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Artist's statement

by Jesse Graber '00

The great fiddler Tim O’Brien once said, “The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that you don’t spill beer on a violin.” Illustration also seems to be held, in some circles, as the younger, lowbrow cousin of Art. While one can hear a clear distinction between traditional fiddle and a symphonic violin, the line between illustration and art seems much fuzzier to me. When an older friend asked me if I was studying illustration to make a living while doing “my art” on the side, I realized there was no separation in my mind between the two. Editorial Illustration is a wonderful way to comment on the world, to make statements and to point things out in a different way than words could.

I use the computer for several reasons, many of which are time management issues. I don’t have to wait for paints to dry, clean my brushes or mix new colors. Nevertheless, there is no magic button or command that does the work for me. The computer will not make a poorly rendered figure look proper nor will it make an awkward layout look pleasing. The computer will not make an uninspired idea relevant, give a clichéd visual metaphor nuance or make up for a lack of drawing ability. It does let me play Sudoku, though, and for that, I am grateful.

The line, more than anything else, is the most obvious and important element that comprises my work. I fought against it for a long time, actually, seeing lines as amateurish and as a weakness. I wasted a lot of time and wore myself down trying to be something I wasn’t, just as Frank Herbert wrote, “Ambitions tend to remain undisturbed by reality.” Through accident or desperation, I started to run with it, to make lines into my strength.

As I find my voice and my style, I’ve come to realize that most of my artistic influences use lines in their own unique manner. Craig Thompson’s expressive brush lines, Seth’s cartoony bold lines and Gilbert Hernandez’s clean and crisp images have all had a major impact on me. The visual wit of George Herriman and Winsor McCay also inspire me.

Jesse Graber earned his B.F.A. in illustration from the American Academy of Art in Chicago in 2006. The work on this page is from the Project Play book series from Celtic Marketing, introducing today’s tech-savvy kids to back-to-basics outdoor games such as Follow the Leader and Treasure Hunt. Jesse’s work is also scheduled to be featured in the December and January issues of the popular children’s magazine Highlights. He and his wife, Ruth Harder ’01, recently moved back to the Newton area, where Jesse freelances and also works part-time for Celtic and Ruth is associate pastor of Bethel College Mennonite Church.