Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his lifelong struggle to bring equality, justice, and peace to his native country of South Africa. He also served as Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, from 1986 until 1996. In 1995, former South African President Nelson Mandela asked him to lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which became a model of national forgiveness and coexistence. Archbishop Tutu co-authored God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time and is the author of Desmond and the Very Mean Word.

Douglas Carlton Abrams is the co-author with Archbishop Tutu of God’s Dream. His many books have been translated into more than two dozen languages. He lives in California.

A. G. Ford is the illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Barack by Jonah Winter and Michelle by Deborah Hopkinson. He also illustrated Goal! by Mina Javaherbin. He lives in The Colony,Texas.

I grew up in Dallas, Texas, with two sisters and a brother. I had an active and creative mind-set from the very beginning. My hands were on everything from pencils, dirt, toys, basketballs, and bikes to whatever else I could find and explore. Busy my mind was, and still is. I honestly don’t think I ever had a choice to be an artist or an analytical thinker. My brain had already decided. I am sure to ponder the creative world endlessly.

My work usually involves people; drawing the figure is something that I enjoy very much. Some slight distortion is applied, only to set myself apart in terms of creating a style for myself. But my style evolves from project to project. My technique starts with acrylics to lay down dark and mid values. Then I lay oils on top to help create my lights. Oils can be vibrant with only one layer and dry true to their color, so I use this to my advantage when trying to work quickly. I paint on illustration board.

Three Things You Might Not Know About Me:

1. I’m a gym rat and I love to work out, go running, and be outdoors.

2. I love to cook, and I try a new recipe every Wednesday.

3. When I was little, I used to draw Ninja Turtles almost every day.