Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Yes. At age three my mother gave me the Sunday
comics and I would try to copy them. At first I could
not draw very well, but I kept practicing. My mother
was very encouraging. I especially liked drawing Dick
Tracy, Al Capp's Lil Abner, Steve Roper, Little Orphan
Annie and Popeye the Sailor, to name a few.

What training did you have to prepare for you for this profession?
I studied art at Macomber Vocational School in Toledo,
Ohio from grades ten through twelve. Then I went to the
American Academy of Art in Chicago for one year.
Afterwards I attended the Vesper George School of Art
in Boston, Massachusetts majoring in Advertising Art.
Later I attended the University of Toledo, Ohio to study
art history and sculpture.

On the dedication page of your book Tailypo! you mention that you have six children. Are any of them artists?
My daughter Alecia, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, is very artistic. She attended art school after
high school. I believe she has the potential to be a far better painter than I am.

When did you get into the business of illustrating children's books?
In 1989, while working on a portrait in my studio at Common Space, a center for creative arts in
Toledo, a gentleman came in. He examined some of my work. He was Jan Wahl, the author of many
children's books, who lives in Toledo. He asked me if I would like to illustrate a book he had written. I
thought he was kidding. It took three visits to my studio for him to convince me that he was serious.
After talking with the publisher Henry Holt, I accepted the contract to illustrate the book Tailypo!
Later on, I illustrated another book for Mr. Wahl, Little Eight John, which received the Coretta Scott
King Honor Award in 1993.

How did you begin to tell stories professionally?
In 1992, I had just completed work on 213 Valentines. One of the two girls who posed for the
illustrations invited me to visit her school. I was expecting to visit 33 kids in her classroom, but when
I arrived, three hundred thirty-three kids were waiting for me in the gym. After showing  slides and
relating the story of Tailypo! the audience wanted more. So I began telling stories impromptu of
future books. The children loved it.

Amongst the adults was a teacher whose sister is the principal of a school in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
That teacher told her sister about my positive program. Within days, I was invited to share my stories
and books in Michigan.

  How many books have you illustrated?
  So far, I have illustrated nine books. The House in the Sky,
  a Bahamian folktale re-told by Robert San Souci, is my
  latest book. It was released just this year.

  How long does it take you to create the artwork
  for a book?
  Normally, six months to a year. However, some books may
  take as long as two years, as did The House in the Sky.

How do you get new manuscripts to illustrate?
Presently, I have an agent who lives in New York and is in contact with many publishers. She will send
manuscripts that she thinks may be of interest to me.

Where do you get the ideas that you illustrate?
I am a creative person. After thoroughly reading the manuscript, I begin to think of how I can best
tell the story in pictures. I consider the setting, do extensive research and then, the creative process
really begins.

What is the most common problem you have encountered when visiting schools?
During my visits to schools I have observed that students in the kindergarten through fourth grade are
very enthusiastic about reading, writing and art. Their minds are like little sponges that absorb most of
what the teacher presents to them.

However, fifth and sixth graders seem to have lost that enthusiasm. Because of pre-puberty, television
sports and peer pressure, reading becomes less fun. Therefore, they do not do it. They are my target
group. Throughout my presentations, I motivate and encourage them to read. My message to them
is not to give up reading, because it is an important tool for success in our country. Also, I have
written a story that addresses the problem. It is called Penny Goose, The Uncool Goose. It is a
story about a goose who thought that counting money was more important than learning how to read.

Is there anything else that you have noticed about our children?
Yes. Our children are not as gracious as they should or could be. They do not say thank you to their
teachers for all the work that is done to help them. One of my goals is to instill in students a real
appreciation for their teachers. At the end of each program I tell them to thank their teachers at least
once a week.

What is the most exciting part of your presentation?
The most exciting part of my presentation is always the storytelling. The next exciting part is when
I begin to sketch. Audiences are amazed to see a portrait evolve before their very eyes. They love to
see an illustrator illustrate.

Do you make presentations to adult audiences?
Yes. I am often a presenter at educational conferences.

Do you autograph books during your visit?
Yes, I do. Every child wants his or her own book autographed by the author or illustrator. I make
every effort to sign books the night before, if they are delivered to my hotel. If additional books are
sold I make sure they are signed before I leave.

Are your books available for students to purchase during your visit?
Yes. My books can be made available during any visit.

Do you bring them with you?
No. I do not. It is better for the school to order directly from
the publisher. My publishers give a forty percent discount on
books ordered for my visit.

Do you ever get feedback from your visits?
Yes I do. I receive many notes from students. This promotes
writing and drawing based on the demonstration.

Most teachers take advantage of the creative excitement
generated by my visit. They go back to their classrooms
and encourage their students to write stories, letters, poems
and to do drawings. Sometimes they send their work to me.

Some of the work is wonderful! Since I can't write a personal
thank you, I use my newsletter to say thanks. I want them to
know I appreciate their work.

What happens to the book art when a book is completed?
When the publishers have completed photographing the art they return it to me. I carry some with me
on school visits. All of the art is for sale. Some schools and individual teachers have purchased their
favorite scenes.

Got a question or inquiry for Wil?
You can send him an email or talk to him directly. Visit his contact page for more information.
Who knows? Maybe your question will show up right here!