Bryan Collier facts for kids
Bryan Collier (born 1967) is an American writer and artist. He is famous for drawing pictures for children's books. He won the Coretta Scott King Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award for his book Uptown. This was the first book he both wrote and drew pictures for. He has won six Coretta Scott King Awards for his art. He has also received the Caldecott Honor four times. In 2014, Bryan Collier was nominated for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award honors artists who have made a big difference in children's books.
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About Bryan Collier
Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke City, Maryland Eastern Shore. His mom was a Head Start teacher. She often brought home many wonderful children's books. Some of his favorite books were Whistle for Willie and Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. He also loved Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. Another favorite was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. When he was little, he didn't read the words. He would just look at the pictures to understand the story.
Bryan started working with watercolors and photo collage when he was 15 years old. He said it was like something just "clicked" for him. The very next day, he started painting.
While in high school, he won first place in a special art contest. His painting was shown in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. for a whole year.
He later received a scholarship to the Pratt Institute in New York City. This is one of the best art schools in the United States. He graduated from Pratt with high honors.
While studying at Pratt, Bryan volunteered at the Harlem Horizon Art Studio. This studio is inside the Harlem Hospital Center. It is open to children from the hospital and the community. He later became the Program Director there. He held that job for twelve years.
Bryan Collier wanted to create children's books because of an experience in 1995. He was in a bookstore and noticed that the books didn't feel like him or his children. He thought he could make books that better showed their experiences. So, he worked hard to do just that.
Today, Bryan Collier still volunteers at the Harlem Horizon Art Studio. He believes it is important to be a good role model for kids. He visits schools to talk with teachers, librarians, and students. He shares his love for books and art with them.
How He Illustrates Books
Bryan Collier uses a special way to create his art. He mixes watercolors with collage.
First, he takes photos of his family or friends acting out the story. He might use many rolls of film for this. He believes seeing people act helps him find the best poses and feelings for his pictures.
Next, he chooses the photos that fit the story best. Then, he starts sketching his ideas. After sketching, he begins painting with watercolors. Finally, he adds the collage pieces. He often finds pieces for his collages from magazines like Elle.
Awards and Honors
Bryan Collier has received many important awards for his illustrations. He has won the Caldecott Honor four times. These books include Martin's Big Words, Rosa, Dave the Potter, and Trombone Shorty.
He has also won or been honored nine times with the Coretta Scott King Award. This award celebrates books that show the African American experience in children's and teen literature.
Here are some of the books he illustrated that won or were honored by the Coretta Scott King Award:
- 2001 Uptown by Bryan Collier
- 2001 honor recipient, Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport
- 2002 honor recipient, Martin's Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
- 2003 honor recipient, Visiting Langston by Willie Perdomo
- 2006 Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
- 2011 Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill
- 2013 I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes
- 2014 Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me, written by Daniel Beaty
- 2016 Trombone Shorty, written by Troy Andrews and Bill Taylor
For Uptown, which he also wrote, Bryan Collier won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award.
Books Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- My Country, 'Tis of Thee, written by Claire Rudolf Murphy, 2014
- Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Mewritten by Daniel Beaty, 2013
- Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington (written by Jabari Asim), 2012
- I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes, 2012
- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill, 2011
- Your Moon, My Moon: to a Faraway Child (written by Patricia MacLachlan), Simon & Schuster, 2011
- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave (written by Laban Carrick Hill), Little, Brown 2010
- Doo-Wop Pop (written by Roni Schotter), Amistad, 2008
- Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship (written by Nikki Giovanni), Henry Holt and Co., 2008
- Barack Obama: Son of a Promise, Child of Hope (written by Nikki Grimes), Simon & Schuster, 2008
- Lift Every Voice and Sing (written by James Weldon Johnson), Amistad, 2007
- Cherish Today: A Celebration of Life's Moments (written by Kristina Evans), Jump at the Sun, 2007
- 12 Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali (written by Charles R. Jr Smith), Candlewick 2007
- Welcome, Precious (written by Nikki Grimes), Orchard Books / a division of Scholastic Press, 2006
- Rosa (written by Nikki Giovanni), Henry Holt and Company, 2005
- John's Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon (written by Doreen Rappaport),Jump at the Sun / Hyperion Books for Children, 2004
- Skull Talks Back and Other Haunting Tales (written by Zora Neale Hurston),HarperCollins Publishers, 2004
- What's the Hurry Fox?: And Other Animal Stories (collected by Zora Neale Hurston; adapted by Joyce Carol Thomas), HarperCollins Publishers, 2004
- I'm Your Child, God: Prayers for Children and Teenagers (written by Marian Wright Edelman), Jump at the Sun / Hyperion Books for Children, 2002
- Kiss it Up to God (selected poems by Nadine Mozon), Fly By Night Press, 2002
- Visiting Langston(written by Willie Perdomo), Henry Holt and Company, 2002
- Jump at the Sun Treasury: An African American Picture Book Collection (an anthology compiled by Andrea Davis Pinkney), Jump at the Sun / Hyperion Books for Children, 2001
- Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (written by Doreen Rappaport), Jump at the Sun / Hyperion Books for Children, 2001
- A Freedom River (written by Doreen Rappaport), Jump at the Sun / Hyperion Books for Children, 2000
- Uptown (written by Bryan Collier), Henry Holt and Company, 2000
- These Hands (written by Hope Lynn Price), Hyperion Books for Children, 1999
