Carson Ellis
Carson Friedman Ellis (born October 5, 1975) is a Canadian-born American children's book illustrator and artist. She received a Caldecott Honor for her children's book Du Iz Tak? (2016). Her work is inspired by folk art, art history, and mysticism.[1]
Carson Ellis
October 5, 1975
American
Painting, drawing, printmaking
Caldecott Honor (2017)
E.B. White Read Aloud Award (2017)
Society of Illustrators Silver Medal (2010 and 2014)
Grammy Nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package (2015 and 2018)
Early life and career[edit]
Ellis grew up in New York and studied painting at the University of Montana,[2] where she was influenced by art history, particularly Egon Schiele, Max Beckmann, and German Expressionism. She has written poetry since she was a teenager, though she didn't study writing in school.[1]
She began her career as a fine artist in San Francisco and exhibited a solo show of oil paintings at a gallery in San Jose, California.[3] Her first illustration work began when she met Colin Meloy at the University of Montana and designed gig posters for his college band Tarkio.[2]
Personal life[edit]
Carson Ellis is Jewish.[2] She is married to Decemberists singer Colin Meloy, whom she met in college while designing posters for his alt-country band Tarkio. She and Meloy have two children, Henry "Hank" Meloy and Milo Cannonball Meloy.[22] Both parents have spoken openly about their son Hank's diagnosis with Asperger's syndrome.[21]
She lives on a farm outside Portland, Oregon with her family.[23]
