BIO
Chris Van Dusen was born in Portland, Maine and grew up in a small town in central Massachusetts. His interest in art began at a young age when his mother gave him and his four brothers pencils and paper to keep them busy. He continued to draw any chance he could and remembers being fascinated with the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss. “I would go to the library and check out as many Dr. Seuss books as I could carry.” He also was greatly influenced by the books of Robert McCloskey and loved all sorts of illustrations from comic strips to Saturday morning cartoons.

After high school, Chris pursued his interest in art by studying painting and illustration at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. After graduating in 1982 with a BFA, he became an art director and cartoon editor of a now defunct magazine for teenagers. Several of his drawings appeared in the magazine — the start of his professional career.

In 1985 he returned to Maine and settled in the coastal town of Camden. There he met his wife Lori and they were married in 1989. They have two sons, Ethan and Tucker who also love to draw.

In his spare time, Chris likes to hike and bike all over the Maine coast with his family.