Chilling with Ghosts

Insha Fitzpatrick, Lilla Bölecz. Quirk Books. (128p) ISBN: 9781683693451
Chilling with Ghosts

Chilling with Ghosts

Late last year I read “Hanging With Vampires” which is coming out at the end of this March (2023) and thought it was a fun and informative little book about the supernatural.

Written in a chatty, breezy style hits approaches the idea of ghosts in a way that acknowledges all the different sides of the debate, real or not.

Like the first in the series it also explores different cultures view on ghosts and on how people were buried and treated after they died.

It also looks at fiction and how ghosts are portrayed in the mass media and historically, but one of the most important parts of what the book talks about is dealing with loss and grief and that these htings do happen and their natural as are your feelings.

It’s very light on content but it has fun little snippets about how to make slime and different recipes throughout.

Overall a nice quick read and introduction to the idea of ghosts.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for and honest review.


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:

Stephanie Sorrell – Author Q&A

Stephanie Sorrell

Stephanie Sorrell

Stephanie’s first children’s novel, Dandy the Highway Lion, was shortlisted for the Times/Chicken House Competition in 2020, and will be published by Chicken House on the 2nd March. After studying English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, she stumbled, semi-intentionally, into life aboard a boat, where she now lives with her husband, two spoilt cats (rescued while sailing in Spain), and several visiting swans.

Stephanie can be found at:
Twitter: @sophistopheles
Instagram: @sophistifelicities

Tell me what inspired you to write your debut novel?

The original idea came from a very obvious pun – Dandy-lion. My husband and I were tossing around ideas and came up with the name Dandy Paws. I immediately thought that had to be a lion, and that such a lion should be a highwayman, thanks to the Adam and the Ants Song Stand and Deliver (‘I’m the dandy highwayman who you’re too scared to mention’). Once I had that concept, I knew I had to write it – the idea was too much fun to resist!

What came first the characters or the world?

Definitely the character of Dandy! Everything else formed around him. I did make the conscious choice to set his story in 1920s London, though, largely because I wanted to write in the world of P. G. Wodehouse, and to share its warmth, nostalgia and plain old fun with a younger audience.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

I think I was actually very lucky! I entered Dandy in the Times/Chicken House Competition before I’d got very far with looking for agents (and then promptly forgot I’d done so). I was shortlisted for that competition, but before I could be too disappointed about not winning, Chicken House got in touch to ask if I’d like to work on a rewrite with them – naturally I jumped at the chance! Having completed that rewrite, Chicken House then made me an offer.

Dandy the Highway Lion

Dandy the Highway Lion

How long did it take to write?

The first draft took precisely one month – I can be sure because I completed it during National Novel Writing Month. After that it gets very hazy, between the rewrite and subsequent edits. But from originally having the idea to the book being published has taken almost five years – although that is partly due to delays thanks to Covid.

Do you have a writing playlist? If so do you want to share it?

Yes – my writing playlist is about as incoherent as a playlist can be, but I’m very happy to share it!

What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

I think my favourite is what Barry Cunningham (who founded Chicken House) first said to me, when he called to tell me I’d been shortlisted for the Times/Chicken House prize – he described it as ‘a breath of fresh air’. I hadn’t quite realised at the time that my book was so different to most other children’s books being published at the moment, and it was especially wonderful to get such encouraging feedback so early on.

What can you tell us about your next book?

Well, I’ve got a few ideas I’m working on developing, one of them being a Dandy sequel – I’d love to see him in another book, and I think there’s abundant scope for him to get himself into lots more adventures!

Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?

Absolutely! I ended up writing for children mostly accidentally, because I knew a book about a highway lion had to be a children’s book. I tend to be drawn to writing historical fiction, but one of my current projects is contemporary, though still somewhat fantastical. I also have an adult historical novel that I’m working on between children’s projects, and I’m very much hoping to eventually find it a home with an adult publisher.

Which author(s) inspire you?

P.G. Wodehouse probably has to be first on this list! Susanna Clarke, Jane Austen and Agatha Christie have been very influential too. In children’s books I loved Joan Aitken, and in particular Arabel’s Raven, as a child, and I can see that relationship between children and extraordinary animal characters mirrored in Dandy.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I will try almost anything! But I tend to gravitate towards historical fiction, detective fiction, some fantasy, literary fiction, and of course children’s books!

