1) What is your name?
- My full name is Raymond Curtis Billingsley. I use "Ray" professionally. -
2) Where are you from?
- My background is from the south, North Carolina to be exact, but my family migrated to New York's Harlem at an early age. -
3) What do you do?
- I write and draw the syndicated comic strip CURTIS. It's syndicated under King Features Syndicate, the largest syndicate in the world. It currently appears in 370+ papers worldwide. CURTIS is credited with breaking the boundaries, thus opening the door for many of the strips of a similar genre. www.billingsleyart.com -
4) What inspired you to pursue your creative career?
- Nothing really inspired, except for my older brother who also draws. I've been drawing as a child, as many artists say, but I became professional at age twelve, and have been published regularly ever since. It's been over forty years now and still going strong. -
5) What is your view on the state of the arts?
- My view on the state of the arts is quite complicated. I've seen some art which is really good, but some of them need to strengthen their writing skills. On the other hand I've seen work that could use a lot of practice! Some depends too much on the computer to enhance their work when they should be working harder to improve the artwork itself. I feel some put their work out there on the internet before they are truly ready, but arrogance makes them think otherwise. -
- My full name is Raymond Curtis Billingsley. I use "Ray" professionally. -
2) Where are you from?
- My background is from the south, North Carolina to be exact, but my family migrated to New York's Harlem at an early age. -
3) What do you do?
- I write and draw the syndicated comic strip CURTIS. It's syndicated under King Features Syndicate, the largest syndicate in the world. It currently appears in 370+ papers worldwide. CURTIS is credited with breaking the boundaries, thus opening the door for many of the strips of a similar genre. www.billingsleyart.com -
4) What inspired you to pursue your creative career?
- Nothing really inspired, except for my older brother who also draws. I've been drawing as a child, as many artists say, but I became professional at age twelve, and have been published regularly ever since. It's been over forty years now and still going strong. -
5) What is your view on the state of the arts?
- My view on the state of the arts is quite complicated. I've seen some art which is really good, but some of them need to strengthen their writing skills. On the other hand I've seen work that could use a lot of practice! Some depends too much on the computer to enhance their work when they should be working harder to improve the artwork itself. I feel some put their work out there on the internet before they are truly ready, but arrogance makes them think otherwise. -
