Kelly Murphy is an award-winning illustrator and animator working predominantly with traditional and mixed media. Born and raised in southeastern Massachusetts, USA, she studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, her student work receiving distinction from The Society of Illustrators. Since earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999, Kelly has been actively freelancing across the various fields of editorial illustration, picture books and poster illustration as well as character design for both the film and toy industry.
An accomplished children's book author and illustrator, Kelly's books have been published by worldwide leading publishing houses, her twelfth picture book released in 2011.
Kelly's work has been featured in international curated shows, gallery exhibitions and magazines and has been consistently selected in the field's most prestigious juried competitions, notably winning recognition from American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators and 3x3 Magazine.
On the side of these numerous and versatile creative achievements, Kelly has engaged in a lasting involvement with art and has been a member of the illustration faculty at the Montserrat College of Art since 2002, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the Fall of 2008 and the Rhode Island School of Design since Spring of 2009.
Kelly is the co-founder and creative director of Shybird™ Studios, which showcases her collaborative work with french illustrator and animator Antoine Revoy.
An accomplished children's book author and illustrator, Kelly's books have been published by worldwide leading publishing houses, her twelfth picture book released in 2011.
Kelly's work has been featured in international curated shows, gallery exhibitions and magazines and has been consistently selected in the field's most prestigious juried competitions, notably winning recognition from American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators and 3x3 Magazine.
On the side of these numerous and versatile creative achievements, Kelly has engaged in a lasting involvement with art and has been a member of the illustration faculty at the Montserrat College of Art since 2002, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the Fall of 2008 and the Rhode Island School of Design since Spring of 2009.
Kelly is the co-founder and creative director of Shybird™ Studios, which showcases her collaborative work with french illustrator and animator Antoine Revoy.
Awards and Honors
2011Silver Award - 3x3 Magazine, Editorial
The Princess and The Golden Fish
Original Art Show - Society of Illustrators
Over At The Castle (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
2009
E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers
Masterpiece (Henry Holt)
2008
Original Art Show - Society of Illustrators
Hush, Little Dragon (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
2008 Storytelling Award
Fiona's Luck (Charlesbridge Publishing)
2005
"Growing Good Kids--Excellence in Children's Literature" Book Award
The American Horticultural Society
A Place To Grow (Bloom & Grow Books)
1999
The Society of Illustrators Annual Scholarship Competition
Select Client List
Abrams Books, USABabybug Magazine, USA
Battat Toys, Canada
Candlewick press, USA
Charlesbridge Publishing, USA
Cricket Magazine, USA
Dial Books, USA
Ediciones Siruela, Spain
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, USA
Galison, USA
Harcourt Brace, USA
HarperCollins, USA
Henry Holt & Co., USA
Houghton Mifflin, USA
Ladybug Magazine, USA
Lafayette College, USA
Learning Media Ltd., New Zealand
Mudpuppy Press, USA
New Moon Publishing, USA
Peaceable Kingdom Press, USA
Pearson, UK
Penguin Young Readers Group, USA
Providence Journal, USA
Random House, Inc., USA
Shakespeare on the Sound, USA
Simon and Schuster, USA
Usborne Publishing, UK
UTNE Reader, USA
Teaching
Montserrat College of Art, MA, USAMassachusetts College of Art and Design, MA, USA
Rhode Island School of Design, RI, USA
Copyright © 1995- Kelly Murphy. All rights reserved.