Mari Kanstad Johnsen (born August 7, 1981) is a Norwegian visual artist, illustrator and children's writer. Mari K. Johnsen is educated at the Kunsthøgskolen in Oslo and Konstfack in Stockholm. She debuted as a book illustrator with drawings, paintings and collages of Barbie-Nils and the gun problem by Kari Tinnen and Vivaldi by Helge Torvund, both published in 2011. In 2012 she illustrated the book Balloon Hunter by Anniken Bjørnes and the Blue Cabin fan. The latter won silver in this year's most beautiful books 2012 under Open Class. She has since had extensive production as an illustrator, also as magazine and newspaper director for the Morgenbladet, and has won a number of awards and international attention for her work. Mari K. Johnsen lives and works in Oslo. She is the daughter of the designer and the graphic designer Augon Johnsen (born 1953) and the little sister to the illustrator Åshild K. Johnsen (born 1978).