Draft:Sean Qualls

Sean Qualls (born February 27, 1969) is an award-winning Brooklyn-based children's book illustrator, artist, and author, best known for his distinctive collage-based illustrations. His notable collaborations include Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson, and The Idea in You by Questlove.

Early Life and Education

Qualls was born in February 27, 1969, in Bordentown, New Jersey. He is one of three children. He attended Bordentown Regional High School. A common past time of his mother and grandmother was to paint pre-fabricated ceramics. Qualls has said that watching his grandmother and mother create art for their home was an exciting part of his childhood. He did not have art training growing up as a child but had a few friends who were artists and inspired him. Despite not seeing himself as a standout artist growing up, Qualls has spoken about the impact that his teachers in Bordertown, New Jersey had on him as a child, supporting him to pursue his interests in the visual arts.

When Qualls was in sixth grade, he worked on a group project in which they made a comic book. After a spat between his two project members, who ended up leaving the project, Qualls had to complete it on his own, coming up with "Otto and The Robot". His sixth grade teacher brought up that he should consider illustrating books as a career. Qualls has cited this moment as being pivotal for fuelling his confidence and interest in an illustration career. His first grade friend, Danny Moskovitz, who shared a mutual interest in art with Qualls, was also an early influence in Qualls' art career.

In high school Qualls became close with his art teacher, starting the Art Club at Bordentown Regional High School. He would host candy grams and other fundraisers to fund trips to New York City to look at art schools and explore the museums in the city.

Qualls attended Pratt Institute and majored in illustration with a minor in art education before dropping out due to financial constraints.

Qualls was inspired by commercial art and graphic art his whole life. He recalls visiting the doctor's office as a child or visiting friends' homes and seeing children's books and finding the sense of wonder and nostalgia in these books to fuel him creatively.

Personal Life

Sean Qualls resides in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with his two children . Qualls enjoys Djing in his spare time as well as practice meditation, which he has done on and off throughout his life. Qualls has been a vegan since around 1992. He moved to Park Slope in the early 2000s, partly to be closer to the Park Slope Food Coop.

Art Practice

Qualls' is known for his hand-done collage work. He considers himself more of a painter than a collage maker. Rather than taking existing scraps and collaging them, Qualls prefers to paint on paper and use these paintings as collage material.

Brooklyn Museum

Once Qualls left Pratt Institute, he started working at the Brooklyn Museum. On his lunch breaks, Qualls recalls going to the Brooklyn Public Library to look through the old archives of illustration annuals, art books, and other art-related publications that inspired him.

Children's Books

Sean Qualls' children's books are informed by a range of influences, including history, mythology, and non-fiction, and explores themes of race, identity, and self-creation. Drawing inspiration from historical narratives and the intersection of race and identity, Qualls examines how individuals shape their own identities or have them shaped by society. Qualls tends to focus on illustrating stories of African American culture and African American people. As a children's book author, Qualls has noted the duty he feels to expand the catalog of images and ideas around African American culture for children and families.

The Idea in You by Questlove

An adaptation of Questlove's 2018 book "Creative Quest", about engaging with creativity for adults, The Idea in You targets children, exploring where ideas come from and how to nurture one's own creativity as a child. In an interview with QuestLove, Qualls mentions the vintage feel and look of illustrated books from the '60s and '70s he used to read in the doctor's office growing up inspired his visual style for the book. On her instagram, former First Lady, Michelle Obama gave the book a shout out.

Other Children's Books

• Baby Be by Alison McGhee (2023)
• Frances in the Country by Liz Garton Scanlon (2022)
• Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson (2016)
• Lullaby by Langston Hughes (2013)
• Freedom Song by Sally M. Walker (2012)
• Giant Steps to Change the World by Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee (2011)
• Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill (2010)
• Little Cloud & Lady Wind by Toni Morrison & Slade Morrison (2010)
• Who Will I Be, Lord? by Vaunda Micheaux-Nelson (2009)
• Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford (2008)
• Phillis's Big Test by Catherine Clinton (2008)
• Dizzy by Jonah Winter (2006)
• Powerful Words by Wade Hudson (2004)

Collaborative Work

Sean Qualls has worked closely with other Brooklyn-based artists and illustrators. Qualls co-illustrated Why Am I Me? by Paige Britt, The Case for Loving by Selina Alko, and Two Friends by Dean Robbins with Brooklyn-based illustrator Selina Alko.

Fine Art

Qualls has said that his fine art allows him to explore themes from his childhood and have an outlet for personal expression.

The Young Magician

One of Qualls' most popular motifs found in his personal work is a boy magician character. This character is a reinterpretation of the Black Sambo character of the children's book, The Story of Little Black Sambo, written and illustrated by Helen Bannerman (1899). The book is notable for presenting one of the first black heroes in children's literature. The clear self-definition that the Black Sambo character has in the book is what he wanted to embody and expand in The Young Magician motif. The almost magical quality of the young boy in The Story of Little Black Sambo to outwit the tigers tapped into the mythical, self-defined characteristics associated with The Young Magician. Other self-define mythical characters that have inspired Sean Qualls are Melvin Van Peebles in Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song and Sun Ra, the jazz musician.

Black Self-Definition

Sean Qualls' work mainly features black subjects. His art is driven by an impetus to depict Black people differently than what he normally sees in media. The theme of self-definition is important in his work. In an interview with Brooklyn Magazine, he states that his work is "addressing the idea that, as human beings, not only Black people but human beings in general, we can define who we are ourselves and that we're not defined by outside sources".

Awards and Recognition

• 2016 - Schneider Award (Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson)
• 2008 - Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor (Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford)