Mari Richards

Mari Richards is a writer, artist, and award-winning toy designer. She is a current fellow in the 2025-26 Loft Mentorship Series Fellowship. As an author-illustrator, she was long-listed for the 2023 British Searchlight Awards and was a finalist in the 2023 -2024 PBParty competitions. Mari is the illustrator of the Archie and Pip picture book series, with a new release scheduled for July 2025. With over 400 toy and children’s product designs to her name, Mari has earned more than 30 industry awards for her innovative work. She holds an MFA in Visual Studies from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). Mari currently lives near St. Paul, MN, with her husband, daughter and two spirited rescue pups. For more information, please visit MariRichards.com.