Richmond, Virginia Artist Wins International Illustration Contest

HOLLYWOOD, CA - Richmond, Virginia artist Ms. Amuri Morris is a winner in the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of the Future Contest earning her a trip to Hollywood for a week-long master-class workshop, an awards event and her illustration will be published in the international bestselling anthology, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42. 

Submitted photo of Ms. Amuri Morris.

Amuri Morris is a contemporary realist, inspired by the classical realism of still life and portraiture. The craftsmanship of painting is very important to her.  The paintings she creates are a result of years spent honing her artistic skills, and studying techniques of past artists, as well as contemporary artists. Ms. Morris graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in '22 with a degree in painting and printmaking.

Throughout the years she has acquired several artistic accolades such as a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship. Amuri’s aim is to promote diversity in art canon, specifically focusing on the black experience. One of her goals is to promote community engagement in the arts and better the community with her talent. 

The Illustrators of the Future Contest judges include, Bob Eggleton (11 Chesley Awards and 9 Hugo Awards), Larry Elmore (Dungeons & Dragons book covers), Echo Chernik (graphic designs for major corporations including Celestial Seasonings tea packaging), Rob Prior (art for Spawn, Heavy Metal comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ciruelo (Eragon Coloring Book). 

The Writers of the Future Contest judges include, Tim Powers (author of On Stranger Tides), Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Dune prequel series), Robert J. Sawyer (The Oppenheimer Alternative), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), Hugh Howey (Wool), and Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series) to name a few. 

Following the 1982 release of his internationally acclaimed bestselling science fiction novel, Battlefield Earth, written in celebration of 50 years as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard created the Writers of the Future (writersofthefuture.com) in 1983 to provide a means for aspiring writers of speculative fiction to get that much-needed break. Due to the success of the Writers of the Future Contest, the companion Illustrators of the Future Contest was inaugurated five years later.

In the 41 years of the Writers of the Future Contest, there have been 571 winners and published finalists. The past winners of the Writing Contest have published 2,000 novels and nearly 6,300 short stories. They have produced 36 New York Times bestsellers, and their works have sold over 60 million copies.  

In the 36 years of the Illustrators of the Future Contest, there have been 418 winners.  The past winners of the Illustrating Contest have produced over 6,800 illustrations, 390 comic books, graced 700 books and albums with their art, and visually contributed to 68 television shows and 40 major movies. 

The Writers of the Future Award is the genre’s most prestigious award of its kind and has now become the largest, most successful, and demonstrably most influential vehicle for budding creative talent in the world of speculative fiction. Since its inception, the Writers and Illustrators of the Future contests have produced 41 anthology volumes and awarded upwards of $1 million in cash prizes and royalties.

For more information about the Contests, go to www.WritersoftheFuture.com.

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