Illustrator of the Week - Garth Williams

Garth Williams was a prominent American children's illustrator. He grew up in New Jersey and Canada, but moved to the United Kingdom when he was 10, where he eventually studied architecture. He got a job and a scholarship to work as an architect at the Royal College of Art. He also served as an ambulance driver during World War II. In the latter part of his life, Williams moved to Marfil, a small town west of Guanajuato, Mexico. He was part of a colony of ex-pratriates who built or rebuilt homes in the ruins of the silver mills of colonial Mexico. He was also an excellent guitar and banjo player. He married and had five daughters and a son.

Garth Williams most famous illustrations can be seen in Stuart Little (1945) and Charlotte's Web (1952). In the 1950's he teamed up with Margaret Wise Brown and several Little Golden Books including Mister Dog and Sailor Dog. He also illustrated the original The Rescuers series that was later made into two Disney movies. In 1953, Williams illustrated new editions of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series and then in 1960, he illustrated Geroge Selden'sThe Cricket in Times Square. Perhaps his most beautiful and fanciful illustrations can be found in The Giant Golden Book of Elves and Fairies by Jane Werner (1951).