Leo and Diane Dillon
American husband-and-wife illustrator duo
Leo Dillon (March 2, 1933 – May 26, 2012) and Diane Dillon (née Sorber; born March 13, 1933) were American illustrators of children's books and adult paperback book and magazine covers. One obituary of Leo called the work of the husband-and-wife team "a seamless amalgam of both their hands". In more than 50 years, they created more than 100 speculative fiction book and magazine covers together as well as much interior artwork. Essentially all of their work in that field was joint.
The Dillons won the Caldecott Medal in 1976 and 1977, the only consecutive awards of the honor. Leo Dillon was the first Black artist to win the Caldecott Medal. In 1978 they were runners-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award for children's illustrators; they were the U.S. nominee again in 1996.
Biography
Leo Dillon, of Trinidadian immigrant parentage, was born March 2, 1933, and raised in East New York. He enlisted in the Navy for three years' service so that he could attend art school. He credited his interest in art and his inspiration to become an artist to his friend and mentor, Ralph Volman.
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