What is your biggest motivator?

I think the feeling of accomplishment – of having started from nothing but the kernel of an idea and taken that to a fully fleshed out story that has now become a real book. The fact that this is even possible seems like a small miracle.

What will always distract you?

Myself, usually! I have to work hard to be disciplined, and I’m not always very good at it. An exciting email is always going to send me squirrelling away from whatever I’m supposed to be doing.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

I love The Petersfield Bookshop, which is the most wonderful labyrinth. Every time you think you’ve run out of shop you find another unexpected section – I could spend hours in there.

What books can you not resist buying?

Books with an impossibly rich, gorgeous cover, or occasionally even a particularly good font. I’ve bought several books on the strength of the cover alone, and discovered my favourite novel, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, because I loved the font on the cover.

What is your current or latest read?

I just finished The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, and in children’s books I read Wildoak by C.C. Harrington most recently. I really loved both, so it’s been a very good couple of reading weeks!

Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?

I’m really looking forward to Over My Dead Body by Maz Evans! I’ve also heard very good things about Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang, and my mum just recommended Still Life by Sarah Winman, which has gone straight into my TBR list.


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:

Robyn Wilson-Owen – Illustrator Q&A

Storytime

Storytime

I am an illustrator and author based near Cambridge. I create bright, engaging, and expressive images using dip pens and ink washes.

I studied children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art and graduated with a MA with distinction. As well as creating my own stories I illustrate books for other people, including Joseph Coelho and Anne Booth. Before I started making books I designed sets, costumes and puppets for theatre, a job which took me on many adventures.

My most recent book – Hedge Lion – was a finalist for the 2023 Bologna illustrators exhibition.

My books have been selected as The Sunday Times children’s book of the week and among The Guardian best books of the summer 2020, long listed for the UKLA book awards and the Spark book awards, and selected to be part of the Empathy Lab ‘read for empathy’ list. I was shortlisted for the Batsford Prize 2018 and the Searle Award for Creativity 2019 and I am represented by Elizabeth Roy Literary Agency.

Robyn can be found at:
Website: www.robynwilsonowen.com
Twitter: @robynwilsonowen
Instagram: @robynwilsonowen

When did you know you wanted to become an illustrator?

I came to illustration rather late, after a long love affair with theatre. I trained as a theatre designer and worked in wardrobe and design for many years creating sets, costumes and puppets. I always loved to draw and wanted to draw, but I never felt I was good enough. Eventually I got old enough to stop caring and just got on and did it! Theatre design and illustration are very similar in many ways, just now I don’t have to worry about the practicalities of how to make the background stand up, or whether the actors will agree to wearing the costumes!

How long does it typically take to make a page or cover for a book?

Making the final artwork for a spread takes a day or two, but that is only a very small part of creating the image. Before the final artwork there are hundreds of pencil sketches and colour experiments. When I come to make the final artwork everything is already very carefully planned out.

What’s your favourite piece of art equipment?

My dip pen and collection of vintage nibs.

Do you have a favourite colour scheme, if so what and why?

I have quite a specific range of colours I like to use, which vary slightly with each book. I try to use colour very deliberately to convey meaning and guide the eye. I tend to use specific red, blue and yellow inks to mix all the colours I use. I supplement those with an occasional pop of magenta and paynes grey for shadows, alongside sepia ink for my line work. I like sepia for my line as it feels just a touch softer than black line and I feel it sits more comfortably with my colours.

Who were your inspirations when starting out?

I grew up on a diet of AA Milne, Shirley Hughes, Brambly Hedge, and the Albergs, I just love line and detail and stories about the small every day parts of life which I think that comes from those very earliest of influences. My favourite book, which had to be read over and over as a small child, was called “Plucky Pufftail’ by Willy Schermelé. It is very old fashioned and has lots of black and white line drawings, which have clearly permeated my subconscious and influence everything I do.

Do you have another job beside being an illustrator, if so what?

I teach non creatives how to think creatively for Cambridge Uni, I teach drawing in evening and weekend classes, and I work as publishing assistant for Boxer Books. I have in the past also been a school librarian and a bookseller.

What do you do to overcome a creative block?

