Jan Spivey Gilchrist’s career as a fine artist and illustrator has spanned over forty years. Her large paintings and pencil drawings have been exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Gilchrist’s artwork is held in many collections both public and private. Her exhibitions include the Anacostia Museum of the Smithsonian, Washington, D.C., a one-person exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, St. Louis Museum of Art, Museum of the National Center of African American Artists, Boston, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, etc. Group exhibitions include the National Museum of Women’s Artists, Wash., D.C., California Museum of African American Artists, Los Angeles, Del Bello Gallery, Toronto, Catherine Lorillard Wolfe National Exhibitions, New York. Mrs. Gilchrist first children’s book, Children of Long Ago, written by Lessie Jones Little was published in 1988. Since then she has illustrated over sixty nine books for children. Nathaniel Talking, by Eloise Greenfield won her the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration and Night on Neighborhood Street won the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award for Illustration. She holds a Ph.D. in English, an MFA in Writing, an MA in Painting, and a BS Degree in Art Education.