John Nez Biography

Education: B.A. (English); studied illustration at Parsons School of Design.

Addresses

Agent—Herman Agency, 350 Central Park West, New York, NY 10025.

Career

Artist and illustrator.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

My Cherry Tree, Korean Montessori Press, 2003.

ILLUSTRATOR

Nancy Lindenauer and Edythea Ginis Selman, School and Me, Holt, Rinehart and Winston (New York, NY), 1979.

David E. Fisher, The Creation of Atoms and Stars, Holt, Rinehart and Winston (New York, NY), 1979.

Eve Merriam, A Word or Two with You: New Rhymes for Young Readers, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1981.

Ronne Peltzman, Henry and Theresa's Race, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1984.

Mother Goose Rhymes, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1985.

Elizabeth Winthrop, My First Book of the Planets, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1985.

Emily Thompson, Count to Ten, Western Pub. Co. (New York, NY), 1986.

Stephanie Calmenson, ABC, Western Pub. Co. (New York, NY), 1986.

Margo Lundell, reteller, The Tortoise and the Hare, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1987.

Favorite Christmas Carols, Marvel Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Carol North, reteller, The Gingerbread Man, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1988.

Michael E. Goodman, Cars and Trucks, Golden Book (New York, NY), 1989.

Eugene Bradley Coco, Baby Brown Bear's Big Bellyache, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1989.

Gina Ingoglia, Airplanes and Things That Fly, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1989.

Dinah L. Mochë, Amazing Rockets, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1990.

Sally Bell, Look for Boats, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1991.

John Peel, Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1991.

John Peel, Where in Europe Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1991.

John Peel, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1992.

John Peel, Where in America's Past Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1992.

John Peel, Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1993.

John Peel, Where in Space Is Carmen Sandiego?, Western Pub. Co. (Racine, WI), 1993.

Doris Tomaselli, Little Plumpkins Hide and Peek, Random House (New York, NY), 1995.

Nancy Krulik, The Friendship Hotline: Friends, How to Make 'em, How to Keep 'Em, Price Stern Sloan (New York, NY), 1999.

Christine Harder Tangvald, Whoo! Moo! Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!, Concordia Publishing (St. Louise, MO), 2000.

Rosemary Wells, Doris's Dinosaur, Hyperion Paperbacks for Children (New York, NY), 2001.

Joy Cowley, Tabby Tiger Taxi Driver, Wright Group (Bothell, WA), 2001.

Daphne Skinner, Tightwad Tod, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Marjorie Ainsborough Decker, Easter Surprise, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2003.

Gail Herman, The Creeping Tide, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Jennifer Dussling, Gotcha!, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Nat Gabriel, Bubble Trouble, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2004.

Lori Haskins, No Money? No Problem!, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2004.

Pamela Mayer, Too Many Grandmas, Dutton Children's Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Illustrator of other books, including Three Little Pigs, Tabby Tiger's Treasure, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Super Smile Shop, Mr. Bitter's Butter, A Merry Muppet Christmas, The Secret Valentine by Rosemary Wells, and The Secret Birthday by Wells. Also uncredited illustrator for picture books by Mercer and Gina Mayer.

Work in Progress

Two Many Grandmas.

Sidelights

John Nez told Something about the Author: "I should have known I'd become an illustrator when I won that TV art contest as a nine year old. The grand prize was a remote-controlled Tyrannosaur on wheels that rolled around the room shooting rubber darts. It's been hard to top that … but I keep trying. I draw mostly in a whimsical style with the goal of conveying lots of feeling in my pictures … happy, sad, sneaky, sly, angry, afraid, whatever. I'd guess that's about the main point of any illustration.

"Primarily I work in the traditional mediums of acrylics, watercolors, pencils and inks. I am also skilled in the digital mediums of Photoshop and Illustrator, which greatly expand the illustrator's toolbox. The combination of traditional and digital mediums allows for amazing new possibilities … and lots of fun.

"I have a degree in English and also studied illustration at the Parsons School of Design in New York City with Maurice Sendak, among other wonderful teachers. I lived in New York for five years while starting out, which was really fun. Never a dull moment in Manhattan … and great museums!"