Planting the Seed
On June 18th, 1949, the literary world gained a champion. Chris Van Allsburg was born to Doris Christiansen Van Allsburg and Richard Van Allsburg in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was joined in the family by his two-year old sister, Karen.
Chris spent the first three years of his life living in an old farm house that neighbored his grandfather's creamery, East End Creamery. When Chris was three, his family moved to a new, in the process, development just outside of Grand Rapids. Since the neighborhood was still being built, there were plenty of things for young Chris to explore. When Chris began school at Breton Downs School, he walked the mile and half to school until his family moved again; this time Chris was in the sixth grade.
Chris' next house was an old Tudor style house in East Grand Rapids. All of the houses were the same distance from the street, with enormous Elm trees growing on each side of the road. The branches were so long that they touched in the middle of the street. If you investigate the background of The Polar Express, you'll see a street similar to the one described above.
While Chris attended high school at East Grand Rapids High School, he found a love for math and science. Because of his high academic achievement, the University of Michigan sent an admissions officer to his school in 1967, before graduation. If a student, including Chris, had high enough grades and test scores, they would be admitted on the spot. To find the exact words of this account, click here.
Chris hadn't chosen a particular school within the University of Michigan so he randomly chose the school of Architecture and Design, which included the art school. In reality, he had never taken an art class in his life, but he enjoyed drawing so he figured this was a good option for him. When questioned about his lack of portfolio and not taking any art classes in high school, Chris did what any teen would...he lied. He told the admissions officer that his skills were so advanced that he had been taking classes privately. To make a long story short, Chris was admitted into the University of Michigan school of Architecture and Design.
While in college, Chris quickly realized that "art school" was so much more than just drawing a few times of week. He felt out of place and greatly lacking in experience. Surprisingly, Chris became more and more comfortable sculpting pieces of art and therefore decided to major in sculpture. He learned bronze casting, carving, resin molding, and many more techniques. To view some of Chris' sculptures, click here. After graduating, Chris went on to pursue higher education. in 1972, he went to the Rhode Island School of Design and continued his study of sculpture.
In 1975, Chris opened a sculpture studio in Providence, Rhode Island. Shortly after that, he married his college sweetheart. Lisa Morrison also studied art at the University of Michigan. She became an elementary art teacher upon graduation.
Although Chris' main desire was sculpture, in 1977, he began dappling in drawing. He would draw pictures in the tiny apartment that he and his wife shared. While Chris didn't think his drawing were anything special, others disagreed. Being the ever thoughtful teacher, Lisa encouraged her husband to illustrate picture books. Since she used picture books in her art class, she was a sort of expert in the area. Lisa was encouraged by a friend of hers to show Chris' drawings to an editor through Houghton Mifflin. The editor loved the drawings, but instead encouraged Lisa to convince Chris to write stories of his own. In 1979, Chris wrote and illustrated his first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. Since that day, Chris has written 15 books and illustrated 3 others.
Chris has won a wide array of awards for his drawings and stories. Those awards are listed with their book titles on Watering the Works.
In 1991, Chris and Lisa welcomed their daughter Sophia into the world. Four years later, their daughter Anna was born. Chris and his family currently live in Providence, Rhode Island. In his free time, Chris rides his bike and plays tennis. Although not fluent in any instruments, Chris prides himself on his ability to play the recorder through his nose.
All information comes from Chris Van Allsburg's personal website. You can visit that website, and view the information found above, by using the link located on the Stop and Smell the Roses page.
Chris spent the first three years of his life living in an old farm house that neighbored his grandfather's creamery, East End Creamery. When Chris was three, his family moved to a new, in the process, development just outside of Grand Rapids. Since the neighborhood was still being built, there were plenty of things for young Chris to explore. When Chris began school at Breton Downs School, he walked the mile and half to school until his family moved again; this time Chris was in the sixth grade.
Chris' next house was an old Tudor style house in East Grand Rapids. All of the houses were the same distance from the street, with enormous Elm trees growing on each side of the road. The branches were so long that they touched in the middle of the street. If you investigate the background of The Polar Express, you'll see a street similar to the one described above.
While Chris attended high school at East Grand Rapids High School, he found a love for math and science. Because of his high academic achievement, the University of Michigan sent an admissions officer to his school in 1967, before graduation. If a student, including Chris, had high enough grades and test scores, they would be admitted on the spot. To find the exact words of this account, click here.
Chris hadn't chosen a particular school within the University of Michigan so he randomly chose the school of Architecture and Design, which included the art school. In reality, he had never taken an art class in his life, but he enjoyed drawing so he figured this was a good option for him. When questioned about his lack of portfolio and not taking any art classes in high school, Chris did what any teen would...he lied. He told the admissions officer that his skills were so advanced that he had been taking classes privately. To make a long story short, Chris was admitted into the University of Michigan school of Architecture and Design.
While in college, Chris quickly realized that "art school" was so much more than just drawing a few times of week. He felt out of place and greatly lacking in experience. Surprisingly, Chris became more and more comfortable sculpting pieces of art and therefore decided to major in sculpture. He learned bronze casting, carving, resin molding, and many more techniques. To view some of Chris' sculptures, click here. After graduating, Chris went on to pursue higher education. in 1972, he went to the Rhode Island School of Design and continued his study of sculpture.
In 1975, Chris opened a sculpture studio in Providence, Rhode Island. Shortly after that, he married his college sweetheart. Lisa Morrison also studied art at the University of Michigan. She became an elementary art teacher upon graduation.
Although Chris' main desire was sculpture, in 1977, he began dappling in drawing. He would draw pictures in the tiny apartment that he and his wife shared. While Chris didn't think his drawing were anything special, others disagreed. Being the ever thoughtful teacher, Lisa encouraged her husband to illustrate picture books. Since she used picture books in her art class, she was a sort of expert in the area. Lisa was encouraged by a friend of hers to show Chris' drawings to an editor through Houghton Mifflin. The editor loved the drawings, but instead encouraged Lisa to convince Chris to write stories of his own. In 1979, Chris wrote and illustrated his first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. Since that day, Chris has written 15 books and illustrated 3 others.
Chris has won a wide array of awards for his drawings and stories. Those awards are listed with their book titles on Watering the Works.
In 1991, Chris and Lisa welcomed their daughter Sophia into the world. Four years later, their daughter Anna was born. Chris and his family currently live in Providence, Rhode Island. In his free time, Chris rides his bike and plays tennis. Although not fluent in any instruments, Chris prides himself on his ability to play the recorder through his nose.
All information comes from Chris Van Allsburg's personal website. You can visit that website, and view the information found above, by using the link located on the Stop and Smell the Roses page.