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melissamurray.bsky.social
Melissa Murray
@melissamurray.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1.2K following 430 posts
Author + Illustrator + Artist
SCBWI | CBIG | 12x12
PBParty 2024 Illustration Showcase HM

https://melissamurray.net

#kidlitart #kidlit
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melissamurray.bsky.social
Melissa Murray @melissamurray.bsky.social · Apr 9
Hi #PortfolioDay! I’m Melissa, a children’s author/illustrator currently seeking representation. I also make nature-inspired and abstract paintings and am interested in art licensing.

#kidlitart #kidlit #illustration #wallart
Watercolor, gouache and colored pencil illustration of a pink and blue-colored dodo bird painted on a green background with yellow flowers on the bottom and branches of lush green green leaves on top. A yellow speech bubble says: “Author & Illustrator, melissamurray.net”, email: melissajmurrayart@gmail.com and social media handles for Bluesky and Cara (both @melissamurray). Loosely-painted watercolor in shades of green suggesting foliage with a dragonfly in the center. Loosely-painted watercolor illustration of a teal toaster with two slices of toast springing out of it. Black and white digital illustration of a woman meditating in front of an open window with flowing curtains blowing in the wind. “Tranquility” is written in script across the front.
Reposted by Melissa Murray
dtdelosh.bsky.social
Art Directors, Editors, Designers:
Happy #KidLitArtPostcard Day!
Portfolio: dianadelosh.com
Represented by @lynnettenovak.bsky.social of The Seymour Agency.
#kidlitartpostcard #kidlitart #illustrator #illustration #kidlit
My ink, watercolor, digital illustration of a family; mom, grandma, father, Elinor, grandpa and their dog walking though the crunchy leaves a on a beautiful fall day. Illustration is from the book, Elinor's Glad-To-Be-Together Family written by Susan Layne and illustrated by me, Diana Ting Delosh. Published by Mascot Kids.
September 4, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
jameelawahlgren.bsky.social
Happy #KidLitArtPostcard day! Have a pony! 🦄
jwahlgren.com/children
A textured, painterly illustration of a little girl using a ladder to climb on a big horse
September 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
mayumisasage.bsky.social
Hi, #KidLitArtPostcard Day!

I'm Mayumi, a Japanese #kidlit illustrator. Excited to take on new projects! Picture books, board books, and book covers are my favorite things to work on✨ #kidlitart

Rep'd by lovely @essiewhite.bsky.social
at @stormliterary.bsky.social

🌐 mayumi-sasage.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
angelamatteson.bsky.social
Hello! #KidLitArtPostcard! A snippet from my archives to welcome the autumnal vibes, although I'm still enjoying late summer blooms and garden tomatoes!
angelamatteson.com
I’m represented by @jmcgowanbks.bsky.social
@bookendsliterary.bsky.social

#kidlitart #kidlit #illustration #ChildrensBooks
An illustration by Angela Matteson of a chipmunk setting a fresh baked pie on a shelf from inside her pumpkin house.
September 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Some sketchbooking. A mix of kidlit characters, a photo study, and some still life objects.

#sketchbook #watercolor #mixedmedia #nature #kidlitart #portraitpainting
Sketchbook paintings made with watercolor, Caran D’ache Neocolor II crayons, and colored pencil. On the left, 2 green, cartoony tortoises, each eating a large seed. On the right, still lifes studies of acorns and a blue jay feather and a loosely painted portrait of a woman.
August 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Starting a new sketchbook today. It’s always tough to decide what to draw on that first page—I went with a quick graphite still life of a few objects I picked up on a recent walk.

#sketchbook #nature #still-life #drawing #graphite #seeds #sketching
Photo of an open sketchbook surrounded by a pencil, eraser and the objects sketched. Graphite drawing on the page is a still life of a maple tree seed pod, an acorn, and a butternut shell.
July 25, 2025 at 7:46 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
I think the GN This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews would make an amazing movie.

