Bill Franz

Cecil Highley Bill Franz

Cecil Nolan Highley was born in the lush green hills of Kentucky in 1936, and grew up in the city of Louisville. He discovered his artistic talents as a student in high school, where he made the wise decision to pursue a career in art. Over the next several decades, Cecil developed his own unique style of pen and ink art, and became well-known in the region due to his artwork's high quality and mass appeal. During Cecil's long and prolific career, he produced thousands of art prints, which he sold at various festivals, arts and crafts fairs, as well as online, and he illustrated children's books. Cecil's art encompassed many different styles and subjects, such as historic places and landmarks, celebrities, and caricatures. He also was an art teacher at Oldham County (Kentucky) schools. Being a generous man, he frequently gifted his matted, framed, and signed artwork to appreciative family and friends. An avid gun enthusiast, Cecil considered himself a modern-day mountain man. He was especially fond of western movies, and drew more portraits of the legendary actor John Wayne, "the Duke," than any other. The artwork of Cecil Highley featured in this book pays tribute to this talented Kentucky artist.