Photo by Happy David


Kristy Caldwell is a New York-based illustrator who uses visual and written narratives to explore imagination as a tool for shaping perception and developing creative agency. Her portfolio spans publications, exhibition, and performance. 

She has illustrated 13 children’s books, including picture books focused on community engagement around historical themes, like Flowers for Sarajevo, a 2017 New York Public Library Best Book for Kids and one of Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year. Her illustrations have been recognized by Communication Arts, American Illustration, and 3x3 magazine. She is an Assistant Professor at Queens College, CUNY. 
CONTACT 
kc@kristycaldwell.com

INSTAGRAM 
@kristy.caldwell


SELECT INTERVIEWS ABOUT PROCESS


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PROJECTS

PUBLICATIONS AS ILLUSTRATOR


PUBLICATIONS AS AUTHOR
EXHIBITIONS
    50/50 for Ruston. Group exhibition fundraiser curated by Joey Slaughter. Ruston Farmer’s Market, Ruston, LA, 2022
    Conversations II. Group exhibition of international artists curated by Prof. Joon Hee Lee. Kookmin University Museum, Seoul, KR, 2012
    Carrier Pigeon Issue 2 Release. Group exhibition curated by Russ Spitkovsky. Sacred Gallery, New York, NY, 2011
    Artist Driven. Group exhibition curated by Bruce Waldman. Powerhouse Arena, Brooklyn, NY, 2010
    Carrier Pigeon Issue 1 Release. Group exhibition curated by Russ Spitkovsky. 20/20 Gallery, New York, NY, 2010
    Peter Pan Centennial. Juried exhibition under William Joyce’s curatorial direction. Artspace, Shreveport, LA, 2004

PERFORMANCES
    MARS: A Play About Mining. Co-created by Kristy Caldwell, Tom Coiner, Adam Miller, Adam H. Weinert, and Jeremy Pickard. Presented by Superhero Clubhouse and Matchbox Arts in association with Chez Bushwick. Performed at the Center for Performance Research, Brooklyn, NY, 2013


PRESENTATIONS

INVITED PANELS, LECTURES, TALKS

    From the 19th Century to Today: Giving a Voice to People Through Time Using Stories Past and Present. Webinar with Kristy Caldwell, Connie Shofield-Morrison, Don Tate, and Yuyi Morales, hosted by Kia Hiese, Ph.D., for Mackin Learning (remote), 2022
    Guest Lecturer, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Illustration BFA (remote), 2022
    New Worlds and the Picture Book Process. Guest Lecturer and Critic, Parsons School of Design, Parsons China/US Illustration Ages 14–18 (remote), Oct 2022
    Picture Books of a Place. Guest Lecturer, School of Visual Arts, Continuing Ed. course: Comics of A Place (remote), 2022
    New Worlds and the Picture Book Process. Guest Lecturer and Critic, Parsons School of Design, Parsons China/US Illustration Ages 14–18 (remote), July 2022
    Monthly Story Time—Women’s History Month. Webinar with Lori Mortensen, Candace Fleming, Connie Schofield-Morrison, and Elizabeth Zunon, Belmont Books, 2022
    Finding Your Voice in Someone Else’s Story: The Alice in Wonderland Method. Guest Lecturer, Fashion Institute of Technology, Illustration MFA course: Narrative Art, 2022
    Finding Your Voice in Someone Else’s Story. Alumni Series Talk. School of Visual Arts, MFA Illustration As Visual Essay (remote), 2020
    Artist Talk. University of Florida, Center for European Studies course: Early Childhood Children’s Literature (remote), 2019
    Back 2 Back presentation with Roxie Munroe at Books Are Magic: a program that pairs authors and illustrators for joint presentations on the process behind their creative work. Organized by Pat Cummings
    Visiting Artist. School of Visual Arts, Chilean Summer Workshop, 2017

INTERVIEWS

WORKSHOPS, DEMONSTRATIONS
    Active Imagination for Visual Storytellers. Private event space, Astoria, NY. Funded by City Artists Corps grant, 2021

FESTIVALS
    Glen Rock Children’s Book Festival 2024. Featured illustrator, exhibiting Adventures of Trim seriesNew Orleans Book Festival 2017. Participating author, presenting and exhibiting Bobs and Tweets series, 2017Book Expo 2017. Featured illustrator at the Peachtree Publishing booth, exhibiting copies of Flowers for SarajevoAmerican Library Association Midwinter 2016. Featured illustrator at the Peachtree Publishing booth, exhibiting copies of Flowers for Sarajevo


HONORS / AWARDS

    Kobe-Setouchi Artist Residency. An invitation-only residency that offers international comics and illustration artists space to research and create in western Japan. Participants develop work on-site that responds to the experience, 2024
    Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Starred, Intermediate), Kansas National Education Association, Flowers for Sarajevo, 2018
    American Illustration 29 Winner (chosen), “Walter’s Ladder” for Carrier Pigeon: Illustrated Fiction and Fine Art, 2011
    American Illustration 28 Winner (selected), Johnny’s Got His Gun, 2010


GRANTS



REVIEWS


EDUCATION

  • MFA Illustration as Visual Essay, School of Visual Arts, 2008–2010
  • UNO International Student Exchange program, Charles University, Prague, CZ, Spring 2001
  • BA Studio Art, University of New Orleans, 1999–2001
  • Studio BFA coursework, Louisiana Tech University, 1997–1999


TEACHING

Assistant Professor, Design, 2023–present
Art Department, Queens College, CUNY
Illustration II/Illustration Portfolio, Senior Capstone

Faculty Thesis Advisor, Fall 2023–Spring 2024
MFA Visual Narrative (MFAVN), School of Visual Arts

Adjunct Instructor, 2022/2023
Continuing Education, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Development of five-week course Active Imagination, Ideation Process for Creatives

Visiting Assistant Professor, 2022–2023
Communication Design, Pratt Institute
Image As Communication, Dynamic Imagery

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Design, 2019–2023
Art Department, Queens College, CUNY
Illustration II/Illustration Portfolio, Senior Capstone; Design Foundations, Illustration II

Adjunct Instructor, Summer 2021–2022
MA Graphic and Web Design (MAGWD), Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Design Studio



WORK EXPERIENCE


Kristy Caldwell Studio Practice, 2010–present
Self-initiated, project-based work and collaborative professional practice

Director of Archives and Publications, Castelli Gallery, 2012–2017

Assistant to the Director, American Illustrators Gallery, 2010–2011

Co-owner and Content Editor, Carrier Pigeon: Illustrated Fiction and Fine Art, 2010–2014
Literary journal cross-pollinating “low-brow” and “high-brow” art genres and formats. Archived by The Smithsonian Institute and The New York Public Library

Editorial Intern, Schwartz & Wade Books, Random House Children’s Division, 2009–2010

Copyeditor, The News-Star, Gannett, 2006–2008

Contributing Art Editor, turnrow literary journal, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 2003–2004
Artwork solicitation for the 2004 issue, edited by Professors William Ryan and Jack Heflin

MEMBERSHIPS


Authors Against Book Bans, since 2024
Society of Illustrators, since 2023
Art Brand Alliance, since 2022
Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, since 2010
© 2024 Kristy Caldwell, except where noted. All rights reserved.