Chris van Allsburg
Chris van Allsburg was born June 18 1949 in Grand Rapids Michigan. His artistic career didn’t exactly begin until after high school. Getting into college wasn’t easy either since he didn’t have any prior art class experience. He did end up getting in and went on to study sculpture at the University of Michigan, and then graduate school at Rhode Island School of Design. Allsburg became a self employed artist and sculptor, as well as an author and illustrator of children’s books. His artwork has been exhibited in multiple museums in New York like the Museum of Modern Art. As a child, he often lived in most of the houses that you would see depicted in his illustrations. Scenes from his pictures are often very similar scenes to places where he has lived.
Allsburg has written and illustrated a multitude of children’s books. His repertoire consists of about twenty books, many of which became to be best sellers. In 1981 Allsburg wrote, and illustrated a book that he called Jumanji. He not only received two citations, and two awards for this book, but a year later in 1982 he was given the Caldecott Medal for his brilliant illustrations. In 1986 he received his second Caldecott Medal for his book The Polar Express. Its beautiful, and articulately designed pictures won him many awards and citations. The Polar Express remains to be a Holiday tradition today, and will continue to be for many years to come. In 2004 his book even came to life when it became a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks, a well-known prominent actor. Allsburg’s illustrations are so well thought out and creative, that he has won many New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books citations for a lot of his books. He has also won quite a few different awards such as the Maryland Children's Book Award Winner for Two Bad Ants, the Rhode Island Children's Book Award Winner for The Sweetest Fig, and many others.
Allsburg isn’t however all about the children’s books. In order to make such great award winning illustrations you have to be a very good artist. He has done many different types of sculptures, posters, and drawings apart from his books. His sculptures include a variety of different mediums. He has done woodwork with many different types of wood, terracotta and even works with bronze. Allsburg created a series of posters for different local organizations like RISD, Festival Ballet Providence and the RI Festival of Children's Books & Authors. He was always one to help give back to the community when he could. His drawings have become very well known in his books, but many don’t know of his other works. He has made drawings separate from anything like his children’s books. A lot of them include something in the image disappearing, being off, or not what it should. All in all, Allsburg is a very respectable artist who has produced great children’s books, and other artistic pieces.
Bibliography
Allsburg, Chris Van. "Chris Van Allsburg." Home. Chris Van Allsburg, 2014. Web. 07 Feb. 2015. <http://hmhbooks.com/chrisvanallsburg/index.html>.
"Chris Van Allsburg (1949-)." Something About the Author. Ed. Anne Commire. Vol. 53. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. 160-72. Something About the Author. Web. 7 Feb. 2015.
Natalie Hoeksema
Allsburg has written and illustrated a multitude of children’s books. His repertoire consists of about twenty books, many of which became to be best sellers. In 1981 Allsburg wrote, and illustrated a book that he called Jumanji. He not only received two citations, and two awards for this book, but a year later in 1982 he was given the Caldecott Medal for his brilliant illustrations. In 1986 he received his second Caldecott Medal for his book The Polar Express. Its beautiful, and articulately designed pictures won him many awards and citations. The Polar Express remains to be a Holiday tradition today, and will continue to be for many years to come. In 2004 his book even came to life when it became a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks, a well-known prominent actor. Allsburg’s illustrations are so well thought out and creative, that he has won many New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books citations for a lot of his books. He has also won quite a few different awards such as the Maryland Children's Book Award Winner for Two Bad Ants, the Rhode Island Children's Book Award Winner for The Sweetest Fig, and many others.
Allsburg isn’t however all about the children’s books. In order to make such great award winning illustrations you have to be a very good artist. He has done many different types of sculptures, posters, and drawings apart from his books. His sculptures include a variety of different mediums. He has done woodwork with many different types of wood, terracotta and even works with bronze. Allsburg created a series of posters for different local organizations like RISD, Festival Ballet Providence and the RI Festival of Children's Books & Authors. He was always one to help give back to the community when he could. His drawings have become very well known in his books, but many don’t know of his other works. He has made drawings separate from anything like his children’s books. A lot of them include something in the image disappearing, being off, or not what it should. All in all, Allsburg is a very respectable artist who has produced great children’s books, and other artistic pieces.
Bibliography
Allsburg, Chris Van. "Chris Van Allsburg." Home. Chris Van Allsburg, 2014. Web. 07 Feb. 2015. <http://hmhbooks.com/chrisvanallsburg/index.html>.
"Chris Van Allsburg (1949-)." Something About the Author. Ed. Anne Commire. Vol. 53. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. 160-72. Something About the Author. Web. 7 Feb. 2015.
Natalie Hoeksema