An ongoing series of paintings and works on paper, focusing on grotesquerie, exaggeration, and abstraction through the lens of realism. 

A downloadable price list for 2022 is available here.

This mural was commissioned by Valley Arts, in Orange, NJ, with a grant secured by HANDS, Inc., for installation at NJ Transit’s Highland Avenue station in the city of Orange.

Naming conventions for new development in the district harken back to the area’s past as a hat-making industrial hub. The mural concept acknowledges this past, and, rather than paying tribute to an industry that left a century ago, utilizes the motif of headwear to celebrate the broad diaspora of people who have lived, worked, and made their homes in the city’s “valley” district.

In order of appearance:

• An ever-growing series of Fairy Tale Mashups - these represent a few highlights from a book of 70+ drawings and flash fiction chapters, in which the fates of a woodsman, a wolf, a bridge troll, a trio of blind mice, a former-marionette-turned-toymaker, a swashbuckling cat, an evil queen, and others become intertwined and interdependent.

• A troupe of side show characters from fin-de-siecle Vaudeville, via the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

• A few roustabouts from the annual “Inktober” challenge.

• The travails of the little known classical composer Erro Tsikaad, a cicada with dreams of minimalist modern classical composer stardom.

• An ogre yelling at a pig, painted as a demo for my Rowan University Illustration students.

The Arts Council of Maplewood, NJ, commissioned eight 4 ft. x 8 ft. works from eight different artists. The paintings were to be installed in the town’s NJ Transit train depot, specifically in the newly renovated pedestrian underpass.

The concept I proposed here operated on two levels. The painting was to fill the space with animals that create, or at least inhabit, underground tunnels. However, these animals would also form a randomized mix of predators and prey.

The suburbs, particularly along NY bound train routes, are often where commuters come, with shared purpose, to raise their children in relative harmony. While their children are primarily who this particular painting is for, the parents—who travel to and from the city, pulled by jobs and careers tangential or even openly adversarial to each other—are the subject.

Playhouse Preschool in West Orange, NJ, has long prided itself on its mission of love, sharing, and play. It’s a nurturing place, full of activity, parent cooperation, and animals.

When I was approached for the project—a mural covering a stretch of the building’s renovated facade—the request was to depict an environment where children could express themselves and grow through age appropriate play, and perhaps note that the preschool accepts children still in diapers.

We settled on a concept that used baby animals as a metaphor for the diversity of ages, communities, and developmental needs served, thereby also avoiding the limitations of clothing trends (there’s no telling what children’s fashion might be in ten years, and we didn’t want to needlessly date the timeless wonders of childhood).

Throughout, animals play to and against type as the seasons change.

A kitten and a mole instinctively dig and build in a sandbox; a penguin demonstrates the custom of catching snowflakes to a skeptical new duckling friend; a porcupine, turtle, and woolly bear caterpillar all play together in a manner that respects their personal space.

Animals as Aesop intended, but drawn on post-it notes. 

For new arrivals (and a few hundred others), wander on over to Instagram. 

"I'm trying to think of what they remind me of. Maybe, like, a dystopian Richard Scarry."

—Overheard, but still the best description so far.

In the interest of taking silliness seriously, the drypoint etchings that comprise this part of the Feral Town series are printed using AKUA inks on Rives BFK or Stonehenge printmaking paper. Each plate measures 3 in. x 3 in. 

Brand new critters appear every Monday over at The Atticus Review. 

STORE COMING SOON.

By Jack London.
Little Fox, 2016. 

The client, a South Korea based publisher of English as a Second Language educational books, produces volumes of illustrated English language classics, retold for its language learning audience. The project was comprised of 186 gouache illustrations, produced over the course of a year.

Due to its nature as an ESL retelling of the Jack London novel, a new painting was needed for every 26 lines of copy, with 3-4 chapters worth of art due each month. The challenge was to reflect the text accurately, but without being didactic or repetitive. Perhaps most important, the illustrations had to reflect the tone of the narrative, as a direct aid for detecting nuance in the writing.

By Jean L. S. Patrick
Charlesbridge, 2017. 32 pages.

This picture book follows the real life journey of Lucile Godbold, the 1922 Gold Medalist in shot put at the Paris Women's Olympic Games.

The full and double page illustrations were painted in oils on prepared Rives BFK paper, while the spots were completed in gouache. The title treatment is hand lettered.

"Patrick's folksy account is crisp and packed with facts. Gustavson's evocative illustrations combine oil paintings with gouache on watercolor paper, painting Ludy as a gangly beanpole with an enormously expressive face."
—Kirkus

By Bill Harley
Peachtree, 2012. 32 pages.

When Justin loses the hat his grandmother made for him, he is forced to visit the school lost and found, way in the back of Mr. Rumkowsky's custodial office. He's not the only one to fear this mysterious domain; a search reveals that almost no one has visited the lost and found in the history of civilization.

The illustrations were painted in oils on prepared Rives BFK paper. No flying badgers were injured in the production of this book, and no, that is not the missing Vermeer from the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum on the jacket, I don't know why you would even ask me that, nope, definitely not it.

