Mr. Jeff Willis

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  www.artschools.com/interviews - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 3/5/2001    Last Visited: 3/6/2007  

  Jeff WillisAnd just what is a Tradigital Artist?Find out here, as Jeff Willis of KnowWonder explores the many career opportunities for cartoonists. >>>

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  www.jacketflap.com/browsepeople.asp?searchstr=Writer%2C - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 2/4/2008    Last Visited: 2/4/2008  

  Jeff WillisWriter, Illustrator

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  Interview with Jeff Willis, Professional Cartoonist -... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 9/15/2008    Last Visited: 9/15/2008  

  Top | ArtSchools.com - Interview with Jeff Willis, Tradigital Artist
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  Jeff Willis - Cartoonist
  
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  Jeff WillisJeff Willis has over thirteen years experience as a cartoonist, illustrator and graphic artist on a freelance and full-time basis.Since 1999, Mr. Willis has worked for KnowWonder, a Washington-based business, as a Tradigital Artist (combining traditional and digital mediums) in production art for animation and interactive game elements for licensed childrens' CD-ROM software programs.
  
  With KnowWonder, Mr. Willis has created background art for games and animated vignettes (mini-movies), icon art and animation production, including licenses for "Nickelodeon's Rugrats" and Scholastic's "The Magic School Bus".Through his career, he has also developed licensed properties for Looney Tunes, Major League Baseball, Disney, and the National Wildlife Federation, and he was Art Director for Pacific Cities Sportwear in Everett, Washington.He has created art for children's educational interactive CD-ROM software programs.
  
  Mr. Willis is a member of Cartoonists Northwest and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and he was a runner-up in a national contest called "Create The Comics of The '90's," co-sponsored by USA Today.
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  Jeff Willis, Self Portrait

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  Jeff Willis is a cartoonist and - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 8/13/2006    Last Visited: 10/29/2007  

  Jeff Willis is a cartoonist and illustrator with an extensive workhistory.His experience includes illustration, video games, T-shirtsand more.
  
  He currently resides in Bellevue, WA with his wife Marline and two

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  Marine diving students build own working R.O.V.s - The... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 12/8/2004    Last Visited: 2/6/2005  

  "We are a little stressed about being behind on schedule," said Jeff Willis, a student who is part of the self-named "Jack and Coke" R.O.V. group."We are still receiving parts we ordered online due to the scarce supply of equipment available in Santa Barbara," Willis explained. Willis and the rest of the "Jack and Coke" team are dedicating their R.O.V. to Bill Talbot, a former diving student who died last May.
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  "He would have been part of our group if he were here today," Willis said.

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  SCBWI WA/NID Subscriber Links - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 10/17/2004    Last Visited: 7/7/2006  

  Jeff Willis, Illustrator

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  The News-Review - All in the Family 2006 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/26/2006    Last Visited: 6/9/2006  

  Jeff and Sally Willis opened Blue Baltic in the Roseburg Valley Mall in 2005 and 2006 will be another great year for shoppers.
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  "It's so satisfying to see children stop suddenly at our door and say, ‘Wow,' when they look inside," Jeff Willis says."We are working to build a magical world in our little store.That's what Blue Baltic is all about."
  
  At Blue Baltic, every visit is a like a European tour or Asian trek.The store is packed with items that are sure to please gift-givers looking for something special.More than 12 years of overseas living and travel have made exotic locales like northwest Thailand, Siberia and Central Asia familiar places for Jeff Willis - a writer, translator and former media production manager.
  
  "We have friends and business associates all over the world," he said.

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  The News-Review - Business - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 8/1/2004    Last Visited: 9/11/2005  

  Blue Baltic: Jeff and Sally Willis opened Blue Baltic, a store specializing in imported merchandise, in the Roseburg Valley Mall in February.
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  Elaborately carved teak wood shutters caught the eye of Jeff Willis as he was traveling through a village outside of Lampang, Thailand.
  
  The shutters weren't hanging from a shop window, but outside of a small home.The showpiece, with elephants carved around the exterior, was for sale.
  
  Willis, who owns Blue Baltic in the Roseburg Valley Mall with wife Sally, bought the shutters.
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  Jeff and Sally Willis eliminate the middle man in deciding what products to sell at Blue Baltic.
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  Jeff Willis started his international exploration as an exchange student to Denmark in 1979.He was also a Russian translator for the United States military from 1981 through 1987.
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  Jeff Willis stayed in the country doing nonprofit administration work through 2000.
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  Jeff Willis once bought a Russian nesting doll, which depicts a hand-painted royal family, over tea in the Russian artist's Sergeev Posad kitchen.
  
  He also saw a man take a piece of firewood and transform it into the body of such a doll inside his shop in a matter of minutes.
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  "I think many of our customers enjoy hearing the stories," Jeff Willis said.
  
  RISKY BUSINESSJeff Willis is fluent in Russian and "I speak just enough Thai to negotiate a purchase."
  
  Language barriers aren't the only difficulty in the import business.
  
  There is no effective insurance to cover loss during shipment, unless it's catastrophic, Willis said.
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  "We leave a lot of gorgeous things behind because we know our customers can't afford $5,000," Jeff Willis said.
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  Jeff Willis said it's also worth the effort to see customer's reactions to the unique products.He said Russian children have come into the shop and their faces light up when they see Russian candy they were accustomed to in their homeland.
  
  Some customers come in and actually know the villages that the items have come from.
  
  "And then, every once in a while, you run into somebody born in the village," Jeff Willis said.

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