Phyllis Harris was born and raised in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri. As a child, her mother said she was often found wandering about in her own little world of imagination, dreaming up wonderful characters in magical places. 

She feels most creative in nature and prefers the songs of birds rather than the noise of traffic. She lives on an open green pasture with trees, wildflowers, and big blue skies along with her husband and wonderful pup, Brinkley. And yes, he was named after the dog in YOU’VE GOT MAIL, one of her favorite movies. You can also find her sketching on the beaches of Kauai, which she considers her home away from home. She loves romantic comedies, British period dramas, and classical music while painting.

 

Phyllis first started her career in graphic design at a newspaper while also freelancing at Hallmark Cards. She then shifted to illustration full time where she has happily continued for the past 20 years creating the art for over 30 children’s books. In recent years she has focused more on her writing as well as illustrating picture books. Her debut author/illustrator picture book, the GIFT SHOP BEAR which released on October 26, 2021. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the book in the KC STAR.

 

Phyllis has illustrated many different types of children’s products such as trade and mass-market books, religious and educational books, children’s games, and even rubber stamp designs. A couple of her favorites include a best-selling celebrity children’s book and a never-before-published Margaret Wise Brown book. She launched her online shop, in 2012 and now has thousands of customers and collectors all over the world. Her art prints are also licensed and sold at many online retail stores including Wayfair, Overstock, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Walmart, Home Depot, and Amazon.