Friday Fifteen: Richard Cowdrey

It’s the Friday Fifteen! As part of my “best of” series, this is a “repeat” of my original July 20 post.  I was inspired by a little drawing that my daughter handed me this week – her rendition of the cover of Bad Dog Marley.  Enjoy – new interviews coming!

It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s guest is illustrator Richard Cowdrey. I first noticed Richard when he illustrated Bad Dog Marley – one of my girls’ favorites!

Now, onto the Fifteen!

1. Where are you now?
I’m pacing around my cabin. I’m in a cabin near a pond in the woods. My mailing address is Gambire, near Kenyon College in Ohio.

2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
Early on, the Disney books like Pinocchio and Bambi. In elementary school, I liked looking at medical journals and anatomy books. At 6th grade, I could name all of the bones in the body.

3. What are you reading now?
I’m a peruser, so CS Lewis, Mere Christianity.

4. Do you have kids?
Yes, I do. I have 4.

5. What projects are you working on now?
One project is confidential. I also just completed a book for Henry Holt, “The Fan Man,” coming out in 2008. It turned out nice, they loved it. It’s a very classic looking book.

6. What is your biggest writing or illustrating luxury?
Time, I guess. I’m the master of my time. I garden, I cut wood and do all of those outdoorsy things and then am able to come in and do what I want.

7. Coffee or tea?
Coffee.

8. Name five artists on your iPod (or mp3 player).
This is really hard because I listen to a wide range.
The last day I checked, and I don’t know if this is a fair or unfair cross-section, it was:
Watermark – excellent
Pink Floyd
Elton John
Keith Green
Genesis

9. What would I be surprised to know about you?
I have no idea. I think I that I wanted to go into medicine but they don’t let people into medical school with a C average. So, I guess that I’ve never lost at Trivial Pursuit.

10. What college did you attend (in what subject)?
Columbus College of Art and Design

11. If you weren’t working with kids’ books, what would your dream job be?
An EMT, probably. In fact, that still may be down the road.

12. What’s the best thing on TV right now?
I don’t watch much TV. House. And that Planet Earth series was really great.

13. How did you get your “big break” into the field?
There were a few big breaks along the way.

I would have to go back to high school where I was going to drop out. I was doing all of the wrong things. I would do these elaborate drawings on folders and the backs of tests. And this art teacher who I hated and thought he hated me went around and gathered up these elaborate doodles and drove from Cincinnati to the Columbus College of Art and Design. He told them that I was a real problem but had a lot of talent. They gave me a full, probationary scholarship (nothing below a B). I got to art school and did my thing.

Once I was there, I realized that I wasn’t “THE artist” at school at school anymore. There were a lot of good artists. So I worked hard to become an artist.

That art teacher, Mr. Kanig, and I ended up corresponding years later. After seeing the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus, I realized that I had never thanked him so I tracked him done and did it.

14. Which celeb would you want most to meet?
I’m not into the celeb thing. Maybe Wess Stafford? He is the founder of Compassion, International, which is this great organization where they hook up Americans with children from Africa and South America. You can “adopt” a child for $39/month.

15. Who is the best book character EVER?
Series – Paul Longshot for Paul

Thanks, Richard! You can find out more about Richard on his website.