Fay Ryu Kelling is a children’s illustrator and author-illustrator based in Southern California. Born in the U.S. to Korean immigrant parents, she spent much of her childhood turning to comics and cartoons, where she first connected with visual storytelling.

Fay studied Ethnic Studies and Visual Arts at Brown University and earned her MFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She spent many years working as a designer across advertising, branding, and product design before returning to illustration.

Her work centers on character-driven stories inspired by everyday moments and childhood curiosity. She works primarily in pen-and-ink and watercolor, and is an active member of SCBWI.

When she’s not making art, she co-runs a skate shop with her husband, enjoys spending time with her two children, and draws inspiration from the outdoors.

drawnbyfay.com
@drawnbyfay.bsky.social