I draw. I don’t really believe in creative blocks though, I’m a craftsperson who just gets on with their craft every day. If one story isn’t working I move on to another. If a drawing isn’t working I go and find something to draw from life that will inform it. Creative blocks are just a fear of failure/perfectionism I think, once you get used to the idea that everyone makes bad work sometimes you can just get on with it.

What was your first book related project?

The first picture book I illustrated was ‘No Longer Alone’ by Joseph Coelho. Joseph’s writing is amazing, and I was very lucky to have such wonderful words to work with for my first professional project. Joseph is now the children’s laureate, so I’m incredibly lucky to have been in the right place at the right time and got to work with him.

What type of media do you prefer to work in and why?

I work in ink line, I like the permanence, that you have to accept mistakes and incorporate them. I also use waterproof ink for my colours and again I like the permanence, and that I can work in layers. I feel like I am a printmaker who paints.

Do you have a playlist you like working to? If so do you want to share it?

I am a Beatles obsessive and at the moment I always put the the ‘Get Back’ documentary on when I work so I can pretend John, Paul, George and Ringo are my studio mates bickering in the background!

Has your illustration/art style changed over time?

I have massively refined the way I work over the past few years. I have learnt a lot about nibs and ink and paper and spent a lot of time looking at how other artists approach line work. I have always found colour really difficult and I have worked hard at developing full colour illustrations, at the beginning my colour was very limited. I still love extremely limited colour but to move forward I had to expand my range.

How closely do you work with the author on developing the illustrations for a book?

Not closely at all! I am generally given a text and left to interpret it as I see fit. I then produce pencil roughs and respond to feedback on them. That feedback has always come via the publisher, so I’m rarely aware whether it’s something the author thinks or a designer/editor etc. I didn’t directly interact with Joseph until long after ‘No Longer Alone’ was finished, and I have never met Anne Booth who wrote ‘Bloom’ in person.

If you could illustrate any classic book which would it be and why?

I’d love to have a go at the Wind in Willows. All that gorgeous nature and potential for delicious details…

Which illustrated books in the last year have you loved?

the Worry Jar illustrated by Jenny Bloomfield, Don’t be Silly by Padmacandra and The After Christmas tree by Bethan Welby.

If you can please tell us about your latest project and if not your last project

Hedge Lion was published on February 2nd in the UK and March 7th in the US. It’s an incredibly special book for me, one I have been working on for 6 years and is based on a place where I lived for 14 years. The main (human!) character is my youngest daughter, Ida. In the book she sees Hedge Lion every day on her walk around town. Hedge Lion wants everyone to think he’s a hedge, not a lion, because nobody is scared of hedges. But Ida is brave, she notices things that other people don’t, and she’s not fooled. She knows Hedge Lion is a lion, she just needs to help him find his roar…

Do you have any events on in the near future?

I am doing a variety of school and bookshop events over the next few months, all the details can be found on my website http://www.robynwilsonowen.com I love running events so if you know a school or bookshop who would like to have me then get in touch!


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:

Jayben and the Golden Torch

Thomas Leeds. Hachette Children’s Group. (288p) ISBN: 9781444968637
Jayben and the Golden Torch

Jayben and the Golden Torch

Another that I fancied the brief description on NetGalley and glad I persevered through a bout of brain fog to finish.

This sees Ben/Jayben switching between Earth World and Elf World and discovering that he is the ninth and final Dreamer, and he has a great destiny to fulfil to set the balance of the worlds right once again, but in the Elf World he has no memories of who he is or what he has to do.

Worse still there is a fake Dreamer who is after him and his power, throw in an acid-spitting witch who can duplicate things, agents who can see his purple aura, and an array of fantastical creatures out to stop him you can see how this might be a wee bit difficult.

Jayben though is not alone and gathers a group of friends, all with different skills and from different elf clans and not only does he discover his own inner strength but the strength of friendship and trust.

Loved the world building and strange creatures that inhabit the world and was kept on edge throughout the book as to what was going to happen next, laugh out loud at times and really sad at others.

It was also a warm and honest look at a child who has seizures and how they felt and how they made him feel and I’m sure this will be developed further in the next book. The best part of this is that it didn’t feel tacked on and felt as though it was part of the main theme of memory and what we all take for granted and how that would feel if taken away.

