I illustrated a scene inspired by an as-yet-unpublished YA story I wrote about musical kids who accidentally travel through time to save their hero, the piano composer Frédéric Chopin. 🎩🎹🎵 . .#illustration #illustrator #amwriting #amwritingya #amwritingmg #classicalmusic #chopin #timetravel

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #amwriting #childrensbooks

It’s Spring here in New Zealand and today was SUPER windy! 🌬️🧚🌸 Poor fairies. : : #kidlitart #illustration #picturebook #fairies #violetlemay #illustration #spring #fairies #newzealand

Happy Sunday! 💜 : : #sunday #sundayfunday #illustration #illustrator #violetlemay #amwriting #kidlit #mbartists

Today in NYC, my #kidlit #illustration agency MB Artists is having a gathering. I’m there in spirit. We drew ourselves as kids for the promo materials. These are mine, plus some photos from the last gathering in 2018. : : #childrensbooks #violetlemay #illustrator #amwriting #mbartists

Inspired by AMAZING fashion spotted last night at the grocery store. (Beware: You never know when you might end up in a book… or at least in my Instagram feed.) 🤭 #people #fashion #style #glasses #amwriting #writer #author #violetlemay #illustrator #newzealand #mbartists

It’s Sunday! Do what you love. : #childrensbooks #sundayfunday #sunday #baking #dog #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #anwriting #kidlit #violetlemay #mbartists

I’m too old to celebrate birthdays… but little me isn’t. 🥳🎂🎉 #birthdaygirl #violetlemay #amwriting #baby #babies #familyphotos

A #throwback to my GIANT teen crush on #shauncassidy 🎤🎹. Found BORN LATE recently at a local vinyl shop. 💖💖💖 . . . . #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #kidlit #1970s #mbartists #vintagevinyl #vinyl #teenbeat #mbartists

Don't fear your novel revision! Instead, join us for a workshop on Sat., October 18, with acclaimed KidLit author Misa Sugiura ("Momo Arashima Duels the Queen of Death") about revising. You'll get all the tools you need to revise without the scaries. Register: https://www.kidlitcraft.com/workshops

Happy autumn! 🍂 This illustration is from my latest book A MAKER OF DRESSES. . . . . . . #violetlemay #amwriting #illustration #picturebooks #mbartists #autumn #fall

Sending big hugs to #Chicago — not my home town but pretty close, and one of my favorite cities on earth. I painted this puzzle many years ago; it's mixed media (acrylics and envelope scraps). No more #ICE raids, please. 💜 #violetlemay #illustrator #illustration #midwest #illinois #brightonpark

Magic is everywhere, all around you. All you have to do is look. 🍂🧚 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #picturebooks #fairies #faerie #fairy #autumn #fall #mbartists

Spent my Sunday afternoon starting a new painting. Now… back to work. Happy Monday! 👩‍🎨 #violetlemay #art #painting #fineart #acrylic #artist #artistsoninstagram

Hey, Timaru! : Come see me Saturday, 18 October at 1:00 at @timarubooksellers . I'll read my latest picture book, A MAKER OF DRESSES. After that—art activities! : See you there! ❤️ . . . . . . #violetlemay #timaru #newzealand #southisland #bookstore #bookevent #picturebook #amwriting #illustration

Hope you have a beautiful Sunday. 🩰 #violetlemay #sundayfunday #sunday #ballet #bunhead #ballerina #illustrator #kidlitart #amwriting #picturebooks

In honor of the weather, here’s a rainy illustration from NY DOGS. ☂️ #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #dogs #corgi #dogs #nydogs

New project, new method. ✍ #violetlemay #artist #illustrator #drawingonnapkins #drawing #inktober #sketch #sketching

✏️It's a complex world, and young readers deserve more than just puppies and rainbows. In this interview, @violetlemay.bsky.social discusses the Power of Darkness in #Kidlit writeforkids.online/instructor-s...

A throwback to our 2019 pre-pandemic Ningbo apartment. Even the laundry room (where I did yoga) was marble! 🧘‍♀️ #violetlemay #travel #china #yoga #throwback #tbt #amwriting #tbthursday

Honoring #worldcoffeeday and #inktober ☕️ Hope you enjoy your day a latte! #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #coffee #cafe #latte #mbartists

A MAKER OF DRESSES seems to be on sale on-line in the US. A cute holiday gift for your little fashionistas and designers. #violetlemay #book #picturebook #giftidea #fashion #sewing #sale #booksale #mbartists

Happy Monday. 🖤🤍 This very good boy is from my book NY DOGS. #violetlemay #amwriting #illustration #illustrator #dogs

