Normand Chartier Papers

Born in 1945, the seventh of twelve children to Dr. & Mrs. Gerard and L. Rubia Chartier of Killingly, CT, Normand Chartier was exposed to great children’s books and art from a very young age. “The Biggest Bear” by Lynd Ward, and all the Robert McCloskey books were favorites from the home library. Plus, the wonderful “My Book House” twelve volume set, full of classic art and stories illuminated by illustrators such as Randolph Caldecott, Johnny Gruelle, Garth Williams, and N.C.Wyeth, to name a few. Hence the visual foundation for his eventual emergence as an award winning illustrator was formed.

A very gifted athlete, however, his focus was pro football. But, while playing for the University of Connecticut he suffered a career ending neck injury. This forced him to redirect that focus to art, which he later came to know as a “blessing in disguise.” It led to a continuing 37 year career in publishing.

Mr. Chartier has illustrated 73 Children’s books, five as author/illustrator. Ninety of his watercolor paintings of coastal Maine were published as a fine art book, entitled My Maine: the Coastal Watercolors of Normand Chartier published by Down East Books in 2005. His thirty-two national and international awards include three International Reading Association/CBC Children’s Choice Awards; the Gold Medallion Picture Book of the Year from the Christian Publishers Association; inclusion in North Light Book’s “The Very Best of Children’s Book Illustration; and selection to the New York Society of Illustrators annual exhibit on three separate occasions.

For a complete chronological list of books and awards, go to www.normandchartier.com