Michael Allen Austin
Michael Allen Austin (born August 30, 1965) is an American illustrator, best known for his work in children’s books. Among the titles he has illustrated are ''Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg'', written by Lori Mortensen; ''The Horned Toad Prince'', written by Jackie Mims Hopkins; and ''Railroad John and the Red Rock Run'', written by Tony Crunk. His illustrations have also appeared in magazines, such as ''Highlights for Children, Spider'' and ''Cricket'', as well as galleries and museums throughout the United States.The older of two sons, Austin grew up in Florida, drawing favorite characters from ''The Addams Family'', ''Scooby-Doo'' and Disney films. Early on in college, Austin trained to be a Medical Technologist, but later found he couldn’t resist the call of art and changed his major. After college, he moved to New Orleans where he began his illustration career, creating displays for the music industry. He now lives in Georgia with his wife, Kim, and their sheep dog, Riley, both who appear regularly in his books. Austin is represented by Portfolio Solutions in New York and has served as a juror for the Young Georgia Authors Competition.
Artistic influences: Charles Addams, Chris VanAllsburg, C.F. Payne, Edward Gorey, Peter de Séve Provided by Wikipedia