Fred and I had fun painting #birdhouses at the Resene booth at the South Canterbury Home & Garden Show. I love his cat! 🐱🐦 #violetlemay #weekend #birdhouse #birds #crafts #timaru #newzealand

Happy weekend! 👩‍🍳 #violetlemay #illustrator #illustration #kidlitart #picturebook #amwriting #bananabread #weekend #baking #grandma

Happy Friday! What movies are you going to watch this weekend? 🍿 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #amwriting #friday #weekend #movies #mbartists

My baby is 24 today. This is one of my favorite photos from the archives. He’ll be here with us in November and my mission is to photo-document his magnificent beard—stay tuned! 🧔‍♂️ Hug your kids. It goes much too fast! #violetlemay #amwriting #illustrator #mom #parenting #kids #motherhood

Beach baby ☀️👶 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #kidlit #kidlitart #mbartists

Tap, tap, tap. It’s typing Tuesday. 🤭💻🐶 I hope your week is off to a great start. #violetlemay #illustrator #illustration #kidlit #amwriting #picturebook #writer #dogs #mbartists

Sweater weather. Happy Monday! 🐱🧶 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #picturebook #cat #mbartists

Hope you have a peaceful Sunday. 🐶🧘‍♀️🌳 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #picturebook #amwriting #yoga #sundayfunday #dog #mbartists

Some literary ladies for your weekend. Happy reading! 📚 #violetlemay #amreading #amwriting #illustrator #illustration #weekend

The news is so discouraging. Here, have an adorable dog. 🐶 From my book NY DOGS. #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #dogs #freespeech

Throwback to my 1984 school trip to Paris. 👑 BK on the Champs-Élysées with my BFF 👑 Some day I will write about this! #violetlemay #amwriting #throwback #paris #tbt #burgerking #1980s

#violetlemay #illustration #kidlitart #picturebook #illustrator #amwriting #cat #mbartists

A celebration of award shows from A MAKER OF DRESSES. 🏆🎭👗 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #picturebook #kidlitart #amwriting #mbartists

New week, new adventure. Let’s go! ☀️ #violetlemay #amwriting #kidlit #illustration #illustrator #mbartists #picturebooks #kids

I hope you have a beautiful Sunday. 🎶🐦 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #picturebook #amwriting #birds #sunday #mbartists

I found this in Dropbox: A forgotten painting of St Heliers, the Auckland suburb where we used to live. 🌴 #violetlemay #pleinairepainting #watercolor #travel #newzealand #auckland #stheliers #mbartists

Sending out love and hugs to everyone who needs them. 💕 #violetlemay #illustration #kidlitart #amwriting #picturebook #mbartists

So many bad things are happening in the world. Enjoy a laugh at my expense, These are photos of my high school rendition of Emily in OUR TOWN. I made Emily’s wedding dress. 🎭 #violetlemay #throwback #tbt #highschooltheater #highschool #chewingthescenery #ourtown

Happy Wednesday! This image is from A MAKER OF DRESSES. 🩷🐶👗 #violetlemay #amwriting #picturebook #illustration #illustrator #sewing #design #dressdesign #dogs #mbartists

I know exactly what you need: the banjo-playing Schnauser from my book A MAKER OF DRESSES. 🎶🪕 #violetlemay #illustrations #illustrator #kidlitart #picturebook #amwriting #mbartist #banjo

My husband was in his happy place all day today watching football. He’s a Jets fan, but this illustration is from CHICAGO BABY (Pohlen/Lemay). 🏈 #violetlemay #illustration #kidlitart #picturebook #chicagobaby #chicagobears #dabears #mbartists

Happy Sunday! 👶📚🐱 This is from the back cover of a wonderful book, BOOKSTORE BABIES (Puck/Lemay). #violetlemay #illustration #kidlitart #picturebook #mbartists #bookstore #books #bookstorecat

Happy Saturday! Dance on. 👯‍♀️ #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #picturebook #dance #mbartists #weekend

Fernando Fox and I hope all of your dreams come true . ✨🦊✨ #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #kidlitart #pucturebook #cartoon #fox #dancecamp #inspiration #mbartists #amwriting

✏️It's a complex world, and young readers deserve more than just puppies and rainbows. In this interview, @violetlemay.bsky.social discusses the Power of Darkness in #Kidlit writeforkids.online/instructor-s...

A throwback to an amazing launch party in 2013 for ISABELLA’S SHOE STUDIO at SKETCH Design Lounge in Glens Falls, NY. (My husband hates this photo because my hair is in my eyes, but hey, it was a party!) 💕 #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #kidlit #writer #tbt #throwback

Wednesday vibes. ✍️ #violetlemay #illustration #illustrator #amwriting #picturebook #mbartists #kids #school