"...Telling a realistic tale of fears faced and rewards earned, this picture book has its own hidden treasures, revealed in the understated first-person narrative and realistic dialogue. Gustavson's well-composed paintings bring the story to life on the page through expressive character portrayal and the clever details of setting (duct tape on the custodian's chair). An excellent read-aloud choice for classroom or library."
—Booklist

By Susanna ReicH
Holt, 2015. 40 pages.

Susanna Reich's biography of the Beatles follows the lads from their earliest childhoods through to their first UK #1 hit and entrance into the American pop music scene.

The illustrations were executed in oil on paper. Particular attention had to be paid to likenesses as the main characters aged from spread to spread; we're most familiar with the Beatles to some extent from photography at their height of fashion, recognizing the same young men in less well known contexts is certainly trickier.

It was my intent when working on the art to demystify the band mates, and present them as relatably as possible, to make their iconic appearances in Hamburg and the Cavern Club feel like the sweaty gigs in unknown places that a working band would experience nightly, without the pretense we now project onto those times and locations. 

It's worth mentioning that visual documentation on the Beatles is abundant. So, yes, that is Paul McCartney's mum's couch, yes, the anti-macassars were white, and yes, she really had that lamp.

In other cases, anecdotal evidence is necessary to fill in gaps or inconsistencies. For example, the red dyes used in the 1940s and '50s on budget model guitar finishes were often fugitive, causing what was once a warm sunburst finish to fade into an almost greenish hue when viewed today. 

The goal of this minutia level research is to seem invisible, to hopefully give a veneer of plausibility to imagined scenes in a way that doesn't seem self conscious or gratuitous. 

A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year

"The rich oil paintings have a retro, Norman Rockwell-esque flavor, depicting classic scenes (the Beatles in their early days, kitted out in leather) as well as re-creating moments from the boys' childhood, such as John Lennon dancing with his mother, Julia. Gustavson makes expert use of shadow and light, and there are some truly striking images here"
—School Library Journal

“Gustavson's naturalistic oil illustrations capture individual band-members' personalities and fans' excitement, complementing the well-orchestrated text.”
―The Horn Book

“Gustavson's luminous oil paintings capture likenesses and personalities that are utterly recognizable, even when the bandmates are just little boys and teens.”
―Booklist

By Susanna Reich
Bloomsbury, 2017. 48 pages. 

Susanna's biography of lifelong musician and activist Pete Seeger follows the folk music and civil rights hero from his birth all the way to his passing in 2014. In between, he works for Alan Lomax, tours the country with The Weavers, gets blacklisted, and channels his passion for environmental conservancy into the construction of The Clearwater, a 106-foot sloop.

The full and double page illustrations were painted in gouache, then overlaid on a hand painted faux calfskin banjo head texture. Additional spots were executed in colored pencil with washes of watercolor, to help pace out the multiple themes and arcs of the cradle-to-grave narrative.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Reich and Gustavson, who previously collaborated on Fab Four Friends, deliver a rich portrait of musician and activist Pete Seeger, focusing on how his deeply held convictions galvanized his music. Gustavson’s mixed-media illustrations highlight Seeger’s modest upbringing and down-to-earth persona, pairing lushly illustrated scenes of him traveling and performing with rough, loose sketches of unemployed men lined up for free food during the Great Depression, a couch where Seeger rested while on tour, and soldiers wading through a river in Vietnam. . . An intimate look at a pivotal American figure.”  
—Publisher's Weekly

“The 'We Shall Overcome' songwriter's legacy spans decades, and this will surely help a new generation understand his fervor and still-relevant message. ”  
—Booklist

“Gustavson's realistic art supports the admiring tone. . . . A solid introduction.”  
—School Library Journal

Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. The Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. The Squeaking Skull
Charlie Bumpers vs. The Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. The Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth

By Bill Harley
Peachtree

Songwriter and storyteller Bill Harley spins the epic saga of Charlie Bumpers, a well intentioned fourth grade boy just trying to make it through the school year. He's aided and occasionally undone by his friends and family, as well as a host of other neighbors, school staff, and classmates.

"Harley has teamed once again with illustrator Gustavson (Lost and Found, 2012) to create a real-life world in which a likable kid must face the everyday terrors of childhood: enormous bullies, looming teachers and thick gym coaches with huge pointing fingers. Into this series opener, Harley magically weaves the simple lesson that people, even teachers, can surprise you."
—Kirkus Review

"Harley develops all of Charlie's concerns with a nice sense of balance and levity, and Gustavson's uncommonly good spot illustrations are frequent, adding notes of creepiness or humor at all the right places."
—Booklist

 

By Leslie Kimmelman
Peachtree, 2009. 32 pages. 

Leslie Kimmelman’s dynamic writing brings to life the escapades and legacy of Teddy Roosevelt’s eldest daughter, Alice. 

