About Cheryl

Cheryl and a plush toy panda
Cheryl book montage
Cheryl busy doing a drawing

Hi!

I’m Cheryl Lawson. I also go by my married name, Bezuidenhout, and by another writer pen name, Cheryl Southwood. I am an artist and writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada.

I have made art in various mediums, and across multiple themes and industries my whole life. Creative variety is a life-long passion and interest, and I’m always looking for new ways to express myself creatively.

In the last ten years, I’ve pursued a long-held passion for writing. I write regularly and have independently published several books in various genres since 2014. I currently have sci-fi thrillers novels, and sci-fi horror novellas available for sale. I enjoy writing suspenseful, character-rich stories that take place in immersive settings such as a beleagured underground city on Mars, or an enormous Ark-level vessel travelling in deep space.

I love science fiction and sci-fi fantasy, and have been a life-long fan of franchises such as Star Trek and Stargate, Marvel comics, etc. My more recent art includes many pieces of fan art which I love doing because it taps into the fandoms I enjoy.

If you have any questions about my work as an artist or as a writer, please use the contact form to send me a message.

Thank you for visiting my art and writing website. Be sure to browse the galleries and stories I have loaded for your pleasure, and subscribe if you want to join in the next exciting phase of my journey.

 

Cheryl

Highlights

How to Pick the Best Childrens Books to Give as Gifts meme

Art in August 2024 was a success!

This brand new art prompt challenge I put together connected me with some great creative contributors on social media and the month flew by as we all endeavoured to make a sketch or drawing each day. The idea was to flex the creative brain and casually (not too seriously!) do some sketches and drawings that correspond with each daily theme.

We had a lot of fun, and inspired each other through the month. There was creative growth, and in my book, that’s an achievement worth celebrating!

How to Pick the Best Childrens Books to Give as Gifts meme

Welcome to digital drawing!

After creating with various media my whole life, I finally decided to take the plunge and try digital drawing. I use Adobe Fresco on my iPad, and an Apple Pencil to do the art. There’s a lot to learn, but as the program is very intuitive, and I am familiar with Adobe products from using them for over 30 years, I am comfortable and happy in this great, new drawing experiment. My very first successful artwork has already sold copies and I’m thrilled to be producing more pieces ongoing.

How to Pick the Best Childrens Books to Give as Gifts meme

Hello Threads social media!

After leaving Twitter before it became X), I took a break from social media and moved across country from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. In September 2023, I created a new social media account on Meta’s Threads (an offshoot of Instagram).

The experience has been overwhelmingly positive so far (let’s hope it stays that way!) and I have great engagements with writing and art communities.

Tanya Packer store exclusive accesories featuring Cheryl Lawson's art

I’ve recently had the incredible opportunity to contribute art and photos to an awesome collection of accessories and merchandise at the Tanya Packer Store. It helped me explore the merchandising side of my art business.

photo from tv news

An art exhibit with some of my watercolours is seen on the local news, 2019.

Commissioned and other artworks

Some of the artworks I’ve made for other people in 2021.

photo of a tweet response from Star Trek official

That time I got a comment from Star Trek Official on a fan artwork!

photo of KSWA write-a-thon attendees

Kamloops Society for the Written Arts 2020 virtual Write-A-Thon.

presentation poster

Thompson Nicola Regional Libraries hosted a virtual talk I gave on science fiction, 2020.

photo of author booth at comic con

Booth at Kelowna Comic Con, 2018. As a side note, this is the year Denise Crosby from Star Trek TNG spoke to me at my booth.

Cheryl at Kelowna Comic Con

Kelowna Comic Con, 2019, where I launched the paperback version of Storm At Dawn.

photo of tv interview

Literary Heist magazine requested to publish a drawing I did in 2019 called Birdbox in the Birches.

photo of tv interview

Local TV station interview to promote the launch of We Are Mars, 2018.

Cheryl at writing event

Surrey International Writer’s Conference book signing event

photo of book signing event

Book signing at Indigo, Southpoint (Surrey, BC) early 2019.

photo pf book signing event

Book signing at the Barriere Festival, 2018.

web page national geographic

National Geographic feature of my photo for the Photo of the Day in June 2014.

photo of canvas print photo of White Rock pier

A canvas print of a photo I took of White Rock pier that was commissioned as a retirement gift in 2009.