Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Margaret grew up in California, the daughter of a potter and painter. She illustrated for her award-winning high school journalism class. She also studied dance under Bella Lewitsky and others. Her life up to that point had been thoroughly centered in the arts, but after graduation she sought to deepen her understanding of the world by getting a degree in Anthropology from the University of Oregon. After about a month, she added art as a second major.

In an unexpected route led by her background in dance as well as her anthropology studies, she was hired by Ursula K. Le Guin to illustrate Always Coming Home, an anthropological record of a culture in the future, taking time off from her studies to do so.

In 1986, she graduated magna cum laude with a Phi Beta Kappa and BA degrees in both anthropology and art. She then moved to Seattle and pursued work as an illustrator. She illustrated for commercial as well as editorial clients for several decades. She began illustrating children’s books when pregnant with her second child. In 2004, she won a Caldecott Honor for Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, a book inspired by her eldest daughter.

Margaret still illustrates, but now for her own projects. She also builds sculptural works in various media, primarily textiles. She lives in Seattle with her husband.