Presentations

Teaching Artist Certification

August, 2022 -May, 2023: I completed the Mississippi Arts Commission's inaugural Teaching Artist Certification Course. This comprehensive course covered all aspects of arts integration lessons, both planning and execution, in the classroom.

Grades 4-6

Teaching Artist Certification

The creative process is emphasized in this grade level program. By using visual aids such as original thumbnail sketches, pencil sketches and finished art, the students then begin to see how a book is created from text to printed book.

They always like to see the process of drawing, so I introduce them to basic drawing skills with

shapes and concepts for an illustrated page.

Middle/High School

Teaching Artist Certification

College Art / Creative Writing

Since students in these grade levels are more interested in the process of art, my presentation differs a bit from the younger students' activities. In this presentation, we discuss illustration as a visual storytelling medium. By showing illustrations from concept to finish, the students observe a broader view of illustration and how it can enhance a picture book's qualities. Please read my blog about a graphic novel residency. I think those lessons would work well for this age group.

College Art / Creative Writing

I taught illustration at Mississippi State University for nine years. My students worked with techniques and concepts on a very finished level. The program I have in mind for an artist-in-residence program is to take the students from a written text, sketch out ideas for the illustrated page and to proceed to finished art. Through this exercise, the students gain the experience of taking a written concept such as a narrative and creating a visual world where the characters can live.

College Library Science

Conferences & Book Festivals

Library science university presentations are a favorite of mine because the students love books. This presentation invites students into the creative process of the book. It includes working with various media to expose the students to the artistic approach to illustration.

Conferences & Book Festivals

Over the years, I've given presentations and was the keynote speaker at several SCBWI conferences and children't book festivals. These are some of my favorite because there are folks there who love children's books as much as I do.

Invite me to your school or event!

Literary events

Literary events are a favorite of my yearly travel schedule. Many times, his publishers will arrange the bookings for the events and travel arrangements. However, he is certainly open to speaking to event organizers about speaking at their events.

Since I have many publishers across the country I am not able to participate at events that require fees for booths. Usually the publisher will have a booth on site where they will have author's books available for purchase and autographing. If the publisher is not attending the event, the event organizer usually provides a booth, free of charge, for the authors to autograph their books.

Feel free to contact me regarding your event by clicking on the contact page and sending me an email.

Library and School Presentations

My fee is structured on a $200.00 per presentation basis with a 40 student per presentation limit. Please consider that there is a three presentation minimum for each day.

Depending on your needs, there are usually four presentations per day. Many schools like to have a teacher in-service workshop for training credits.

PLEASE NOTE: schools are required to work with my publisher, Pelican Publishing, to provide my books for purchase. Please provide a time for me to sign my books during the day of the school visit.

Travel expenses

Travel expenses are not included in the daily rate and can be discussed when contacted. The host organization is responsible for booking all hotel and meal accomodations, and airline and local transportation. I fly out of Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). Please take into consideration travel time to and from your event site when planning my speaking schedule.