Overall a great magical adventure with great potential.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:

Richard C. Bower – Author Q&A

Richard C Bower

Richard C Bower

Richard C. Bower is an award-winning writer, poet, and journalist. He’s the official Mansfield Town Football Club poet. He has worked with the BBC, OCD UK, and Gitanjali and Beyond (a peer-reviewed academic international journal) amongst many others.

Accredited by UNESCO Nottingham City of Literature, and a member of the prestigious Authors Club (as was Oscar Wilde et al), Richard C. Bower is the international selling author of ‘POSTMODERN’, the inspirational bestseller ‘Sanctuary’, and the imminent new release ‘Pleasures In The Pathless Woods’.

Originally from Mansfield, Richard and his work have recently been celebrated as part of the very first Nottinghamshire Day, and his work is being critiqued in classrooms around the UK and Europe; being compared alongside the classical works of Ted Hughes and Dylan Thomas.

Richard can be found at:
Twitter: @RichardCBower7
Instagram: @richard_c_bower
Facebook: Richard C Bower

Tell me what inspired you to write ‘Pleasures in the Pathless Woods’?

The seedlings for this book were planted a few years ago. Ever since the public became aware that I was a writer, I was quickly compared to Lord Byron and also referred to as ‘the nature poet’. My first two collections – POSTMODERN, and Sanctuary – both contained flashes of nature based writing, which was well received, so with Pleasures in the Pathless Woods I decided to write a full collection around the theme of nature and its cyclical rhtyhm through the seasons. It is also replete with mystical magic and insightful spiritual philosophy.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

Pleasures in the Pathless Woods is my third book as part of my current four-book publishing deal that I have with the Soulful Group.

I was blessed in how my deal came about – there’s a bit of a story to tell here! I’ve been a writer all of my life – keeping journals, note pads, diaries, etc ever since being young. It was normal for me to do such – and because it was normal to me, I assumed it was the general norm and that everyone did it. I thus never thought much of it and never told anyone. This way it remained until as recent as 2013. My mum suddenly passed away with cancer. I started to see a bereavement counsellor to try and help stabilise me at a crucial juncture in my life. After a couple of sessions, my counsellor spotted my introverted nature and suggested I wrote a basic journal throughout the week in which to write down any emotion or thought as it occured. So I did. When i took it into her the next week – and I remember this moment vividly – my counsellor read it, every page, before closing it carefully and looking me in my eye and asked if I had ever shown anybody my writing? (This is very emotional to me – it’s bringing tears to my eyes right now as I type this) I replied ‘no, why would I?’ She strongly encouraged me to do so, of which I did – very tentatitively, at first, to close family and friends. Each person I showed encouraged me further and further until I, with trepidation, started to post my musings on social media. This is where my publisher spotted me … and was quick to offer me my four-book deal. I see my entire journey as a writer as my mums passing gift to me. I love, and miss, my mum dearly. People often remind me how proud she would be of me – and I believe she is beaming up there right now as she looks on, and observes, the world!

How long did Pleasures in the Pathless Woods take to write?

Sanctuary was released in 2020 so after that I honed in on my concept for Pleasures. It documents a magical journey, with an abundance of hidden delights, and messages, for the reader. I believe that – like nature – the test of a good piece of work is that it can endure and grow with you, and you can continue to rediscover it, and it rediscovers you.

Do you have a writing playlist and, if so, do you want to share it?

My aural delights were derived from immersing myself in the beauty of natures rhythms whilst writing this book. My ‘playlist’ therefore aptly includes the early rising Blackbird with its low-pitched fluty verses, the clear and rippling notes of the Robin, the confident voice of the Song Thrush that dominates a dawn chorus, the fine warbling of a Black Cap, the rocking sense of the Great Tit, and the voice of the Coal Tit that resonates loudly from the conifer tree in my garden!

Do you take notice of online reviews?

I do glance an eye over them and am interested in people’s thoughts. I am not driven by them though, as (experience has taught me) some people have dishonest agendas.

Would you consider writing outside your current genre?

