About the Author

Matt Kish was born in 1969 and lives in the middle of Ohio. After stints as a cafeteria cook, a hospital registrar, a bookstore manager, and an English teacher, he ended up as a librarian. He draws as often as he can, often with whatever he can find. He has tried his hand at 35mm black-and-white photography (with real film and real chemicals), making comics and zines, a bit of collage, and lots of pen and ink. Moby-Dick is his favorite novel.

Reviews

Not so much honored as reimagined, Moby-Dick in Kish's hands is the vertiginous immersive experience Melville intended.
"Bookforum"
In an age of soulless, cookie-cutter computer illustrations, Matt Kish's intense and obsessive drawings, paintings, and montages are a riotous delight. Kish's artwork renews our age-old love of expressive handmade imagery. He humanizes his material in way that has all but disappeared from the design scene. It's great to see that passion again.
Paula Scher, Pentagram
[A] wondrous compendium . . . sometimes vibrant, sometimes somber, Kish s images are relentlessly fresh and eye-catching . . . Even the least visual readers will feel energized by Kish s artistry and his obvious passion for Melville s work.
"Library Journal"
"Conjuring the frenetic energy of tempest-tossed waves so integral to "Moby-Dick"'s setting, the artist's bold, full-page drawings in highly saturated colors illustrate passages he's called out, but also extend the narrative to suggest that modern-day man hungers to fulfill his self-proclaimed destiny every bit as much as the legendary whalers did....clearly infused with an intense joy that only comes from following one's heart."
"ForeWord Book Reviews"
"Woven of equal parts visual mastery and creative bravery, Moby-Dick in Pictures is a treasure in and of itself, one that not only pays homage to Melville, but also reimagines what it means to embark on a modern-day epic voyage of creative restlessness."
"The Atlantic"
"Kish has done something really fascinating [in Moby-Dick in Pictures]. He has not only re-imagined Moby Dick for a modern audience. He has also slyly, almost imperceptibly, yanked this nineteenth century novel into the twenty-first century, underlining its relevance for the post-post-modern world. These illustrations are not simply a sideshow to the novel: they are a well-thought out pleasure that enhances the enjoyment and understanding of Melville s work."
The Rumpus
""Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page" gathers his magnificent lo-fi drawings in a 600-page visual masterpiece of bold, breathtaking full-page illustrations that captivate eye, heart, and mind, inviting you to rediscover the Melville classic in entirely new ways."
Brainpickings
"The overall impact of Moby-Dick in Pictures is stunning..."
"The Oregonian""

"Not so much honored as reimagined, Moby-Dick in Kish's hands is the vertiginous immersive experience Melville intended."
--"Bookforum"
"In an age of soulless, cookie-cutter computer illustrations, Matt Kish's intense and obsessive drawings, paintings, and montages are a riotous delight. Kish's artwork renews our age-old love of expressive handmade imagery. He humanizes his material in way that has all but disappeared from the design scene. It's great to see that passion again."
--Paula Scher, Pentagram
"[A] wondrous compendium . . . sometimes vibrant, sometimes somber, Kish's images are relentlessly fresh and eye-catching . . . Even the least visual readers will feel energized by Kish's artistry and his obvious passion for Melville's work."
--"Library Journal"
"Conjuring the frenetic energy of tempest-tossed waves so integral to "Moby-Dick"'s setting, the artist's bold, full-page drawings in highly saturated colors illustrate passages he's called out, but also extend the narrative to suggest that modern-day man hungers to fulfill his self-proclaimed destiny every bit as much as the legendary whalers did....clearly infused with an intense joy that only comes from following one's heart."
--"ForeWord Book Reviews"
"Woven of equal parts visual mastery and creative bravery, Moby-Dick in Pictures is a treasure in and of itself, one that not only pays homage to Melville, but also reimagines what it means to embark on a modern-day epic voyage of creative restlessness."
--"The Atlantic"
"Kish has done something really fascinating [in Moby-Dick in Pictures]. He has not only re-imagined Moby Dick for a modern audience. He has also slyly, almost imperceptibly, yanked this nineteenth century novel into the twenty-first century, underlining its relevance for the post-post-modern world. These illustrations are not simply a sideshow to the novel: they are a well-thought out pleasure that enhances the enjoyment and understanding of Melville's work."
--The Rumpus
""Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page" gathers his magnificent lo-fi drawings in a 600-page visual masterpiece of bold, breathtaking full-page illustrations that captivate eye, heart, and mind, inviting you to rediscover the Melville classic in entirely new ways."
--Brainpickings
"The overall impact of Moby-Dick in Pictures is stunning..."
--"The Oregonian"

"In an age of soulless, cookie-cutter computer illustrations, Matt Kish's intense and obsessive drawings, paintings, and montages are a riotous delight. Kish's artwork renews our age-old love of expressive handmade imagery. He humanizes his material in way that has all but disappeared from the design scene. It's great to see that passion again."
--Paula Scher, Pentagram
"[A] wondrous compendium . . . sometimes vibrant, sometimes somber, Kish's images are relentlessly fresh and eye-catching . . . Even the least visual readers will feel energized by Kish's artistry and his obvious passion for Melville's work."
--"Library Journal"
"Conjuring the frenetic energy of tempest-tossed waves so integral to "Moby-Dick"'s setting, the artist's bold, full-page drawings in highly saturated colors illustrate passages he's called out, but also extend the narrative to suggest that modern-day man hungers to fulfill his self-proclaimed destiny every bit as much as the legendary whaler


"In an age of soulless, cookie cutter computer illustrations, Matt Kish's intense and obsessive drawings, paintings and montages are a riotous delight. Matt Kish's artwork renews our age-old love of expressive handmade imagery. He humanizes his material in way that has all but disappeared from the design scene. It's great to see that passion again."
--Paula Scher