Charles Vess was born a Gemini in 1951 in Lynchburg, Va. and has been drawing ever since he could hold a crayon. He drew his first full-length comic when he was 10 and called it "Atomic Man." Minimalist in nature, it required no drawing of hands, feet or heads ("they just glowed"). Since then, he has painstakingly drawn thousands of hands, feet, and heads in great detail.

Charles graduated with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked in commercial animation for Candy Apple Productions in Richmond, Va., before moving to New York City in 1976. It was there that he became a freelance illustrator, working for many publications including Heavy Metal, Klutz Press, and National Lampoon.

In the past his award-winning work has graced the covers and pages of numerous comic book publishers including Marvel (Spiderman, Raven Banner), DC (Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, Sandman) and Darkhorse. His recent work is found more in book illustration and he continues to win accolades and praise in his development of fine illustration. 

He has been featured in several gallery and museum exhibitions across the nation, including the first major exhibition of Science Fiction and Fantasy Art at the New Britain Museum of American Art (1980).  Other exhibits include:  "Dreamweavers" (William King Regional Arts Center, traveling, 1994-95), “Introducing Stardust” the Museum of Cartoon Art (San Francisco, 2000), “Ancient Spirit, Modern Voice: the Mythic Journeys Art Exhibition, (DeFoor Art Centre, Atlanta, 2004), and “Harvesting the Myth” at the New Light Gallery (Abingdon, VA, 2004). Two exhibitions in New York City featured his work in 2005: “Modern Fairy Tales” with Michael Kaluta at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, and “Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art” at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators.

The Ink Pot Award For Excellence in Comic Art was bestowed upon Charles in 1990. He shared the prestigious World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story with Neil Gaiman in 1991 for their collaboration on Sandman #19 (DC Comics). In the summer of 1997, Charles won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Penciler/Inker for his work on his self-published “The Book of Ballads and Sagas” as well as DC’s Sandman #75. In 1999, “Stardust,” a novel written by Neil Gaiman with over 175 lavish illustrations, won him the World Fantasy Award (Best Artist) as well as the Mythopoeic Award for Best Adult Literature for both Vess and Gaiman.

In 2002 Charles won a second Will Eisner award, this time as Best Painter for his work on Rose, a 130-page epic fantasy saga written by Cartoon Books' Jeff Smith. That year continued to be busy for Charles with the publication of “Seven Wild Sisters” (Subterranean Press) and “The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest” (Viking), both utilizing cover art and interior black and white illustrations by the artist. Both titles made the 2003 American Library Association's list for Best Books for Young Adults.  He also collaborated with writer Charles de Lint on his first children's picture book, “A Circle of Cats” (Viking). The cover art won the Gold Award for Best Book Art in the 10th annual "Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art.” A new edition of “Peter Pan” (Tor/Starscape) featuring a cover as well as over 30 b/w interior illustrations by Vess was released that fall.

For the first 6 months of 2004 he co-curated with cultural advocate Karen Shaffer (Pisces, wife) the exhibition “Ancient Spirit, Modern Voice” that accompanied the first Mythic Journeys conference in Atlanta. The exhibition (and full-color catalog) featured an international roster of over 22 artists, including Alan Lee, Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Terri Windling, Mayumi Oda, Helena Nelson-Reed and Roxanne Swentzell. See www.mythicjourneys.org.

Another book collaboration with de Lint, “Medicine Road” (Subterranean Press), and the Datlow/Windling edited YA anthology “The Faery Reel:  Tales from the Twilight Realm” (Viking) were published that summer. In the fall, Tor Books released “The Book of Ballads,” a graphic novel collection of short adaptations of Scottish and English ballads drawn by Charles and scripted by notable SF and Fantasy authors including Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, Jane Yolen and Emma Bull.

Last year brought forth the 20th anniversary edition of Charles de Lint’s seminal urban fantasy novel, “Moonheart” (Subterranean Press) for which Vess produced a dozen color paintings and many b/w vignettes. He recently completed illustrating a limited edition of George R. R. Martin’s “A Storm of Swords” for the same publisher with even more illustrations than “Moonheart.”

Upcoming projects include Fables:  1,001 Nights of Snowfall, an original graphic novel collection from DC/Vertigo Comics, “Blueberry Girl,” a picture book written by Neil Gaiman, and a series of stories in “Realms of Fantasy” magazine featuring short stories based on Charles Vess paintings. There are exciting inside snippets, rumblings and legal paperwork that indicate “Stardust” may be made into a movie in the UK.

Charles and Karen live happily in the Appalachian foothills in a small farmhouse, in a small town, with 4 small cats and a dog with a very small (but loving) brain.  Charles’ favorite whiskies are the Scottish Highland single malts (such as Glenmorangie or Cragganmore) if you want to get him talking.  Otherwise visit his website: www.greenmanpress.com