As well as being a published author (my next two books are different to my first three by the way – you’ll have to trust me with that as they are top secret for the time being) I am also a journalist and freelance writer by trade so therefore consider any genre of writing. The key for me is that it (a particular project) has to appeal to me – it has to sit well with me as a person, and then on a creative level. I have worked with a lingerie brand, my local football club, a race horse owner, music and culture magazines, the BBC, OCD UK, international academic journals, etc etc … that’s just a small sample of the type of work I have considered and undertaken.

What did you do before you became a writer?

I primarily worked in professions where the role was to help others. I did so in the guise of an Employment Advisor and a Careers Advisor.

Which authors inspire you?

On The Road by Jack Kerouac really opened up the doors of literature, and inspiration, for me. My influences range from William Blake, Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Charles Bukowski, etc. When younger, I considered Irvine Welsh as my ‘favourite’ author and would consume everything he released. Right now, I’m also discovering the work of some 18th century female poets such as Anna Letitia Barbauld and Mary Robinson that I’m finding really interesting.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I can be reading upto a dozen books at any one time. To answer this question the genres of the books I am reading at the moment include spirituality, history (of literature), religion, philosophy, psychology, self-help, biography, mythology, fiction, and poetry. This actually gives you an insight into my writing too.

What is your biggest motivator?

I am motivated by the pursuit, and attainment, of happiness – right here, right now – and by spreading a positive message, and energy, on an individual level and, indeed, with the whole world!

What will distract you?

Life and obstructive thoughts that find their way into ones mind can potentially cause distraction. To circumnavigate such, I adhere to rising early (often 5/6am) and writing for a few hours before, and as, the day awakens. I do this daily, when the mind is fresh and full of awe, wonder, and inspiration.

How much say do you have in your book covers?

As with all my creative output, I have complete control with everything I do. I have a fantastic relationship with my cover artist, Natalie Mosley, who understands deeply the concept of my work and translates it perfectly in a visual way. Natalie is an inspirational artist in her own right.

Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?

Well, next up in my ‘to be read’ pile – that I’m particularly looking forward to – are Ethics by Benedict Spinoza, Ghosts Of My Life (Writings On Depression, Hauntology, And Lost Futures) by Mark Fisher, and Love & Fury by Paris Fury.

Any plans, projects, or events in the near future?

Pleasures In The Pathless Woods is due to be released in Spring 2023, and I will be performing at a number of events up and down the country to promote the book. To keep a track of where I’m going to be appearing (my tour hasn’t been publicly released at the time of me writing this), people can follow me on social media. I am on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube … just type in my name, Richard C. Bower – or just Google me!


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:

Ian Archie Beck – Illustrator Q&A

Leo from Good Housekeeping, 1980s

Leo from Good Housekeeping, 1980s

Ian Beck was born in Hove on the Sussex coast in 1947. At the age of thirteen, after seeing an exhibition of drawings for the Radio Times, he was fired with enthusiasm about illustration and began attending Saturday painting classes at the nearby Brighton College of Art.

Ian left school at fifteen and went immediately to Brighton to study art full-time. There he was taught by both Raymond Briggs and John Vernon Lord.

Ian has worked in many fields of illustration. He’s been involved in the record industry, and painted the cover of one of the most popular records of all time: Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. One of Ian’s titles, Lost in Snow, was made into an animated film for TV and his books have now sold a million copies worldwide.

Ian can be found at:
Website: https://www.ianarchiebeck.co.uk/
Twitter: @ianarchiebeck
Instagram: @ianarchiebeck

When did you know you wanted to become an illustrator?

There were various triggers. A copy of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe which I borrowed from Hove Library circa 1956. I loved the drawings by Pauline Baynes they conveyed something magical to my nine year old self. Closely followed by the comic strip Buck Ryan in the Daily Mirror (my parent’s paper) and all kinds of comics really. I suppose commercial art was the kind of art I saw every day and I always admired it (still do) but I was constantly warned off pursuing it as a career by concerned relatives. They fussed on about how difficult it would be to become such an artist. The implication was that it wasn’t for the likes of me, a working class lad. Mercifully Art School (Brighton 63-68)released me.

What’s your favourite piece of art equipment?

I would have to say a Faber Castell Black crayon pencil.

Do you have a favourite colour scheme, if so what and why?

I like juxtaposing muted colours against more vivid ones such as putting Paynes Grey next to Scarlet Lake.

Who were your inspirations when starting out?

