RECOGNITION:

•SCBWI: Portfolio Showcase Grand Prize Winner, 2013
•Society of Illustrators (NY): four of my images selected for Illustrators 56 exhibit & annual, 2014
•Society of Illustrators (Los Angeles): 53rd annual Illustration West Show (editorial category), 2015
•Society of Illustrators (Los Angeles): 55th annual Illustration West Show, (children's category), 2017
•3x3: Picture Book Show, 2014 — Honorable Mention
•3x3: Picture Book Show, 2013 — Merit Award for Crocodile Shoes
•3x3: Children's Book Show, 2012 — Distinguished Merit
•Immagini della Fantasia: selected in 2012 and 2011 for international group show of children's book illustrations (Sàrmede, Italy). Later on show in Brussels (European Parliament) and Geneva (UN Headquarters).
•Nami Island Illustration Concours, 2013: illustration/book selected for international exhibit (IBBY)
•Associazione Illustratori (Italia) group show 2012 — Le metamorfosi del viaggiatore (Milan, Italy)

About

Hello, bonjour, ciao! I'm Maral and I've been an illustrator for over 20 years. In the recent past, I won the SCBWI Portfolio Grand Prize in 2013, which was an astonishing turn of events! My work was selected by the Society of Illustrators (NY) in 2014 as well, and also honored by the 3x3 Picture Book Show in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

In addition to this, my art has been exhibited in group shows of children's illustration all over the world: in Sàrmede, Italy, for the Immagini della Fantasia exhibit (2011, 2012); in Mexico City, at the Museo Franz Mayer in conjunction with the IBBY Congress of 2014; in Korea, at the 2013 Nami Island Illustration exhibit. Also in Geneva, at the United Nations Headquarters, and in Brussels, at the European Parliament. For more details, see the list below.

My debut picture book, The Green Umbrella (for Nord Süd Verlag/North South Books), was released in February 2017, and can be found wherever books are sold. It is now available in four languages, including German, Slovenian and Chinese. And English, of course.

Based in France since 1992, I split my time between Paris and Los Angeles these days.

I am now represented by the wonderful Jennifer Rofé of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
For children's book inquiries, please email her at: jennifer@andreabrownlit.com

For any other inquiries or messages, you can contact me directly at: maralissima@gmail.com

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME
I grew up in Playa del Rey, a quiet little beach town in Southern California, and was educated at UCLA (BA in art/design and graduate studies in animation), L'Ecole du Louvre, and the University of London (Paris campus, previously the British Institute). I've also attended the art & print-making workshops of Sàrmede (Italy), where I studied with Svjetlan Junakovich and Linda Wolfsgruber (both of whom are Andersen Prize nominees and fantastic teachers). 

Over the years I've worked with many clients, including: Microsoft, the Los Angeles TImes, Boston Magazine, Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal (Europe), New York Times, Adweek, Business Week, Bayard Editions, Chicago Tribune, Eating Well Magazine, Zondervan Publishing, the Hollywood Reporter, and many many others.

I like drinking espresso in vast quantities, hearing stories read aloud, and nibbling Raisinets. My cat's name is Pomelo.