Violet Lemay

As a girl in the happy land of St. Louis, Missouri, Violet Lemay was always drawing and making things with her hands. When she grew up, she became a costume and set designer and moved to New York City, which was a lot of fun. Even though she loved her work and living in NYC, Violet realized that her true dream was to illustrate books for children. She moved south to attend a school for illustrators. Since then, Violet has illustrated eighteen books for children (including Isabella's Shoe Studio, which she also wrote), with more on the way—mostly for duopress, her favorite publisher, for whom she also acts as art director. Violet and her husband Fred have a 12-year-old son, Gray, who is a junior artist/architect/city planner, and is the joy of their lives. They all live together in a cozy little brick house in upstate New York, surrounded by mountains and dairy farms—and is only a short train-ride away from NYC. If she's not in her studio painting, Violet is probably out walking Chip, who is a rat terrier, and is her constant companion.