The illustration process involved everything from tracking down reference of a 1904 Packard to ordering period clothing on eBay to fit a student model. I spent a fair amount of time tracking down photos and written descriptions of the many pets—exotic and otherwise—that lived with the first family at their Pennsylvania Avenue residence. 

The residence itself underwent extensive renovations during the Roosevelt administration, many of which were documented in hand tinted color photos. As is common with historical fiction projects, the line between documented fact and educated guess in each picture is carefully blurred throughout, with careful bits of artistic license when necessary (Alice escaped to the White House roof to smoke, not to drink tea). 

The paintings were completed in oils on prepared Fabriano watercolor paper.  

"...realistic oil-on-paper illustrations convey the period while capturing the humor and vivaciousness of the Roosevelts."
—School Library Journal 

"...energetic oil paintings do justice to Alice's shocking escapades...ideal for reading aloud."
—Booklist

By Darrin Lunde. 
Charlesbridge, 2015. 32 pages.

Darrin Lunde's text set out to dispel our prejudices about these misunderstood rodents, taking the reader on a global tour of little known species (Southeast Asia's Marmoset Rat) and perennial favorites (the Kangaroo Rat). 

The illustrations required scientific accuracy, but comfortably hidden in naturalistic painting compositions. For the city rat spreads, I established a separate narrative of a rat I call Nick (look for the small chomp taken out of his ear) for the observant reader. 

The research involved a behind the scenes tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Natural History, orchestrated by the author, to examine at leisure a host of specimens, both mounted and floating in jars. 

"Gustavson joins the rescue... with close-ups of rats rendered in naturalistic detail but looking more inquisitive than feral, sporting large pink ears and whiskery snouts. Some of the city settings are picturesquely grimy, but there are no dead creatures or images more disturbing than, in one scene, a white lab rat and a researcher in surgical garb locking eyes. On the contrary, another illustration even features a rat leaning in from the edge of the page to peer up at viewers, and a closing portrait gallery of selected rat species is equally fetching."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Gustavson's lush, realistic oil illustrations... are suffused with the romance and roughness of a bygone era. His vivid characterizations and cinematic framing would make John Ford proud."
—Publishers Weekly

____________________________

A few selections from the backlist. 

Good Luck, Mrs. K! by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster. 1999.

A Painted House, by John Grisham.
The Oxford American Magazine. 2000.

Where the Big Fish Are, by Jonathan London.
Candlewick Press, 2001.

The Day Eddie Met the Author, by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster. 2001.

Bad Dog Dodger, by Barbara Abercrombie.
Simon & Schuster, 2002.

The A+ Custodian, by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster, 2004.

The Last Day of School, by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster, 2005.

Just Kidding, by Trudy Ludwig.
Tricycle Press, 2006.

The John Hancock Club, by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster, 2007.

The Mystery of the Jubilee Emerald, by Gary Wassner.
Mondo Publishing, 2007.

Rough Tough Charley, by Verla Kay.
Tricycle Press, 2007.

Snow Day! by Lester Laminack. 
Peachtree Publishers, 2007

The Lost and Found Tooth, by Louise Borden.
Simon & Schuster, 2008.

A Very Improbable Story, by Edward Einhorn.
Charlesbridge Publishing, 2008.

A Yankee at the Seder, by Elka Weber.
Tricycle Press, 2009.

Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt, by Leslie Kimmelman.
Peachtree Publishers, 2009.

The Blue House Dog, by Deborah Blumenthal.
Peachtree Publishers, 2010.

Calico Dorsey, by Susan Lendroth.
Tricycle Press, 2010.

Tippy Too, by Juia Schnebly Black.
Corby Street Press, 2011.

The Little Rock Nine Stand Up For Their Rights, Eileen Lucas.
Lerner, 2011.

Jingle Bells, by John Harris.
Peachtree Publishers, 2011.

The Trouble With May Amelia, by Jennifer Holm.
Simon and Schuster, 2011.

Better Than You, by Trudy Ludwig.
Alfred A. Knopf 2011.

Silent Star, by Bill Wise.
Lee and Low, 2012.

Lost and Found, by Bill Harley.
Peachtree Publishers, 2012.

David’s Dilemma, by Lisa Pliscou.
The Brent Shapiro Foundation, 2012.

The Charlie Bumpers Series, by Bill Harley.
Peachtree Publishers, 2013.

Rock and Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story, by Sebastian Robertson.
Holt, 2014.

Fab Four Friends, by Susanna Reich.
Holt, pending 2015

Dirty Rats, by Darrin Lunde.
Charlesbridge, pending, 2015.

Stand Up and Sing, by Susanna Reich.
Bloomsbury, 2017

Long Armed Ludy, by Jean L. S. Patrick. 
Peachtree Publishers, 2017

Selections from a 10+ year ongoing campaign, celebrating these woefully under-celebrated days. 

All very real, verifiable, and incredibly official days of festivity. 

The previous iteration of adamgustavson.com featured this mysterious chimera as its unofficial tour guide and mascot.

It's been a while, but we're letting him keep his mascot job for now.