection, forming our board, daily library operations, website content, web design and online resources, social media, development of our cataloguing approach, administrative duties, grant applications, donations, public communication and outreach, recruiting and training volunteers, creating procedures guides, steering the organization, events and programs, fundraising, project planning, artistic direction. To view more details about these roles visit my LinkedIn page.
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 – Canada Comics Open Library
February 2018 – present – Created and maintain The Canadian Cartoonists Database
October 2017 – September 2019 – Zine Librarian and special projects 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
2020 – Canada Comics Open Library, Comics Out Loud
2019 – Canada Comics Open Library, Comics Creator Residencies
2019 – Doug Wright Awards Judge
Collective Exhibition
September, 2012 – Graffiti Gallery’s Artist Mash Up at the Forks for Culture Days 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Live collaborative painting to create public artwork with a group of eight other artists.
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
Art Fairs
2019 – TCAF – Zineland Terrace, Toronto – Tabled with zines and drawings
2018 – Canzine – Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto – Tabled with zines
2018 – Made by Feminists – Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, Toronto – Tabled with paintings, illustrations, zines, and handmade goods – Toronto
2018 – Framed by Feminists – Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, Toronto – Tabled with paintings, illustrations, zines, and handmade goods
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.
Public Engagement
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
2020- “Banned through Comics Metadata!?” Panel, Banned Books Week, American Library Association – Zoom Webinar
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
Guest Lecturing and Public Presentations
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
2019 – Various library tours and presentations, including ARLIS-ON Fall Meeting – Canada Comics Open Library
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
Awards and Fundraising
Personal
2020 – Shortlist for Zealous Stories: Illustration
2016 – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Education Award
2015 – B’nay Abraham Sisterhood Scholarship / Max and Jean Ruder Perpetual Scholarship
2012 – Vatrt/Watts Family Bursary
2012 – Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Education Award
2011 – Patrick Deane Provost Prize
Canada Comics Open Library
2020 – Toronto Arts Council Literary Projects – Canada Comics Open Library – Comics Creator Residencies – $6000 grant
2020 – Ontario Arts Council Literary Organizations Projects – Canada Comics Open Library – $8000 grant
2020 – Ontario Arts Council Arts Presenters Projects – Canada Comics Open Library – $6000 grant
2019 – Toronto Arts Council Literary Projects – Canada Comics Open Library – Comics Creator Residencies – $7000 grant
2019 – Indiegogo crowdfunding – Canada Comics Open Library – $5,643
2018 – Indiegogo crowdfunding – raised for Canada Comics Open Library – $3,633
2018 – present – Other fundraising projects – Canada Comics Open Library – $668
Total amount awarded and raised = 36,944
Media
American Library Association, panel (YouTube), published October 2nd, 2020. “Banned Through Comics Metadata!?”
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
Canada Comics Open Library blog: Author, Admin
Art store: Monster Maiden Zines
Clothing: Monsters and Maidens
Drawing Tumblr (2009-2018): Monsters and Maidens
