Artist in Residence Wins Literary Award

Bill Joyce
William Joyce

SHREVEPORT, La.— Shreveport native and Centenary College Artist-in-Residence William Joyce has been named winner of the 2008 Louisiana Writer Award.

The Emmy-winning author and illustrator of children's books will be honored Oct. 4 during the sixth annual Louisiana Book Festival.

The Louisiana Writer Award was created in 2000 by the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana. The award is given to honor living Louisiana writers whose published body of work represents a distinguished and enduring contribution to the literary intellectual heritage of Louisiana.

Joyce, hailed by Newsweek as one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium, wrote his first book in the fourth grade and has since produced a slew of classics beloved by both children and adults.

Among those books are "George Shrinks," "Santa Calls," "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo," "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs" and "A Day with Wilbur Robinson."

Joyce has won three Emmys for his popular children's show "William Joyce's Role Polie Olie," a Disney animated series.

His illustrations have appeared on the cover of The New Yorker, and his paintings are displayed at museums and art galleries nationwide.

Joyce and his staff moved his business operations to the College April 1, 2002 into specially renovated offices that occupy the second floor of Centenary's Sam Peter's Building. The leased offices include innovative and adaptable studio space, conference rooms and office areas in a space that covers approximately 3,400 square feet.

Since moving to Centenary, Joyce has supported the educational goals of the college by sharing his time and talents with staff and students in the form of lectures, in-house demonstrations, office tours, employment opportunities and internships as his production schedule allows.

Joyce is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where he studied filmmaking and illustration.

About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and is regularly rated as one of the top colleges in the South. In 2008 Centenary College celebrates 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.