Brazos Valley SCBWI

ILLUSTRATORS

Wayne Edwards is a native Texan. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1957, when it was still a college. He served twenty years in the U.S. military; his last five years as the Air Force’s nuclear security inspector. (That might explain why he built himself an underground house!) He retired from the Air Force and now he and his wife Ruth own a fish farm in Burleson County. Wayne didn’t start writing poetry until after he’d obtained senior citizen status. He illustrates each one of his poems and uses his poetry and illustrations to entertain audiences of all ages. He has written and illustrated 14 books of poetry. Wayne has drawn cartoons for five Texas newspapers. He is in growing demand to read at schools and church gatherings and is a storyteller at the George Bush Presidential Museum-Library.
Wayne's website: www.familypoet.com

Randall Hagin is a cheerful, upbeat, sometimes over-energetic individual with an equally strong over-working imagination. He is always striving to improve his painting skills while awing, inspiring, teaching and watching the joy people receive from his work. He is currently writing and illustrating his own ABC book that he will be dedicating to his nephew and niece.
Randall's website: www.rhagin.com

Joy Fisher Hein is an artist, illustrator, gardener and Texas Master Naturalist. She illustrated Kathi Appelt's award winning MISS LADY BIRD'S WILDFLOWERS: HOW A FIRST LADY CHANGED AMERICA. Joy was selected as the artist for the 2009 Texas Reading Club; "Libraries: Deep in the Heart of Texas!" and the 2009 Centennial poster for the State Library and Archives Commission. She recently illustrated large outdoor art, thirteen panels, for Walker Ranch Historic Landmark Park, in San Antonio. Joy is currently working on a Texas Hero Series for young readers by Mary Dadson Wade. SAM HOUSTON: STANDING FIRM, is now available. DAVID CROCKETT: CREATING A LEGEND, will be available Fall 2009. Look for STEPHEN F. AUSTIN, in the future. Joy lives in our beautiful Texas Hill Country with her husband, artist Frank Hein, Max, their golden retriever and lots of wild animals. Illustration from: DAVID CROCKETT: CREATING A LEGEND
Joy's website: www.joyfisherhein.com

Kristi Valiant illustrated the picture book Cora Cooks Pancit, which won the 2010 APALA Picture Book Award. She has 4 upcoming picture books: THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN (Albert Whitman & Co, 2011), DO YOU LOVE ME MORE? (Standard Publishing, 2011), OLIVER'S FIRST CHRISTMAS (Accord Publishing, Oct 2010), and DANCING DREAMS (Accord Publishing, Sept 2010). Some of Kristi's favorite things are dancing, reading, cooking, red walls, monkeys, penguins, and mice, all of which are found in at least one of her books.
Kristi's website: www.kristivaliant.com
Kristi's blog: kristivaliant.blogspot.com