Theodore Taylor III’s HOME

The newest mural on view at the Taubman, HOME, is inspired by two spreads from New York Times bestselling illustrator Theodore Taylor III’s new book, Off The Wall.

In his bright, colorful, and movement-filled picture book, a young girl moves with her family from the big city to a small town. She feels odd and out of place until a stroll down the street hits her with echoes from home: vibrant graffiti splashed against the wall. But when it’s painted over that sense of belonging is lost, until an afternoon’s adventure shows her that street art can be found everywhere―as well as a sense of home.

In his exceptional author-illustrated debut, Taylor has crafted an ode to street art, a stunning celebration of a much-maligned art form and all the beauty it brings to a neighborhood.

“HOME represents Sam finding her home and community, the same way I hope kids in Roanoke are able to find a sense of belonging where they live,” said Taylor, a Roanoke native who attended Patrick Henry High School.

“In some of the book’s artwork, I incorporated my son’s drawings,” he noted. This spurred the idea that he would like to do something similar with local children finishing the mural with the last coats of paint.

Taylor plans to return to Roanoke soon to lead a community workshop with local children to complete the mural and share his path to becoming a best-selling illustrator.

About the Artist:

Theodore Taylor III is an artist living in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife, Sarah, and son, Theo. He was born and raised in Roanoke.

Taylor is the illustrator of widely acclaimed books such as Woke, Woke Baby, and the New York Times bestselling C is for Country by Lil Was X. He was honored with the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award for his work on When The Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop.

He is also the illustrator behind Shaquille O’Neal’s Little Shaq Series.

During the day, Taylor works as a front-end web developer. His work is inspired by his love of music, comics, animation, video games, street art, and more. He is also a self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur.

Taylor is represented by HGLiterary.