Author
Corey D. Williams
Illustrator
Corey D. Williams born and raised on the Westside of Chicago! Raised in a single parent home by his Mother with his older sister. Corey is the definition of a true renaissance man; Actor, Model, Designer,-stylist and now Author! Corey’s passion for children stems back to his Ymca days where the younger kids always looked up to him“ I shouldn’t have to tell you things twice” was instilled in him at a very young age by his Mom. There he learned first hand what it took to be a great listener.! “He was able to put that teaching to use when he worked as an teacher at west Austin development center near where he was raised. He understood the importance of his mothers saying, therefore he wanted to share this with today’s children. He knew great listening skills has the potential to save lives.
Joe Nelson
South Side born and bred, Joe Nelson has considered “Artist” as part of his identity for
as long as he can remember. As a child, toy robots, cartoons and comic books fueled his
roaring imagination, and he was an incessant doodler because of it. To this day he
believes that sketching is the best way to birth great ideas. With his
parents encouragement, he explored his artistic gifts as much as possible growing up,
nurturing an interest whose intensity fluctuated between a passion and an obsession.
As a teen he was exposed to Chicago’s graffiti scene, and fell in love with the technical,
competitive, and collaborative aspects of it. Street art as a visual expression of hip-hop
culture was satisfying and intoxicating—and Joe embraced the notion of “city-as-canvas”
wholeheartedly.
Today Joe functions as an accomplished fine artist and graphic designer with exploits
and achievements both locally and abroad (Miami, Houston, Italy, Ireland, Kenya and
more).
With a multi-disciplinary approach and unique vision, his works are of various mediums
and surfaces. From large outdoor murals, wood sculptures, customized vinyl toys to oil
canvases— anything’s game. Joe believes art should not be confined or restricted, as
long as it is executed with integrity and skill. The content of his pieces vary, but more
often than not, they intersect humor, human behavior, and city life.
Currently, Joe’s goal is to create a large series of work, and to paint more murals
(anywhere and everywhere!). His primary intention is to “produce quality work, and
hopefully make a meaningful impact in the process”. In describing himself he says: “I will
always be an Artist. The question is what kind do I want to be?”