I moved from Hove to London in 1969 and I was lucky to be taken on by an agent for illustration work. This was John Craddock at Anglo Continental Artists. He had premises next door to the Old Curiosity Shop at Lincolns Inn Fields.I worked for a while at a desk there. I was alongside a variety of older professional commercial artists ands learned a lot from them, and John generously took me round to various magazines with my portfolio, such as it was. I was encouraged early on with regular commissions by art directors such as Stafford Cliff at Conran Design and Joy Hannington at Homes and Gardens to both of whom I shall always be grateful.

Do you have another job beside being an illustrator, if so what?

No I have never had a conventional job, I have always been freelance.

What do you do to overcome a creative block?

I don’t think I have ever suffered from that.

Do you have a favourite piece in your portfolio, if so could you share it and talk about it?

I have produced a lot of work in the past 50 years or so. Hard to single out one thing which I find a favourite. The problem being that I just see the faults and wish they were better.

What was your first book related project?

My first illustrated book was: Edward Waring: Ghosts and Legends of the Dorset Countryside. Compton Press, 1977. 100 pp. It consisted of a series of Black and white illustrations. I didn’t get near to making images for children’s books until the early 1980s.

What type of media do you prefer to work in and why?

I like working in watercolour on good paper, either using a black crayon pencil or a fine black or sepia pen for the line work.

Do you have a playlist you like working to? If so do you want to share it?

I do listen to music as I work. The playlist would be vary varied and wide ranging. I love certain composers and play their music a lot,Vaughan Williams, Arnold Bax, Malcolm Arnold, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Bernard Herrmann, Erich Wolfgang Korngold,etc. I also listen to Radio Plays while knitting away, or filling in as we used to call it there are selections of cosy old detective and spy dramas on YouTube which I like.

Do you have any rituals when working?

Not really, I just start and get on with it. Time dilates I find when I am working and I might look up from the desk and suddenly realise hours have gone by without my realising it.

Do you have a favourite artist outside of the world of books, if so who and why?

I have several painters that I admire apart from the obvious ones (ie Vermeer, Velasquez…) William Nicholson (although he does have a connection to books of course) George Clausen, Algernon Newton and Meredith Frampton especially.They have a certain atmosphere in their work, beauty and mystery and mostly connected with everyday things.

Did the books you read as a child influence your work?

I already mentioned the C S Lewis books. I also devoured all the Just William’s and loved Thomas Henry’s line drawings in them. Perhaps most of all Geoffrey Willan’s Molesworth books with Ronald Searle’s wonderful drawings.

Has your illustration/art style changed over time?

I suppose it has, though it hard for me to pinpoint exactly how and when. My methods remain similar but eyesight fades and thisa might affect things such as the size and scale of the work. If I can I like to work same size and that might prove difficult with ageing etc.

How closely do you work with the author on developing the illustrations for a book?

Some authors are happy to leave it up to me and then see things at rough visual stage and perhaps comment/suggest then. Others might take a much more hands on approach and like to be in at the start on any discussion pre drawing.

If you could illustrate any classic book which would it be and why?

I have already illustrated the one classic book I always wanted to illustrate: Alain-Fournier: The Lost Domain (Le Grand Meaulnes). Afterword by John Fowles. OUP, 1986. I didn’t do it justice then so I would welcome a second attempt (unlikely).

Which illustrated books in the last year have you loved?

I was very impressed by A Far Away Country by Ruth Boswell published by Hand and Eye and illustrated by the wonderful Angela Barrett.

If you can please tell us about your latest project and if not your last project

During Lockdown I rediscovered the pleasures of painting purely for its own sake not to illustrate anything. I made a series of paintings of the houses, trees, and streets of my suburban area in Twickenham west London. They were published in book form by Unbound as The Light in Suburbia.I have continued to paint the seasons and especially the effects of sunlight ever since. I painted a series of pictures of my childhood places at the seaside in Brighton and Hove.There is a set of cards which make a continuous landscape however you arrange them. They are called a Myriorama, I have been developing a set with Philip Pullman connected to his books which I hope will be published at some point. I am now attempting to record in words and pictures the world of my working class childhood a kind of opposite take to the ongoing crop of misery memoirs.


Bottom Ko-Fi

Share this:
1 2