Christopher Manson
Encyclopedia
Christopher Manson is a children's book author
and illustrator
noted for his use of traditional hand tools to painstakingly make the pine
woodcut
s that fill his several highly acclaimed works.
, New York
, Manson graduated in 1975 from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, having specialized in printmaking
. He also obtained a Master of Fine Arts
from the State University of New York at New Paltz
(SUNY New Paltz).
He returned to Buffalo, where he took a job at a local arts council
in arts management, a position that required fundraising
skills. "It wasn't for me," he later recalled. "I figured out that I was tired of helping others make their art."
After illustrating a friend's cookbook
, he published the phenomenally popular children's book, MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle
(1985), issued by the major publishing house Henry Holt and Company
. The book promised a $10,000 award to whoever solved the book's many visual puzzles, and even though the contest has long since ended, the book remains in print, and eventually was reissued in a CD-ROM
format.
His other books include A Farmyard Song (1992), The Tree in the Wood (1993), Over the River and through the Wood (1998), Good King Wenceslas (1994). He has also illustrated books for other authors, including J. Patrick Lewis' Black Swan/White Crow (2007), W. Nikola-Lisa's Till Year's Good End (1997), and Delno C. West and Jean M. West's Uncle Sam and Old Glory (2000).
Manson summed up his approach to his authoring and illustrating children's books like so: "What I'm really after is the perfect book. The kind where you just can't imagine the words without the pictures, or the pictures without the words . . . like [Winnie-the-Pooh
author A. A.] Milne
. But there aren't that many out there to point to as perfect. I'm constantly working toward it." He added, "Even if I won the 40 million dollar lottery, I'd still do this — I'd have a fancier studio, but I'd still do this."
Manson lives in Rockville
, Maryland
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
noted for his use of traditional hand tools to painstakingly make the pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s that fill his several highly acclaimed works.
Background
Born in BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Manson graduated in 1975 from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, having specialized in printmaking
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
. He also obtained a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
from the State University of New York at New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
(SUNY New Paltz).
He returned to Buffalo, where he took a job at a local arts council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
in arts management, a position that required fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
skills. "It wasn't for me," he later recalled. "I figured out that I was tired of helping others make their art."
Career
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
, he published the phenomenally popular children's book, MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle
MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle
MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle is a puzzle book written and illustrated by Christopher Manson. The book was originally published as part of a contest to win $10,000.The premise of this puzzle book is akin to popular puzzle computer games such as Myst.Unlike other puzzle books,...
(1985), issued by the major publishing house Henry Holt and Company
Henry Holt and Company
Henry Holt and Company is an American book publishing company. One of the oldest publishers in the United States, it was founded in 1866 by Henry Holt and Frederick Leypoldt...
. The book promised a $10,000 award to whoever solved the book's many visual puzzles, and even though the contest has long since ended, the book remains in print, and eventually was reissued in a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
format.
His other books include A Farmyard Song (1992), The Tree in the Wood (1993), Over the River and through the Wood (1998), Good King Wenceslas (1994). He has also illustrated books for other authors, including J. Patrick Lewis' Black Swan/White Crow (2007), W. Nikola-Lisa's Till Year's Good End (1997), and Delno C. West and Jean M. West's Uncle Sam and Old Glory (2000).
Manson summed up his approach to his authoring and illustrating children's books like so: "What I'm really after is the perfect book. The kind where you just can't imagine the words without the pictures, or the pictures without the words . . . like [Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear, is a fictional anthropomorphic bear created by A. A. Milne. The first collection of stories about the character was the book Winnie-the-Pooh , and this was followed by The House at Pooh Corner...
author A. A.] Milne
A. A. Milne
Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work.-Biography:A. A...
. But there aren't that many out there to point to as perfect. I'm constantly working toward it." He added, "Even if I won the 40 million dollar lottery, I'd still do this — I'd have a fancier studio, but I'd still do this."
Manson lives in Rockville
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.