Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Don Almquist was the son of Jeannette Perrow and Nils Herbert Almquist. His accomplishments as a graphic artist and painter are many and varied. He describes himself as a 'reductionist' because his paintings are minimalist, spare presentations that rely on texture and color to achieve emotional and thematic impact. He has exhibited in numerous solo shows and about 20 juried shows in the United States, Sweden and Canada while receiving quite a number of awards. His work represented in public and private collections in Connecticut and abroad. Having appeared in national and international publications and in almost 30 children's books, Almquist’s superb draughtsmanship and graphic art has been well received. Almquist is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Graphic Art (Switzerland, Zurich), and in 2000 Outstanding Designers and Artists of the 20th century.
Almquist lives in historic and charming New Castle, with his wife Kerstin. His wife was born and raised in Sweden. Their home, which is built on Delaware River, shares a view with an unlimited number of wildlife. Almquist earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1951 from Rhode Island School of Design. Earlier in his career, Almquist served as creative director and art director in Stockholm. Where he worked is one of the influential and largest publishing houses in Europe, and is known the world over. Almquist has also worked as graphics advisor to the Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, D.C. and the United States Department of the Interior.
