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Based in Galena, Illinois, David Carroll Orr is an author and artist whose work is shaped by careers in architectural design and corporate creative direction. He explores personal and systemic histories through comedic structure, absurdity, and lyricism, merging photography, graphics, and poetry in novels and art books.

Orr holds three Master’s degrees, including an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has formal training in writing seminars (Johns Hopkins), comedic theory (Second City), and play-writing (Chicago Dramatists).

Raised in a small college town in the U.S. South, he absorbed a culture of raconteurs steeped in the traditions of the tall tale and magical realism. This heritage, a constant companion regardless of geography or the passage of time, informs his distinct approach, blending influences from Jorge Luis Borges to stand-up comedy—to dissect complex subjects with wit and humanity.