Jamie Runnells

"Once" and "So.Much.to.Unpack"

Close up headshot of Jamie Runnells, art department head at Mississippi State University

Professor and Head Jamie Runnells | Department of Art

Once, an unpublished children’s picture book

Written and illustrated by Jamie Runnells, Once leads readers through a series of common—and not-so-common—childhood misadventures, including incidents with scissors, snakes, and Sharpies. Playful and reflective, the book invites children and families to document their own mishaps alongside the story. 

Once was longlisted for the dPICTUS Unpublished Picturebook Showcase #6 (2025), where a jury of 54 international picturebook publishers selected 154 projects from more than 600 submissions representing 70 countries. Longlisted works are featured on the dPICTUS platform for a global audience of publishers and agents. 

The project was also selected for the juried exhibition M(OTHER)ING at James Madison University’s Duke Gallery (October–December 2025). 

An interior spread, mixed media illustration, of Professor and Head of the Mississippi State University Department of Art Jamie Runnells' unpublished children's book, Once. It shows a black and white image with the words "Once, Put something in your pocket" and a color square showing pocket contents from jeans–a lollipop and wrapper, string, a green Lego and a nickel
inside spread, mixed-media illustration
An interior spread, mixed media illustration, of Professor and Head of the Mississippi State University Department of Art Jamie Runnells' unpublished children's book, Once. Image shows laundry room with items scattered and the words "that was found only after it was washed" and "a dead snake" and "eeek!". A green snake is seen falling out of the laundry machine along with a chaos mess of laundry
inside spread, mixed-media illustration

So.Much.to.Unpack

So.Much.to.Unpack is part of an ongoing illustration series that explores contemporary therapy language alongside broader cultural commentary. 

The work was longlisted for the inaugural International Juried Dots x Circles Illustration Awards (August 2025), which received 406 entries from 25 countries. 

So.Much.to.Unpack. gouache on paper. An image that's part of a series by Mississippi State University Department of Art Head and Professor Jamie Runnells. Shows boxes stacked in pieces with stars and strips from the U.S. flag painted on them.
So.Much.to.Unpack. gouache on paper

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