KWAME MBALIA - Author

In 2018 I was in a career slump and about to give up being an Illustrator to pursue something else to help support my family. By December of that year I was surprised to be commissioned by Disney Publishing to do the cover art for my first middle grade novel. I figured this would be one last job before I quit. I wasn’t getting the kind of work that I cared about and nobody was asking scifi fantasy illustrators to represent black people for any major publication…. Until “Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky”. This one commission rekindled my illustration career, changed my life and was the launching pad for the incredible Kwame Mbalia to eventually create his own imprint within Disney.

The artwork I created for middle grade audiences ultimately led me to collaborate with my dream client, Wizards of the Coast. I’ve been able to teach art online to students worldwide and purchase a home for my family. I am forever thankful to every client and author who choose me for their projects, as well as my friend Kwame for his encouraging words and support.

In 2022 I was invited to be the Artist Guest of Honor for the biggest annual science fiction convention, WorldCon. Kwame provided this write up about me for the WorldCon program guide.