{"id":2318,"date":"2012-03-27T00:01:03","date_gmt":"2012-03-27T06:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2318"},"modified":"2012-03-27T08:07:49","modified_gmt":"2012-03-27T14:07:49","slug":"seven-questions-over-breakfast-with-adam-gustavson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=2318","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Adam Gustavson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdamIllustrator Adam Gustavson<\/a><\/strong> is visiting for breakfast this morning. It may be a cyber-breakfast and we may not actually be face-to-face over the breakfast table with either the coffee or wine mentioned in my 7-Imp interviews, but he tells me he “answered these questions over a few cups of coffee, actually, whereupon I proofread it all over a glass of red wine. I think we\u2019ve had the full experience here.”<\/em> <\/p>\n

Adam states at his site that at first, he was going to be a cowboy. I’m glad he turned to children’s book illustration instead, though I do believe in the power of his two-pint ten-gallon hat of childhood. As you can see below, Adam’s had a relatively long and prolific career in illustrating children’s books, and he also teaches. His teaching is something he also discusses below. (Can I just say that I’d like to clone him as an interviewee? I really enjoyed formatting this interview and appreciate how detailed he is in his responses, as well as the thought he put into answering the questions.)<\/p>\n

Adam works in oils, rendering lush, detailed illustrations with rich colors. He often plays with perspective and captures many a text’s atmosphere with precision and spot-on pacing. “Gustavson creates a festive mood with his oil illustrations, so luxurious and ample they feel like bundles of winter clothing, topped with bright scarves,” wrote Kirkus<\/em> about his illustrations for Lester Laminack’s<\/a><\/strong> Snow Day<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (Peachtree Publishers, 2010). <\/p>\n

Looks like he and I are eating well this morning. “When I can, I\u2019m a bagel-with-cream-cheese-and-lox breakfaster,” he tells me. “If I\u2019m planning ahead, I make my own lox using my Finnish grandmother\u2019s time-tested technique.”<\/p>\n

Sounds good to me. I’ll set the table while I get the basics before our seven questions over breakfast. I thank Adam for stopping by. <\/p>\n

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


\n

(Personal piece)<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

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

Adam<\/font><\/strong> (pictured right)<\/em>: Published illustrator. As an author, I won\u2019t deny delusions of grandeur. We Gustavsons delight in making up absurd characters. <\/p>\n

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

Adam<\/font><\/strong>: Let\u2019s see\u2026<\/p>\n