Chris Van Allsburg Biography

Chris Van Allsburg – American illustrator and author, b. 1949.

American illustrator and author, b. 1949. The publication and subsequent success of Chris Van Allsburgs The Polar Express (1985) clearly established the illustrator-author as one of the premier creators of picture books in twentieth-century children’s litera­ture. The Polar Express, immediately taken to heart by children and adults alike, was a phenomenon in chil­dren’s publishing. It won the Caldecott Medal for illus­tration, appeared on the New York Times best seller list, sold more than a million copies in its first five years of publication, and achieved the status of a contemporary classic.

The story chronicles the adventures of a boy who boards the Polar Express, travels to the North Pole, meets Santa Claus, and is given a silver bell. Its sound can be heard only by those who believe in the impos­sible—that is, in Santa Claus. Rich pastel illustrations, in blues and purples, are accompanied by a narrative that achieves an exceptional sense of story. The story appeals because Van Allsburg touches a universal chord —faith. The simple truth of the story is perceptively conveyed through a felicitous blend of pictures and nar­rative; the combination radiates with childlike wonder while reverberating with mysterious intensity.

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Allsburg received his B.EA. from the University of Michigan. He attended graduate school at the Rhode Island School of Design and received his M.EA. in sculpture. In 1977, Van Allsburg’s sculptures, described as “fastidiously crafted, surreal, enigmatic and whimsical,” were exhibited in New York galleries. Originally, he began drawing as a casual diversion from sculpting, and his early black-‘ and-white drawings contained elements of sculpture— heavy, solid forms, which appear to be built with even, controlled lines and architectural perspectives.

While The Polar Express unquestionably ranks as Van Allsburgs most popular book, it is only a part of his contribution to children’s books. His first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979), met with a variety of critical responses. The striking, pointillistic graphite I drawings were hailed as “intriguing and refreshing.”The story, about a young boy pursuing a dog into the topiary gardens of the magician Gasazi, was labeled ominous | and disquieting by some. The book won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for illustration; it was consid­ered an auspicious beginning.

Chis Van Allsburgs in his own words …

Van Allsburg has stated that stories begin as frag­ments of pictures in his mind. “Creating the story comes out of posing questions to myself. I call it the ‘what if and ‘what then’ approach. What if two bored children discover a board game? What then … ?” That was the beginning of Jumanji (1981). As the protagonists, Judy and Peter, play the game, their house is transformed into a jungle—complete with a hungry lion, marauding monkeys, a menacing python, and an erupting volcano. The children know they must finish the game, and in a chaotic final moment all is set right when one player reaches the end. Readers are spellbound by this caution­ary adventure and delight in the final page when they witness the game being discovered by two more curious children. Masterly use of light and shadow and exagger­ated changes of perspective create a bizarre and mythi­cal world that leaves one wondering whether the adven­ture was real or imagined.

In The Wreck of the Zephyr (1983), a story about the disasters wrought by youthful pride, the artist leaves the dramatic tonal range of grays and black and white ­characteristic of previous books—and bursts into col­or. Using pastels, he creates vibrant, luminous land­scapes. The sharp delineation of figures and objects found in earlier work is more diffused here, imbuing the illustrations with a mysterious light.

This softening of line is carried into The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984), where richly shaded charcoal drawings intrigue and tantalize the imagination. The book is composed of fourteen illustrations, labeled with captions, Pictures range from whimsical to frightening, and are linked by unexplained elements or the supernatural. The book’s enigmatic premise and the exquisite drawings, which speak eloquently without text, represent qualities that have become hallmarks of Van Allsburg’s work.

Magic and the supernatural in The Widow’s Broom 1993) are tempered by the practical, kindly nature of widow, who assists a witch and is given her broom. Good versus evil is the theme, but the story bubbles with humor and affection when the protective, magic broom and the widow become fast friends.

Van Allsburg’s artistic style is often described as sur­realistic fantasy. Van Allsburg states that “he is intrigued by a setting of a normal, everyday reality, where something strange or puzzling happens; he also enjoys creating impossible worlds.” So, it is not surprising that visual illusions, created by the dramatic use of scale and per­spective, are a common thread running through his books.

Also characteristic of Van Allsburg’s illustrations are forms and figures that—to varying degrees— appear sculptured and frozen in time. But the breadth and sophistication in his style also allow for fluid, subtle nuances in human figures and detailed facial expres­sions, which reflect deeper psychological interpretations of character. Whether executed in black and white or in color, Van Allsburg’s illustrations never fail to fascinate the intellect, pique the senses, and emphasize the power of imagination.

Stephanie Loer

Source: Children’s Books and their Creators, Anita Silvey.

Chris Van Allsburg Books