Lismore's very first Story Festival: Towers and Tales

The very first Lismore Story Festival Towers and Tales took place on Saturday 18 April and we were thrilled to be involved. John Huddy, director of Illustrationcupboard Gallery was there from the very beginning when the story festival seed was first planted with Niamh Sharkey (former Irish Children's Laureate) and William Burlington, owner of Lismore Castle, where the festival was held.

The festival was born out of Niamh's wish that all children in Ireland should be gifted a book, an initiative that is already successfully delivered in over thirty countries worldwide. With thanks to Children's Books Ireland, all young visitors  to the festival who bought a ticket to one of the events received a free book!

Niamh Sharkey (above) Monster Doodle!

The sun was shining and Lismore Castle was overflowing with illustrators, authors, families and even the Gruffalo! We were stunned by the enormous response to the festival and absolutely thrilled that children and adults alike were just as passionate about books as we are.

Illustrationcupboard Gallery hosted a bespoke exhibition, Meet the Residents, in the Summerhouse Cafe. The exhibition included original artwork by (to name a few) Victor Ambrus, Simon Bartram, Babette Cole, Lauren Child, Shirley Hughes, John Lawrence. It was complemented by an illustration competition, Draw Your Own Lismore Resident, judged by the fantastic Chris Riddell.

Artwork (from right) Shirley Hughes, John Lawrence, Victor Ambrus, Lauren Child

 

Chris Riddell and a selection of children's illustrations

The winner and his family, (above), residents of Lismore. 

Other events included a panel discussion with Philip Ardagh on Writing for Children: How to Get Published,  Chris Riddell lead two events, one for children Introducing Ada Goth & Miss Ottoline Brown and a must for professionals and aspiring illustrators & cartoonists Chris Riddell's Workshop especially for adults, there was a hat making tea party with Sarah McIntyre and other such wonders including a hot chocolate factory, pop up stories, croquet with the Queen of Hearts, animations screenings and face painting!

Sarah McIntyre illustrating the library bus

Shed Press Publications (founder Jessica Jane Charleston of Illustrationcupboard) leading letterpress printing & book binding workshops in the Stableyard alongside the Inspiration station

Tea time with Philip Ardagh and eager festival goers

All in all it was an overwhelming success! Congratulations Towers and Tales team! 

Can't wait for next year ... 

The 19th Annual Winter Illustration Festival: 19 November 2014 - 31 January 2015

The 19th Annual Winter Illustration Exhibition embraces everything exciting and innovative about illustration art and is regarded as one of the key events worldwide for illustration.

Private view and Illustrationcupboard Books launch 
Wednesday 19 November, 4.00pm - 8.30pm 

We are proud to announce the launch of Illustrationcupboard Books with the publication of George Butler: Adventurer and Illustrator. This signed and numbered edition of 500 builds upon the success of George’s solo exhibition, and are available exclusively from the gallery and our website. The gallery and online bookshop features a further range of signed and first edition books for sale at cover price. There is also a selection of hand-made and short-run books from around the world. 

Festival celebration, George Butler, Pen, ink and watercolour 

James Bond

From the estate of John McLusky, the original graphic artist for James Bond, we present a collection of original drawings. On show will be the exhilarating skiing sequences published in On her Majesty’s Secret Service, featured in The Daily Express, in the late 1950s.

Magnesium flares! John McLusky, pen and ink 

Winter Festival Days

We present two family days of festive fun, refreshments, music and guest illustrators.

Saturday 29th November, 11am - 5pm

We welcome Chris Riddell to sign Goth Girl and the Fete Worse Than Death at 11am and Judith Kerr at 3pm to sign The Crocodile Under The Bed.

Saturday 6th December, 11am - 5pm

We welcome Lauren Child at 1pm to sign The New Small Person and Shirley Hughes with Clara Vulliamy at 3pm to sign Dixie O’Day and others.

Judith Kerr signing books in the gallery

Entrance to events is free, no booking is required.

Open Monday - Friday 9:30am - 6:00pm

Saturdays 11:00am - 5:00pm

Illustrationcupboard Gallery

22 Bury Street

St. James's 

London

SW1Y 6AL

+44(0)207 976 1727

gallery@illustrationcupboard.com

30 Years of Willy the Wimp by Anthony Browne

This September we celebrate 30 years of Anthony Browne's most beloved character Willy the Wimp. We are thrilled to be exhibiting original watercolour Willy the Wimp artwork here in the gallery alongside other fantastic original artwork including the original front cover artwork for the renowned Gorilla. (Pictured below) The exhibition continues until the 20th of September 2014, and will then go on to be a highlight in our Winter Show in November.

