Author, artist, and educator, Lily Williams, loves using humor and heart to connect audiences of all ages to science, art, and the creative journey. Lily has experience as both a Title 1 public elementary school art teacher and as a higher ed Lecturer. Her unique blend of experience makes her a hit at school events for kids and adults.

Her talks range from broad topics such as illustration, animation, breaking into the creative field, and finding your artistic voice — to specific talks about her process of writing a children’s book, and combining art and science to educate. Lily enjoys connecting with people and their inner creativity.

Lily is based near Denver, Colorado.

If you are interested in booking Lily for a speaking engagement, please contact Kate Kubert Puls kubertpuls@gmail.com for all booking requests.

SELECTED PAST EVENTS

North Texas Teen Book Festival • Various panels, 2020

C2E2 • Women in Comics panel, 2020

SCWBI Rocky Mountain Chapter, Letters & Lines Conference •  2018, 2020

Lightbox Expo • Moderator: Illustrating for Children’s Books panel, 2019

San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival •  Shark Panel, 2016

College Lectures •  California College of the Arts, Woodbury University, Montana State University, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Presentations

Draw My Life • How did Lily become an author/illustrator? You can choose this to have 1) elementary level with a focus school on her shark art to If Animals Disappeared books or 2) middle-high school level with a focus on comics/graphic novels and Go With The Flow. This talk is her most popular!

Art + Science • A behind the scenes look at fact-finding and how Lily distills scientific concepts into illustrated books. Touching on Lily’s struggles in school and love of information, fact-checking, reliable sources, and working with scientists featuring the If Animals Disappeared series. Recommended for 4th grade+.

Friendship + Periods • A behind-the-scenes look at how Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams created the middle-grade fiction graphic novel Go With The Flow. A dive into friendship, periods, puberty, menstrual equity, and what it means to be an activist. Recommended for 5th grade+.

Harnessing the Power of the Internet • The internet can be a powerful tool for creatives when used well. How to protect your art online and how Lily got her first book deal thanks to the magic of the world wide web. This talk has been given at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 2018 Letters and Lines conference.

Art: A Career • This motivational talk is geared toward older students and focuses on the realities of making art a career. Highlights include embracing who you are, proper pricing, and the importance of manners. This talk has been given at Solano Community College, California College of the Arts, and Woodbury University.

Your Stories, Your Voice • Your stories have the power to change the world… how do you use them and your voice to make a positive impact?

Speaking Fees

Local

Single Presentation $700

Two Presentations $1,100

Three Presentations $1,500 (option to add additional fourth session for $400)

Long Distance

$2000 for up to three sessions; additional $500 for fourth, plus travel expenses (airfare, lodging, ground transport).

Virtual Visits

$350 for a 30 minute for a single Q&A session (no formal presentation).

$500 for 45 minute presentation plus Q&A

Hosting a Visit

If you want to host Lily for a speaking engagement, please work with your local bookstores for book ordering and sales. Lily will bring a USB with the presentation file on it, the event (or school) will need to provide a computer, projector, and microphone for larger spaces.

If a talk listed above isn’t speaking to you, please reach out to Kate Kubert Puls to see how Lily can work with your speaking needs.

Praise from speaking engagements

“Listening to Lily’s background and process for writing and illustrating was captivating. She had a room full of teenagers engaged and wanting to know more. Her series on If Animals Disappeared made a lasting impact on our science class!”

– Lauren Flores, Humanex Academy Teacher

“Very nice to have a talk focused on non-fic books about conservation and protecting animals and the environment.”

“She was so passionate about her art and animals. Loved the combo. Sparked my curiosity in learning more about those animals. Loved learning about her process too.”

“Lily was so lovely to listen to and was very personable.”