Isabelle Arsenault
캐나다에서 태어났으며, 섬세한 선과 독특한 색감의 그림을 그려 국제적으로 널리 알려져있다. 그동안 『고갱 씨의 가슴』『내가 세상에 띄우는 편지』등의 책으로 캐나다연방총독상과 국제독서협회상을 받았다.  

Isabelle Arsenault, the illustrator of “Just Because,” in her workspace in Montreal, Quebec.

“I worked on a very special custom drawing table that my father built and gave to me for my birthday that year. It’s an inclined table that I described to him and that he created, adding even more cool features. It was very interesting to inaugurate the table with this book project, which I end up dedicating to my highly creative dad.

I received the manuscript for ‘Just Because’ and, of course, I liked the story — its tone, the absurd sense of humor and the ending. The manuscript came along with two vintage images, some visual references suggested by the writer, Mac Barnett. I liked these images very much. They looked as if they came from an old documentary book or encyclopedia. The project started taking shape in my mind. I wanted to find an approach that would be classic and warm but still contemporary. I could say this one was inspired by the old documentary books of my childhood.”