Kelly Murphy facts for kids
Kelly Murphy is an American artist who writes and draws books. She also teaches art! She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Growing Up and Art School
Kelly Murphy grew up in Massachusetts, near Boston, Massachusetts. She loved art from a young age.
She went to a special art school called the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island. Even when she was a student, her art was so good that it won an award from the Society of Illustrators in New York.
After she finished school in 1999, she started working as an artist. She drew pictures for magazines and, most importantly, for children's books.
Her Amazing Art Career
Kelly wrote and drew her first book, The Boll Weevil Ball, in 2002. Since then, she has illustrated over 40 books for kids! She has worked with famous writers like Dave Eggers, Linda Sue Park, and Jane Yolen.
Her art isn't just in books. Kelly has also created drawings for plays, movies, and cartoons. She even designed characters for the Sesame Workshop animated show Esme & Roy, which you might have seen on HBO. She also worked on the 2013 movie Muscle Shoals.
Besides creating art, Kelly also teaches. She has taught at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and Montserrat College of Art. Today, she is a teacher at her old school, the Rhode Island School of Design.
Awards for Her Books
Kelly Murphy has won some cool awards for her work.
In 2009, she won an E.B. White Read Aloud Award. This was for illustrating the book Masterpiece, written by Elise Broach. This book was even on The New York Times Best Seller list! She also illustrated other books in that series for younger readers.
In 2019, a book she illustrated called All the Greys on Greene Street was named one of the best books of the year. This book, written by Laura Tucker, was praised by The New York Times, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly.
Art Shows and Events
Kelly Murphy's original artwork has been shown in many art galleries and museums.
- In 2009, her art was part of a show at the Chemers Gallery in California.
- In 2010, her work was shown at the Brush Art Gallery & Studios. Other famous artists from RISD were also in this show, like David Macaulay.
- Her art has also been displayed at the Museum of American Illustration in New York City.
- In 2012, she won a Gold Award in a competition called Illustration West 50. Her winning art was shown at the Gallery Nucleus in California.
- Also in 2012, Kelly was chosen as one of the special artists for the RISD ICONS exhibit. This show celebrated famous artists who went to the Rhode Island School of Design.
- In 2014, Kelly was a main speaker at a big conference for children's book writers and illustrators, organized by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
- In 2018, she was one of the artists who presented at the Rhode Island Festival of Children's Books and Authors at the Lincoln School.
