Ten years into a career as an author and illustrator of children's picture books, Paul Owen Lewis wandered into the Stonington Gallery. Overtaken by the power, beauty, and mystery of northwest native art and myth, he immediately took formline design and carving classes. Then he met Bill Holm, and with his guidance and encouragement created the now classic picture books for children, STORM BOY, Caldecott Award nominee, winner of the 1996 American Book Award and Washington State Governor's Award, and it's companion title, FROG GIRL.

Paul received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cornish in 1984, and after a brief teaching career, published his first book for children, DAVY'S DREAM, in 1988. Over the past twenty years Paul has published eight books, been the featured speaker at hundreds of schools and writer's conferences around the world, and carved masks, chests, bowls, paddles and totem poles in northwest coast style. 

A long-time Seattlite, recently Paul moved to Lummi Island west of Bellingham where he has been focusing on painting and print making.