Q&A with Gene Barretta

 

 

 

Gene Barretta is the author and illustrator of the new children's picture book The Apprenticeship of Andrew Wyeth: Painting a Family Legacy. His other books include The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver. He lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

 

Q: What inspired you to create a children’s picture book biography of the artist Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009)?

 

A: I’ve been a huge fan of the Wyeth family of artists for a long time. And since the late ‘90s, I’ve lived 30 minutes from their Pennsylvania home. They lived there from October to May. The other six months were spent in Maine.

 

I really think kids need to be as familiar with the great Wyeth family of artists as any other artist.

 

For several years, I couldn’t quite find the best angle for the story until I visited the Christian Sanderson Museum, which is a block away from The Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford. The Brandywine is one of the primary Wyeth museums.

 

Anyway, Chris Sanderson was a close friend to the Wyeths and had a large collection of early work by Andy and his father, the amazing illustrator NC Wyeth.

 

I discovered that the best introduction for my readers was to learn about Andy’s early years as an artist, studying under his father and eventually growing up and finding his own voice as an artist. There are great lessons from his younger years for young artists.  

 

Q: As you were illustrating the book, did Wyeth’s style influence you at all?

 

A: It influenced me in a huge way. If people know my previous books as an illustrator, they’re familiar with a more humorous and more cartoony style. I knew that wouldn’t work for this story. So, I had to leave my comfort zone and evolve my style to compliment this book.

 

While other artists were illustrating books I’d written over the last few years, I was struggling to find a more appropriate illustration style. It was scary. I had no idea where I was headed.  

 

To break the ice, I started painting plein-air landscapes at Kuerner Farm, where Andy painted his entire life. It was a long time before I realized that my new approach to painting was completely based around what I learned from studying how Andrew Wyeth painted. Which was great, because I was doing exactly what I want my readers to do!     

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Wyeth and his father?

 

A: They loved each other deeply. When Andy was young, his Pa (as he called him), was his teacher and friend. He really shaped young Andy.

 

But one could argue that NC could be too controlling. Once Andy was old enough to recognize his own artistic preferences, there was tension. Andy needed more freedom than NC was comfortable giving.

 

Yet once Andy sold out his first NY gallery show at age 20, and launched his career, their relationship was not just father to son, or teacher to student, it was artist to artist.

 

Sadly, back then, illustrators were not respected as much as fine artists. So, even with his success, NC was not happy. He yearned for a career like his son. Fortunately, this dynamic did not affect the love they had for each other.

 

Q: The School Library Journal review of the book says, “Firmly rooted in Wyeth’s childhood this title will appeal to budding artists as Wyeth’s story is one that offers a path for those who find their passion for the world best expressed through art.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: That was my primary goal when writing this book. I want to share some great lessons taken from Andrew’s experience. Here are a couple quotes, “I’m really painting my own life.” “I think one’s art goes as far and as deep as one’s love goes.” Plus, he basically found a lifetime of subjects in his own backyard.

 

Young artists can do the same. They can learn the importance of observation and how to get intimate with their subjects. How to bring life and personality into nature and inanimate objects. Those are just some of the lessons.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I don’t know which of the developed projects will be first to go into production. I can’t give details, but I have a couple biographies, as well as ideas that are more novel and fun. I like to mix it up, to keep things fresh.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I should mention, I haven’t abandoned my old style of illustrating. I still want to write and illustrate silly, light-hearted books. Now, I have two styles to play with. That doesn’t limit the type of books I make in the future.

 

One last thing. We chose the book’s subtitle “Painting a Family Legacy,” to let readers know our subject was a painter.  

 

I used to have a different subtitle that I think is cool. What do you think of: “The Apprenticeship of Andrew Wyeth: PA and ME.” You see, Andy called his dad “Pa,” AND they spent their lives in both Pennsylvania (PA) and Maine (ME)! Pretty cool, huh?

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Gene Barretta.