I don’t really cast my own books, but I think of them cinematically while writing. I could see a GN I’m writing as a movie—but it’d probably need to be animated—the main characters are birds and dinosaurs. 😂 #kidlitchat
kidlitchat.bsky.social kidlitchat @kidlitchat.bsky.social · Jul 16
TOPIC: What are some recent #kidlit books you think should get the full on movie treatment (from #picturebooks to #ya)? Which recent book-to-film adaptations have you loved? Do you 'cast' your work when you're creating it? And... heck... let's have some popcorn and have us a #kidlitchat!
July 16, 2025 at 2:08 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! Here’s a video compilation @patriciakeeler.bsky.social put together of the annual @cbignyc.bsky.social illustrator directory. You can take a closer look and/or download on the cbig website: www.cbig-nyc.com/directory.
June 6, 2025 at 1:34 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Scanned in some of my favorites from one of my recent watercolor sketchbooks.

#sketchbook #watercolor #gouache #kidlitart #botanicalart
Digitally-collaged sketchbook paintings. Pastel palette of largely nature-inspired sketches in watercolor, gouache and colored pencil. Some of the subjects include flowers, leaves, moths, and clouds.
April 27, 2025 at 8:34 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Hi #PortfolioDay! I’m Melissa, a children’s author/illustrator currently seeking representation. I also make nature-inspired and abstract paintings and am interested in art licensing.

#kidlitart #kidlit #illustration #wallart
Watercolor, gouache and colored pencil illustration of a pink and blue-colored dodo bird painted on a green background with yellow flowers on the bottom and branches of lush green green leaves on top. A yellow speech bubble says: “Author & Illustrator, melissamurray.net”, email: melissajmurrayart@gmail.com and social media handles for Bluesky and Cara (both @melissamurray). Loosely-painted watercolor in shades of green suggesting foliage with a dragonfly in the center. Loosely-painted watercolor illustration of a teal toaster with two slices of toast springing out of it. Black and white digital illustration of a woman meditating in front of an open window with flowing curtains blowing in the wind. “Tranquility” is written in script across the front.
April 9, 2025 at 2:31 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
A springtime-inspired abstracted watercolor painting.

#spring #dragonfly #painting #abstract #art #watercolor #wallart #botanical #green
Watercolor painting on paper in shades of green suggesting leaves and greenery. In the center top third is a very loosely painted dragonfly.
April 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
A funny PB I read recently is STRANDED: A Mostly True Story from Iceland (Aevar Por Benediktsson/Anne Wilson). It merges science with folklore to to exaggerate and play into the goofiness of the MC. Techniques I love to use along with unexpected page turns & using the art as a punchline. #kidlitchat
kidlitchat.bsky.social kidlitchat @kidlitchat.bsky.social · Mar 26
TOPIC: We all need a good laugh . . . right? Which kid's books would you nominate for Best in Funny, either recent or classic? (Extra points for your own books if comedy is your thing!) And how do you use humor in your work, if at all? #kidlitchat
March 26, 2025 at 1:42 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Applied yesterday! Love that opportunities like this push me to polish my work and evaluate my process, strengths, weaknesses and goals. Good luck to all the applicants!

