Kelly Murphy is a New York Times-bestselling author-illustrator and recipient of the E.B. White Award. She has notably illustrated the works of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Beatrix Potter, as well as book covers for various Newbery Medal winning novels, creating thousands of illustrations and award-winning art for clients worldwide. Her 50 books have been translated in 16 languages, earning countless awards and starred reviews, featuring on "best books of the year" lists by Publishers Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, Kirkus and The New York Times. Kelly teaches illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, is a keynote speaker, competition juror, and leads professional workshops nationwide. She lives in Providence, RI, with her husband, author-illustrator Antoine Revoy, and their many animal companions.


Clients Include:
BBDO / Candlewick Press / Discovery Education / Disney Hyperion / Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Frederick Warne / HarperCollins / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Little, Brown and Company / Macmillan / Magnolia Pictures / Penguin Books / Puffin Books / Random House / Sesame Street Workshop / Simon and Schuster / TEDMED


Featured in:
Boston Phoenix / Book Links / Cartoon Brew / CNN / Cricket Magazine / dpi Magazine Taiwan / Drawn! / Juxtapoz / Providence Journal / Providence Monthly / The New York Times / WIRED


Select Awards + Recognition
2022 - Bank Street College of Education's Best Children Books of the Year
2020 - Edgar Awards Finalist
2019 - The New York Times 25 Best Children's Books of 2019
2018 - Bank Street College of Education's Best Children Books of the Year
2017 - Kirkus Best Books of the Year
2016 - American Library Association, ALSC Notable Children's Book
2015 - "200 Best Illustrators," Luerzer's Archive
2014 - Society of Illustrators NY
2014 - Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2013 - 2 Gold Awards, Society of Illustrators LA
2012 - Gold Award, Bronze Award, Society of Illustrators LA
2011 - Silver Award, 3x3 Magazine
2010 - American Illustration 29 Chosen
2009 - E.B. White Award
2008 - Design All Star, dpi Magazine (Taiwan)
2008 - Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year



Kelly Murphy, Seattle (2014)



















Notable Exhibitions
2024 - Cahoon Museum of American Art / MA
2018 - RISD Museum of Art / RI
2017 - Woods-Gerry Gallery, Illustration Triennial Exhibition / RI
2015 - Museum of American Illustration / NYC
2014 - Original Art Society of Illustrators / NYC
2013 - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts / Washington, D.C.
2010 - Gallery Nucleus / CA
2009 - Chemers Gallery / CA
2008 - Danforth Museum, Solo Show / MA


Juror
2014 - Illustrators 57 Professional Show, Society of Illustrators NY / NYC
2014 - The Original Art / NYC


Select Speaking Engagements + Workshops
2021 - University of Cambridge / Cambridge, UK
2020 - EAP / Beijing, China
2019 - SCBWI / NYC
2018 - Rhode Island Festival of Children's Books and Authors / RI
2017 - MFA program guest lecturer at the University of Hartford Art School / CT
2017 - Northeastern University / MA
2016 - Raab Associates Prize (Human Rights and Children's Literature), The University of Connecticut / CT
2016 - Teen Outreach panelist at the CBC Diversity Initiative with Children's Book Council / Jamaica Plain, MA
2016 - Kindling Words Keynote Speaker / Burlington, VT
2015 - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth / MA
2014 - SCBWI Western Washington Illustrator Retreat / WA
2014 - Keynote speaker at the SCBWI 2014 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference / Austin, TX
2013 - Niigata College of Art and Design / Niigata, Japan
2012 - Advanced Illustrators Workshop Leader for the Highlights Foundation / PA
2010 - Boston College / MA

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