Original watercolour front cover artwork for Gorilla, published by Julia MacRae Books, 1983

We celebrated this anniversary with Anthony's publishers Walker Books who produced this fantastic interview with him:



We have a selection of signed books available to purchase including the newly published Willy's Pictures, £12.99.

Original watercolour artwork for the yet to be published 

Willy and the Cloud

The Art of War Horse featuring Rae Smith

The Art of War Horse featuring Rae Smith

1 - 30 August 2014

Rae Smith, Cavalry Charge II, Pencil and charcoal on paper, 240 x 550mm, War Horse, written by Michael Morpurgo, published by Egmont Publishing, 2013

 Illustrationcupboard Gallery is proud to commemorate the centenary of World War I with a unique exhibition celebrating the dramatisation of Michael Morpurgo’s book War Horse. First published in 1982,  this wartime tale has become an international phenomenon. The National Theatre’s adaptation of the novel, which premiered in 2007, has now been seen by over 5 million people worldwide, with productions currently running in the West End, on tour in the UK (now at the Lowry in Salford), in Japan, Berlin and Amsterdam.

Theatre designer Rae Smith won both the US Tony Award and the British Olivier Award for the show. We are proud to be showing Rae’s original theatre, costume and scenic artwork – all of which were displayed on stage at the National Theatre. On show will be a selection of equine drawings of the horse puppets so vividly created by Handspring Puppet Company, as well as powerful Vorticist-inspired depictions of battle-torn France.

Rae Smith, Joey in No Man's Land, Pencil and charcoal on paper, 300 x 1130mm. Original theatre artwork for War Horse displayed on stage at The National Theatre

The distinguished artist Victor Ambrus was commissioned to produce the front cover of the first edition of War Horse in 1982. Victor will be showing artwork especially produced for this anniversary. We will also be showing artwork by Olivia Lomenech Gill, whose previous collaboration with Michael Morpurgo on Where My Wellies Take Me has been short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Award 2014. Olivia will be showing a selection of her War Horse inspired artwork, the highlight of which is the impressive Standing To, especially commissioned by Michael Morpurgo for the concert War Horse: Only Remembered.

Without doubt this is an extraordinary collection, which we are thrilled to be exhibiting. We draw attention for all collectors to the unique nature and opportunity offered, with all artwork being made available for purchase. A limited number of signed first editions of the new book will also be on sale.

The Art of War Horse, evening reception with Rae Smith and Michael Morpurgo

6 August 2014

More photographs can be viewed on our flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/illustrationcupboard/sets/72157645864266600/

A celebration: 25 Years of David McKee's Elmer the Patchwork Elephant published by Andersen Press

We had a tremendous opening night for David McKee's Elmer exhibition with Klaus Flugge, David's close friend and publisher of Andersen Press. The exhibition continues until the 7th of June, 2014. Original published artwork and signed books can also be viewed and purchased online: http://www.illustrationcupboard.com/exhibition_illustrations.aspx?ePage=0&eid=228

Photography by Siyu Chen

Panoramic photographs of Illustrationcupboard

 The gallery is looking particularly full of the joys of Spring with our Niamh Sharkey Laureate na nOg and Illustrators Ireland exhibition which continues until the 10th of May 2014.

Upstairs you will find our permanent collection of artwork which is regularly rotated. This week we are exhibiting original artwork from Tales from the Arabian Nights by Brian Wildsmith, The Wind in the Willows by Inga Moore and pen and ink drawings by Tejubehan from Drawing from the City, published by the fantastic Tara Books of India, amongst a whole other plethora of delights.

With thanks to Shelby Cartwright for the panoramic photographs.

David McKee signs and illustrates in Mr Benn books

David McKee popped by the gallery yesterday and very kindly signed and illustrated in a batch of Mr Benn books. Big-Top Benn and Mr Benn-Red Knight are hardback and only £8.99 each. Roll up, roll up! Original artwork, including original Mr Benn cels can be found on David's page : http://www.illustrationcupboard.com/artist.aspx?aId=119&page=0