Saskia van Amstel is an illustrator and independed publisher based in Rotterdam, making works about life and humans under the name Burning Desk. Ever since she lived and worked in Berlin for three years (where Burning Desk was born), she travels back and forth to Berlin to work from there, for inspiration, projects & friends.

Burning Desk’s works are inspired on sensitive social subjects like human behaviour/interaction, equality, climate change, mass production/consumption and animal cruelty. She is highly fascinated by how we as humans are affecting our surroundings and how this affects our earth, mental health and the way we treat each other. Her main goals are to spread more awareness about the subjects above to start an open conversation.

On behalf of Cross Comix she organized the Berlin Comic Exchange in collaboration with Renate Comics in Berlin, where comic artists have the chance to learn from each other and expand their International network. Making up and trying out new concepts together with others is something Saskia really likes, cause together you can do more than alone.

My colour doesn’t define me

In 2024 she published her first book ‘My colour doesn’t define me’, which is a book full with illustrations & comics about her personal experiences with racism and unconscious bias. With a love for (visual) books and as an indie publisher under the name: Burning Desk Books, she is trying to build an inclusive network for artists from minority groups, with a focus on makers of colour who (want to) publish books.

As an artist of colour herself, she would love to see more diversity and representation in her workfield. By organizing multiple events (in Berlin and The Netherlands) she hopes to make some small changes by offering a safe space, where publishers of colour can present their works and share their knowledge.