David Díaz (born 1960) is an American illustrator of children's books. He won the 1995 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration recognizing Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. He currently lives in Carlsbad, California.

Biography

David Díaz grew up in southern Florida with his family. He discovered his love for drawing when he was in the first grade while working on a vowel worksheet. His parents were concerned about his love for art because they did not want him to struggle with the uncertainty of being an artist. When David was only sixteen his mother passed away, which left a huge hole in his heart. From this tragedy, he used drawing as a catharsis for his emotional output. In high school, Díaz had an inspiring teacher that helped nurture his potential, this same teacher also lead him to competitions where he won awards for his art. When he got older, Díaz moved to southern California where he became a graphic design artist until he made his own design and illustration business called Diaz Icon. In 2018, a book Diaz had illustrated was pulled before its publication following allegations of sexual harassment at a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference.

Awards and exhibitions

Exhibitions

Awards

Books illustrated