R. Gregory Christie
R. Gregory Christie’s illustrations have earned him many awards, including a Caldecott Honor, many Coretta Scott King Honors, and multiple spots on the New York Times’ annual Best Illustrated Children’s Books lists. He has been a guest speaker at conferences and libraries and teaches after school art programs all over the world. He lives in Georgia.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
What’s your favorite line from a book?
“Simply put, making art is chancy — it doesn’t mix well with predictability.”― David Bayles, Art and Fear
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Tom Feelings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Faith Ringold
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I wanted to balance our schools’ curriculums and make books that I wished that I had as a child, come to life.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Develop your skills and then keep doing it. The same goes for your tastes. Learn to see your own art from outside of your own head. Turn your paintings and drawings upside down to check plumb lines and to see spatial relationships. Be or at least manage your discipline and lastly, shake some hands and show your art to anyone that you think will be interested.
