{"id":1675,"date":"2009-05-15T00:01:30","date_gmt":"2009-05-15T06:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1675"},"modified":"2009-05-15T00:01:41","modified_gmt":"2009-05-15T06:01:41","slug":"seven-questions-over-breakfast-with-christopher-denise-and-a-visit-from-author-kristy-dempsey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1675","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Christopher Denise — And a Visit from Author Kristy Dempsey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Illustrator Christopher Denise<\/strong><\/a> and author and poet Kristy Dempsey<\/strong><\/a> are visiting this morning, but let me get something out of my system first, in all my excitement here: <\/p>\n

I love love love<\/em> this illustration from Chris. It comes from Jane Yolen’s The Sea Man<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, published back in 1997, a book I’ve never seen but really<\/em> want to find now. This image is both wonderful and<\/em> positively terrifying to me: <\/p>\n

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Okay, back to Chris and Kristy (and more art work from The Sea Man<\/em> is below): They have a brand-new picture book out, entitled Me With You<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, released this month by Philomel. This week, Kristy is spearheading some online activities to celebrate the release of the new title. When I told her that I had tried to connect with Chris last year—I had wanted to feature some of his art work, but we somehow lost touch—she was just as excited as I was at the idea of me attempting to reach him again to do an interview and feature more of his beautiful art, including some spreads from their new title. Told in warm, simple rhymes, it celebrates the bond between grandparent and grandchild. Here is how Chris brought Kristy’s words—and the beloved duo—to life: <\/p>\n

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If you can’t already tell from that opening Sea Man<\/em> illustration, Chris’ art work is not only precise and emotionally vivid, but he has a way with landscapes. Click on this below spread from Me With You<\/em> to check out the rain. And the clouds. And the sky. And the spot-on composition. And the beautiful splash of yellow. And…And…And. Oh my. (Do yourself a favor, and click to enlarge the spread.)<\/p>\n

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“On days when being me feels like \/ the sky was painted black, \/
you and I both together roll \/ along a brighter track.”<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

I get the same response to his art work as I do to Amy Bates’<\/a><\/strong>: I am drawn to the drama, the pathos, the timelessness, the emotion and adventure, his ability to impart a classic feel to his illustrations — yet without being too saccharine about it all. You can see more of this in action in the art work below. And he sent LOTS of it, hurray. <\/p>\n

Before we get to his seven-questions-over-breakfast illustrator interview, I’d like to share what Kristy sent me about the book: <\/p>\n

Kristy: <\/strong><\/font>Me With You<\/em> began as a love letter to my husband, and all the scenes are metaphors for different aspects of our relationship. It\u2019s truly lovely and appropriate, though, that it ended up as a tribute to the grandparent\/grandchild relationship. I think it shows, at the core, that the nature of our emotional connections holds true, regardless of the relationship. And, in our own family, the relationships we had with our own grandparents—and the relationships our children have with their grandparents—are dear beyond measure. I want my children\u2019s connections with their grandparents to be nurtured. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the wisdom that comes with age and time, but grandparents often have a way of allowing a child to simply be themselves without expectations. And I\u2019m not talking about the way grandparents spoil children. I\u2019m talking about the way they express unconditional love.<\/p>\n

When I first saw the illustrations for Me With You<\/em>, I think my heart stopped and time suspended for just a moment. Oh my! Chris got the emotion just right. If you look in the eyes of the grandfather bear in each spread, you see his unconditional love for the granddaughter bear. I am extremely happy with the way Chris brought these two to life. Even if I hadn\u2019t written it, it is a book I would treasure for its marriage of words and images. <\/p>\n

It can be disconcerting to allow someone to take your “child” and give it face and form. But it\u2019s necessary if I want to see my words brought to life. I am not an illustrator. And it pleases me that the images Chris created show the value he placed on my words.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chris is going to join me and Kristy this morning with a “bagel with a big shmear and a couple of clementines.”<\/font> And, fortunately, he also wants “coffee — lots of it.” Well, he came to the right place. <\/p>\n

Thanks to Chris for stopping by, and thanks again to Kristy for joining us during our seven questions over breakfast. Without further ado, let’s get the basics from him while we set our table… <\/p>\n

Note: Some of these images\/spreads have been re-sized to fit within the blog’s template but are linked to the original file. Click on those to see them larger and in more detail. Really, for Chris’ art, you’ll want to.<\/em><\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n

Chris<\/font><\/strong>: Illustrator, for now, but I have a wordless book in development that no one has seen. That might need some words.<\/p>\n

\"Christopher<\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n

Chris<\/font><\/strong>: <\/p>\n