A native of Nashville, TN, Bill Latta is a professional illustrator, graphic designer and photographer. He earned his BA degree from the University of Tennessee, following his service in the Navy. Bill began his career as a graphic designer with a large publishing house in Nashville. He was soon asked to become the art director at a prominent Nashville advertising agency. Bill did the design work for their clients, creating newspaper and magazine ads, billboard ads, TV storyboards, posters, brochures, and collateral materials. He worked as the agency’s art director for two very creative and productive years.
He returned to publishing when he was asked to come to LifeWay in Nashville as the designer of Home Life magazine. Soon after, he was asked to do the prototype design and help launch the Biblical Illustrator magazine, a pictorial magazine of scholarly articles on biblical archaeological sites and subjects. As the designer of the magazine for the first five years that led to its tremendous popularity and success, Bill made a number of extended photographic expeditions to ancient archaeological sites and museums throughout eastern and western Europe and the Middle East, creating a large, comprehensive black and white and color photo archive of biblical sites for exclusive use in the magazine.
Bill was soon promoted to art manager of the Youth and Adult Art Section. In this role, he managed a staff of thirteen designers and one technical assistant, working directly with the editorial managers and editorial staff to produce over 37 youth and adult products. Bill led his designers in creating and producing new product models, magazine designs, photos, and illustrations for all youth and adult products and related materials. As art manager, he was responsible for staffing, personnel training, art budgets, production schedules, and developing and meeting all production goals.
After a twenty-two year career at LifeWay, Bill established Latta Art Services as a contract digital illustration, graphic design, and photographic service. His clients have included: PC Magazine, NYC; Blender magazine, NYC; Sadlier Publishing, NYC; Backpacker magazine, Emmaus, PA; The Industry Standard, San Francisco; The Domain Group, Seattle; SBC Advertising, Columbus, OH; The Scientist magazine, London; Oxford University Press, Oxford; LifeWay, Nashville; Holman Publishing, Nashville; McNeely, Pigott, & Fox Public Relations, Nashville; Incentive Publications, Nashville; Rose Publishing, Torrence, CA; and The Whitfield Art Agency, Nashville.
In 2006, Bill came to Nossi College of Art as an adjunct instructor of illustration and design for Nossi College of Art while still working at Latta Art services for his national and international clients. In 2014, Bill retired Latta Art Service after twenty-one creative years servicing his clients’ needs.
Bill continues his devotion to his students at Nossi College of Art, teaching them skills and techniques to help enable them to become the very best professional illustrators and designers they can be. He says, “If they have the talent, the passion, and are teachable, they can succeed at any creative project they undertake.”.
Bill’s personal interests are: creating digital photography and art for art shows, traveling, boating, water skiing, hiking, and the great outdoors. Bill’s lovely and supportive wife is Faye is also a Nashville native. They have two sons and five delightful grandchildren.