I’m Mari (rhymes with starry) Richards and I’m an illustrator, author, toy designer, and artist. I love drawing and painting our natural habitats; quirky, mischievous characters; and whimsical, magical worlds.

I’m usually sipping tea and staring out the window of my studio, creating lots of illustrations, toys, surface pattern designs, and kids products. I’ve gathered over 30 industry awards along the way. Some of my favorite career highlights include illustrating the picture book series Archie and Pip, designing with Jellycat; surface pattern designing with Nuby; toy designing as a Senior Product Designer at Manhattan Toy; creating the successful design blog Small for Big, being an original Pinfluencer; completing my MFA, and teaching as an Adjunct Professor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) and the College of Visual Arts.

I firmly believe making things is a daily requirement. You can find me sketching, gathering rocks and feathers, sniffing every book I read (and some I don’t), and living a chaotic, wonderful life with my husband, daughter, and two rescue mutts near St. Paul, MN.

For all publishing enquiries, please contact my agent Adria Goetz at KT Literary.

Recent Awards & Recognition

2026 Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshop

2025-26 Fellow, The Loft Mentor Series, Jerome Foundation

2024 PBParty Finalist

2023 PBParty Finalist

2023 Longlist, British Searchlight Awards