Cherriielle

"I think it was Daniel who picked it up first. He shared it, and then I think Cavan did, then Gary Whitta, gave me a really nice comment on that. Justina did."

―Ella Poworoznik^[5]

Ella Poworoznik (born on January 3, 2001 in Alberta, Canada), credited as Cherriielle or Ella Cherriielle professionally, is a Canadian artist. She created two variant covers for the third and eighth issues of the 2023 comic series Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures. The comics were written by Daniel José Older released as part of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project's Phase III on February 14 and August 7 of 2024, respectively.

Poworoznik also created the cover artwork for the one-shot comic The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular, which released on December 18, 2024. The cover artwork for her The High Republic Adventures 8 variant cover was later reprinted in the 2025 reference book Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy: Updated and Expanded by Amy Ratcliffe. She is a longtime Star Wars fan, having been brought to the attention of Lucasfilm via her artwork on Twitter. The artist also often draws Star Wars artwork for fun, friends, or other commission work, including one piece done for the design of the Jedi Ruu for Star Wars author Alyssa Wong.

Biography

Cover milestones

"…didn't hear anything from April until October, then I finally get an email from Dark Horse; they say we need cover artists for Adventures. Daniel likes your work and wants to work with you."

―Ella Poworoznik^[5]

Textless version of Cherriielle's cover for The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular — Textless version of Cherriielle's cover for *The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular*

Ella Poworoznik,^[3] credited as Cherriielle^[6] and Ella Cherriielle professionally,^[7] is a Canadian^[2]^[3] artist.^[6] who was born on January 3, 2001^[1] in Alberta,^[2] Canada.^[3] She^[4] created a variant cover for the third issue of the 2023 comic series Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures. The issue was written by Daniel José Older, penciled by Harvey Tolibao, and released by Dark Horse Comics as part of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project's^[8] Phase III on February 14, 2024.^[6] Poworoznik later created a variant cover for the eighth issue of the same series. The issue was written by Older, illustrated by Tolibao, and released on^[9] August 7 of the same year.^[10] She was first announced to be working on the cover on March 22, 2024,^[11] and the artwork for the issue was later released on April 16,^[12] after which she posted textless version of the artwork on Twitter.^[13]

Poworoznik created the primary cover artwork for The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular, a one-shot The High Republic Adventures comic-book. The issue was written by Older and published by Dark Horse Comics on December 18, 2024.^[14] She released the textless version of the cover on Twitter.^[15] Upon its release, Poworoznik expressed her pleasure at having been involved in the issue's creation.^[16] The artist's illustration for The High Republic Adventures 8's variant cover was later reprinted in reference book Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy: Updated and Expanded, authored by Amy Ratcliffe^[17] and released on April 29, 2025.^[18]

Development, hiring, and other work

"Had the pleasure of commissioning the one and only @cherriielle for my sweet nightmare boy, Ruu, from my High Republic story 'Rogue Element'! Love a former Jedi turned vigilante"

―Alyssa Wong, about fanwork they commissioned^[19]

Fan artwork of Cohmac Vitus and Reath Silas by Cherriielle

Poworoznik is a longtime Star Wars fan, especially having enjoyed the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project,^[5] having enjoyed the latter project's inclusive nature of making Star Wars for everyone.^[20] She posted on Twitter about her wish to create a The High Republic cover on June 28, 2022,^[21] initially in jest. When multiple Star Wars creators supported her and linked the post—featuring an image of the Jedi Reath Silas and Cohmac Vitus—to others, the artist was contacted by Lucasfilm Story Group's Matt Martin, who sent her work to those working in Star Wars publishing. She then met with Disney–Lucasfilm Press's Michael Siglain at Celebration Europe^[5] hosted from April 7–10th 2023.^[22]

The artist was later hired to do a cover for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures in October of the same year, as Older wanted to work with her for a variant cover.^[5] Poworoznik was given a short list of sentence-long ideas to create sketches off of, and once one of those had been selected, she created the issue's artwork.^[23] She was particularly excited to illustrate the Mikkian Zeen Mrala, as she was one of her favorite characters.^[20] For the cover of The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular, Poworoznik expressed her gratitude to Older for allowing her to design the cover featuring Mrala and the human Lula Talisola's wedding dresses.^[24] Nearing the series' end, Older indicated that he was proud that The High Republic initiative allowed for giving several fan artists an official Star Wars debut, naming Cherriielle amongst others.^[25]

Poworoznik also often draws Star Wars artwork for fun, friends, or other commission work^[5] and cosplays as franchise characters at conventions.^[20] The artist takes particular inspiration from the work of Star Wars artists Grant Griffin and Corey Brickley.^[20] Star Wars author Alyssa Wong commissioned Poworoznik to create artwork of the Jedi-turned-vigilante Ruu's design^[19] and thanked Poworoznik for a piece inspired by The High Republic: Escape from Valo,^[26] a middle grade novel Wong had written with Older,^[27] which was published on January 30, 2024.^[28] Poworoznik's Escape from Valo piece depicts Jedi Initiate Gavi in battle with the young Nihil Driggit Parse,^[26] Gavi's former best friend.^[27] Under Siglain's direction, Poworoznik created concept art of the Luminous Nine Jedi that traveled to the planet Sophros to combat the Blight threat. The art was later released in the reference book The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: Volume II by Kristin Baver,^[7] published on August 19, 2025,^[29] which also included Poworznik's concept artwork of Mrala and Talisola's wedding dresses.^[7]

Works

Bibliography

Year	Title	Contribution
2023	The High Republic Adventures (2023) 3	Variant cover artist^[8]
	The High Republic Adventures (2023) 8	Variant cover artist^[9]
	The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular	Cover artist^[14]
2025	Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy: Updated and Expanded	Artist^[17]
2025	The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: Volume II	Assorted illustrations^[7]