Dec
18
Seasons Greetings!
Wishing all my followers a warm and joyful Yuletide!
Hoping this festive season brings you peace, mirth, and cheer.
Hoping this festive season brings you peace, mirth, and cheer.
Nov
24
Freelancing for Free?
There it lies in my inbox, another tantalising proposition for illustrators. Carefully written, brimming with enthusiasm and creative aspirations, how this wonderful project will be seen by all kinds of important people.... it all looks very exciting. So I scroll down for the important details: what's the brief? When is the deadline? And, crucially, what is the fee? But oh ..... how strange, there's no mention of fees.
Nov
13
Sketch: Shooting for the Stars
Here's an aspirational doodle.
We all need to aim for the stars, these are ambitious times!
I've not had chance to blog much lately, due to distractions like being made this month's SCBWI BI Featured Illustrator, with it's associated Web Gallery, the SCBWI Winchester Conference and of course deadlines, deadlines DEADLINES!
There's a lot happening, and never enough time at my drawing board....
We all need to aim for the stars, these are ambitious times!
I've not had chance to blog much lately, due to distractions like being made this month's SCBWI BI Featured Illustrator, with it's associated Web Gallery, the SCBWI Winchester Conference and of course deadlines, deadlines DEADLINES!
There's a lot happening, and never enough time at my drawing board....
Oct
19
Iggy Pop and Rock n' Roll vs Children's Publishing
The recent speech given by Iggy Pop for the John Peel lecture on BBC Radio 6, Free Music in a Capitalist Society (the transcript is available here) got me thinking of the parallels between popular music and the illustration business, especially the world of children's books.
Think for a moment of an industry dominated by big companies, but with numerous smaller enterprises (usually with limited budgets), and lots of DIY producers of varying levels of ability and success.
Think for a moment of an industry dominated by big companies, but with numerous smaller enterprises (usually with limited budgets), and lots of DIY producers of varying levels of ability and success.
Oct
13
John Shelley Exhibition at NNUH
This past month has been very hectic, not only with illustration work, but also setting up another major exhibition, a career retrospective at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
The exhibition came about immediately after my return from Tokyo. The hospital Arts Project at NNUH was running a series of workshops for children "Supernatural Garden" run by visiting artists from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, headed by Professor Yasuyoshi Saito and Dr Herb Fondevilla.
The exhibition came about immediately after my return from Tokyo. The hospital Arts Project at NNUH was running a series of workshops for children "Supernatural Garden" run by visiting artists from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, headed by Professor Yasuyoshi Saito and Dr Herb Fondevilla.
Sep
10
Tokyo Sketchbook Part 1
Over the summer in Tokyo I filled a sketchbook with pen drawings. I always sketch a lot when I'm in Japan, but it was particularly so on this trip, perhaps I was driven by the shear joy of being back in the city, it was as if something had been unlocked.
Some of these drawings were the kind of fantasy ideas and escapist shenanigans I regularly doodle. One or two were observed sketches inside restaurants...
Some of these drawings were the kind of fantasy ideas and escapist shenanigans I regularly doodle. One or two were observed sketches inside restaurants...
Sep
5
Tokyo Exhibition report: In the Shadow of Giants
I've just returned from five heady weeks in Tokyo, soaking up life back in the old metropolis, the place I lived for nearly half my life. Every year daughter and I go back to Japan, usually in the summer, every year we return with new and unique experiences, the only constant being the humidity and the constant murmur of cicadas, though this year there were several unseasonably cool spells amidst the swelter.
Aug
8
'In the Shadow of Giants' Exhibition at Space Yui
I'm currently in Tokyo again, preparing for my upcoming exhibition at SPACE YUI in Aoyama. The show runs from 21st-30th August, and will be chiefly showing original artwork from my recent picture book Stone Giant (Charlesbridge/Komine Shoten), plus there will be other original artwork on sale, copies of the book, prints and Tshirts. If you're in town please drop by the show! I'll be at the gallery from around 2pm daily.
Space Yui is open 11.00am-19.00pm daily (closed Sunday).
Space Yui is open 11.00am-19.00pm daily (closed Sunday).
Jul
24
Summer Dreaming
Thinking of making a big splash this summer!
... here's hoping your summer dreams come true!
NEWS SPLASH!
I'll be in Tokyo from the end of July throughout August, with an exhibition at Aoyama’s Space Yui running from 21st-30th August. Please drop by if you're in town.
... here's hoping your summer dreams come true!
NEWS SPLASH!
I'll be in Tokyo from the end of July throughout August, with an exhibition at Aoyama’s Space Yui running from 21st-30th August. Please drop by if you're in town.
