Steven Kellogg Biography

Steven Kellogg – American Illustrator & Author 1941-

Steven Kellogg has loved “telling stories on paper” his whole life. As a boy growing up in Darien, Connecticut, he used that phrase to describe a favorite activity: he entertained his younger sisters by telling them stories and draw­ing illustrations to accompany them. He has said that he would happily continue to make up these tales “until my sisters were too restless to sit there any longer or until they were buried un­der pieces of paper.” This is an apt image for this prolific artist, who was awarded the Catholic Li­brary Association’s 1989 Regina Medal for the body of his work.

His early years greatly influenced his future Work as a picture book illustrator. Young Ste­ven loved any kind of animal story and spent much of his free time drawing animals and Birds. In addition to the childhood interests that inspired his adult work, a year in Italy studying the work of Florentine Renaissance artists was an important influence. But it was his honors fellowship from the Rhode Island School of De­sign that inspired him to pursue seriously his desire to become a professional artist. He gradu­ated from RISD in 1963 with a major in illustra­tion and in 1967 he illustrated his first book, Gwot! Horribly Funny Hair-Ticklers, written by George Mendoza.

Steven Kellogg’s early fascination with animals was good preparation for his series of Pinkerton books, based on his experiences with his ram­bunctious but lovable Great Dane puppy. The first book in this series was Pinkerton, Behave (1979). Pinkerton and the chaotic situations he inadvertently creates are the perfect vehicles for Kellogg’s unrestrained and humorous style of il­lustration. In A Rose for Pinkerton (1981), the combination of the energetic Great Dane and Rose, an ornery cat, leads to a typical Kellogg scenario — the characters become embroiled in a commotion of such hysterical proportions that, like an exploding pressure cooker, they in­variably end lip in an out-of-control mass of an­imals and people.

Steven Kellogg has used a variety of techniques in his full-color artwork; in his later books he has usually employed a combination of colored inks, watercolor, and acrylics. Not all of Kellogg’s books have a design line; especially with his early books, publishers didn’t always use his work to the best advantage. Of Kellogg’s more than eighty picture books, the retellings of tall tales and folktales achieve the best match of story and illustration. In Pecos Bill (1986), his en­ergetic style is perfect for depicting this larger- than-life hero whose exploits embody the raw American pioneering spirit.

The art crackles with vitality, and the characters almost whirl off tlie pages. Paul Bunyan (1984), Johnny Appleseed (1988), Mike Fink (1992), and Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett (1995) also perfectly blend dramatic retellings and vibrant illustra­tions. Quiet, incidental pictures would not do for these lively tales about the frontier days. Kellogg has said that he approaches the pic­ture book as a child’s introduction to art and lit­erature and believes the text is as important as the art. He made Chicken Little (1985) and Jack and the Beanstalk (1991) fresh for readers by add­ing humorous twists to the texts that comple­ment his illustrations. Steven Kellogg’s artwork captures the true spirit of childhood, in all its limitless energy and zest for life.

K.F.

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

Steven Kellogg Bibliography

As Author & Illustrator

As Illustrator