Carson Ellis
The Wildwood Chronicles
Wild Arts Festival is pleased to welcome Carson Ellis, the acclaimed author and illustrator of the bestselling picture books Home, Du Iz Tak? (a Caldecott Honor Award recipient in 2017) and In the Half Room. She has illustrated a number of books for kids including The Wildwood Chronicles, by her husband Colin Meloy and the basis of Laika’s 2026 animated film Wildwood, Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett, and The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper. Carson was awarded silver medals from the Society of Illustrators for her work on Wildwood Imperium and on Dillweed’s Revenge by Florence Parry Heide. Carson is the illustrator-in-residence for Colin's band, The Decemberists. She works occasionally as an editorial illustrator for The New Yorker, The New York Times, and other publications. She also exhibits paintings and is represented by Nationale in Portland. Carson lives on a farm in Oregon with Colin, their two sons, three cats, three llamas, three goats, and some chickens.