DeAnn Wiley
DeAnn Wiley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994 (age 30–31) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Artist, writer, illustrator |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Awards | Stonewall Book Award 2025 for Marley's Pride |
| Website | https://www.deelasheeartistry.com/ |
DeAnn Wiley (born 1994)[1] is an American artist, illustrator, and author. Her work centers Black American life and Black queer women.[2][3] She illustrated the books My Afro Is a Rising Sun, and The Numbers Store: A Sunday Adventures Book, and Marley’s Pride, which received a Stonewall Honor. Her debut children's book Homegrown was published in 2024, followed by Double Dutch Queen in 2025.
Life and career
Wiley was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan.[1] She loved art from a young age and asked her mother to buy art supplies for her when she was in third grade.[1]
Wiley is a self-taught artist that gained a following by posting her work to social media.[2] She primarily paints digitally with a stylus.[1] Her work typically depicts Black life, with an emphasis on Black queer women.[3] One painting, "Sit Still," shows a Black mother doing her daughter's hair with iconography including a large widetoothed comb and Blue Magic hair grease.[3] She also intentionally includes fat, dark skinned people in her work.[3]
Wiley illustrated The Numbers Store: A Sunday Adventures Book (2023) by Harold Green III that follows a family's trip to the grocery store.[4] In 2024 she illustrated My Afro Is a Rising Sun by Yaram Yahu.[5] She also illustrated Marley’s Pride (2024) by Joëlle Retener, a book about a queer Black family.[4] The book was named one of the Best Picture Books of the Year by Kirkus and received a Stonewall Honor.[6][7]
Wiley's debut book as author-illustrator, Homegrown, was published in 2024 under Henry Holt and tells the story of what home means to a girl, her mother, and grandmother.[1] It received a starred review from School Library Journal with the note, "Vibrant and hopeful, Wiley’s author-illustrator debut about a young Black girl and her loving community belongs in every collection."[8] In 2025 she published her second children's book Double Dutch Queen that Kirkus reviewed positively as "an uplifting story brimming with warmth and the strength of familial love."[9]
Wiley is queer.[3]
Books
Author-Illustrator
- Wiley, DeAnn (2024-01-09). Homegrown. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9781250365934.
- Wiley, DeAnn (2025-05-13). Double Dutch Queen. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9781250430533.
As Illustrator
- Green III, Harold (2023-05-02). The Numbers Store: A Sunday Adventures Book. Running Press. ISBN 9780762481583.
- Retener, Joëlle (2024-04-02). Marley's Pride. Barefoot Books. ISBN 9798888591338.
- Yahu, Yaram (2024-12-03). My Afro Is a Rising Sun. Running Press. ISBN 9780762485659.
References
- ^ a b c d e Overall, SaMya (2024-04-18). "Detroit children's book illustrator DeAnn Wiley puts culture and passion at the forefront of her art". Outlier Media. Archived from the original on 2025-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ a b Kolade, Sherri (2021-01-25). "A Touch of Black: Detroit Painter and Digital Artist Creates Soulful Imagery With a Purpose". The Michigan Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ a b c d e sidreddy (2021-07-14). "Meet DeAnn Wiley | Detroit based artist specializing in digital, portrait and children's illustrations". SHOUTOUT ATLANTA. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ a b Bae, Hannah (2024-02-01). "Librarians' top picks for young readers to celebrate Black History Month". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ Tanner, Debbie (2024-12-01). "My Afro Is a Rising Sun". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2025-04-21. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "Best of 2024". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ "Stonewall Book Awards List | Rainbow Roundtable". www.ala.org. Archived from the original on 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Williams, Ashleigh. "Homegrown". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 26 April 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "DOUBLE DUTCH QUEEN". Kirkus. Retrieved 21 June 2025.