#pbrisingstars #kidlit
“I Applied” badge for www.PBRising stars.com mentorship program. Yellow circle with a cute astronaut character surrounded by stars reading a stack of books. Text says: “I applied to be a 2025 mentee. Applications open March 7-21”.
March 22, 2025 at 1:11 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Enjoying working on some picture book illustrations with traditional media. This is watercolor and colored pencil plus a little graphite pencil. Still experimenting with it, so I may add some gouache and colored inks still. #kidlitart #kidlit #illustration
Photo of a painting setup on a desktop. On the left of an open sketchbook is a water jar and paint palettes with paint and brushes. On the right are a few colored pencils. The sketchbook pages have branches with lush green leaves painted in watercolor and colored pencil. On top of the sketchbook are 3 smaller paintings of an unhatched egg, a portrait of a dodo bird and another of a green dodo bird facing to the right. Each of the smaller pieces have a painted frame illustrated with a nameplate underneath.
February 28, 2025 at 12:51 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Most of my ideas need to marinate for a while. I write a bit here and there—eventually I have a sense of the characters, plot, setting, themes, etc. Once I reach that point, I have to write a solid outline to actually finish writing it. I rarely write the scenes in order though. #kidlitchat
kidlitchat.bsky.social kidlitchat @kidlitchat.bsky.social · Feb 19
TOPIC: Let's talk process. Do you start at the beginning of ideas and power through? Do you just work on whatever hits your mind? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Spill the beans (and give tips) here at #kidlitchat
February 19, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
boringstorybook.com
Hey a heads up that #pbchat book club is discussing a classic tomorrow. #kidlitchat briankirbystudio.com/658-2/
The story of Ferdinand cover
February 12, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
stellerarts.com
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! You can try to silence or erase us, but we aren’t going anywhere. We will keep fighting and being awesome 😤
February 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Little watercolor cardinal based on one of my photos.

#painting #watercolor #sketchbook #watercolorpainting #birds #birdart #watercolorbirds #cardinal
Overhead photo of a watercolor painting in a small sketchbook next to a paintbrush stacked on top of other sketch/notebooks. Painting is of a red cardinal bird perched on a thin branch in front of loose green suggestions of foliage.
January 31, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
katharinegails.art
Has anyone else fell in love with one of their characters?? This crab brings so much joy to my story! #art #illustrator #collage #kidlitart #kidlit #picturebook #paintedpapers
January 30, 2025 at 10:26 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
Most helpful is probably my critique group, we meet monthly via zoom and it's great to have that deadline and accountability to keep motivated to revise and make new work to share. We also keep each other up to date on kidlit opportunities and books we've read. #kidlitchat
kidlitchat.bsky.social kidlitchat @kidlitchat.bsky.social · Jan 15
TOPIC: There are many online challenges and virtual communities ready to help you get a jump on your goals for the new year--care to share any you're trying out, or have found particularly helpful in the past? #kidlitchat
January 15, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
jennybienaim.bsky.social
HUMAN ARTISTS, use only one piece to convince people to follow you!
January 13, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
pbchat.bsky.social
#pbchat tomorrow at 9pm eastern - we’ll be discussing MR. S - which Monica Arnaldo was nice enough to read to everyone here: youtu.be/-eXRZPTQ_nE?...
Mr. S Storytime Read Aloud | A First Day of School Book
YouTube video by HarperKids
youtu.be
January 8, 2025 at 2:49 AM
melissamurray.bsky.social
A little work-in-progress trying to use more traditional media for my illustrations this year.

#kidlitart #kidlit #dodo #WIP #watercolor
Watercolor illustration of a pink and blue-colored dodo bird on a pale green background.
January 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Melissa Murray
ginaperry.bsky.social
Psspt…. Next Thursday, January 2nd is indeed the first #KidLitArtPostcard Day of 2025. Pass it on #kidlit !
December 27, 2024 at 12:49 PM
melissamurray.bsky.social
I love how this whole book is a perfect interactive experience. Grover’s dramatic poses are intricately tied to all the expressive hand lettering as he begs you to stop reading. But the reader (& Grover) can’t help but defy his plea’s to stop reading before you get to the monster at the end. #pbchat
pbchat.bsky.social pbchat.bsky.social @pbchat.bsky.social · Dec 12
Tonight’s book is a bonafide classic - THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK by Jon Stone and Illustrator Michael Smollin. If you have fond memories of this book, or detailed thoughts, or even just 1st impressions if you’ve only recently read it, please share! #pbchat
December 12, 2024 at 2:25 AM