Commencement 2013 Keynote Speaker

James Bennett, Keynote Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient

James Bennett began studying art at Bucks County Community College in 1981. His professional career as an illustrator started soon after receiving recognition from the Society of Illustrators and RSVP as a scholarship student at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

James Bennett's conceptually humorous illustrations have since appeared as covers and interior pieces for The New York Times, The L.A. Times, Forbes, Time, Sports Illustrated, The Weekly Standard, Mad, Business Week, New York, Smithsonian, Reader's Digest, Yankee, Golf, and Philadelphia magazines, among others. He has also produced art for RCA Records, American Express, Paramount Pictures, Citibank, Hasbro, and Milton Bradley.

James Bennett  has completed a number of picture books, two of which have appeared in the top 5 of the New York Times Best Seller list. "Tell Me A Scary Story... But Not Too Scary," written by Carl Reiner and the picture book "Halloween," written by Jerry Seinfeld.

“The 2000 Year Old Man Goes To School” written by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, and “Tell Me A Silly Story” by Carl Reiner have been added to the celebrity book shelves.

James Bennett's awards include the prestigious Hamilton King, which acknowledges an illustrator's outstanding body of work represented by the "Best Illustration of the Year by a Member," the Stevan Dohanos Award from the Society of Illustrators in New York.  The “Creative Show” in San Diego which recognizes the best in advertising for the year, awarded him a gold medal, and he has also won gold medals from the Society of Illustrators Annual Shows in New York City.  Bennett has also been featured in an issue of Communication Arts.  

A member of the Executive Board of Directors at the Society of Illustrators, Bennett is also active in the Illustrators Partnership of America. He has taught classes in illustration and portfolio technique at The School of Visual Arts and Pratt in New York, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has lectured extensively at various art institutions locally and nationwide.

James Bennett lives and works in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.