Kyle Gentry was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Inspired largely by Disney movies, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons, he began drawing at an early age. “I tend to put humor in everything I do,” says Gentry. Cartoons and classic children's stories are still his major motivation, and the artist admits that his goal is to produce work that is “a little left of center.”
Gentry is an exceptional artist in that he is comfortable working with a variety of mediums. While he performs all of his follow-up work on the computer, he primarily uses watercolor and pen and ink for initial work. He also works with colored pencil, marker, and gouache. Gentry was placed in college-level art classes when he was in the seventh grade. After graduating from high school, he was introduced to the work of a variety of classic and contemporary illustrators at the Ringling College and Design in Sarasota, Florida. He now specializes in posters and cards for children.
Soon after graduating with a B.F.A., Gentry began illustrating professionally. He has illustrated for children's novels and picture books and the medical, music, electronic, and print industries. His clients range from the rock band Phish to Metrowest Magazine. Gentry is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and delights in entertaining people with his imaginative images and characters.
Gentry resides in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and their cat Seuss.