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Turning Pages - The Art and Craft of Story

November 22 to 23, 2008
West Downs Campus
University of Winchester SO22 4NR

 

Miriam Halahmy

Chris Wormell

As a child I was fascinated by the animals, birds and tiny country scenes engraved by Thomas Bewick, they seemed to me to be the most perfect form of book illustration. So, in 1982 when I decided to try my hand at illustration, I turned to wood engraving and began sending the prints I made to publishers. In 1983 I received my first commission, from Faber and Faber - an illustration for the cover of a play by Brian Friel: The Communication Chord.


   
   

The Wild Girl, The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit
Two Frogs, George and the Dragon, The Sea Monster, George and the Dragon

In 1984 I became a full time illustrator, joined The Artworks illustration agency and for the next five years worked solely as a wood engraver, making prints for publishers, newspapers, designers and the advertising industry.  Then, in 1989, I turned to coloured lino cuts for my first children's book - An Alphabet of Animals.  This was followed by a whole series of lino block picture books, which I still continue to make, all in a similar format to the original alphabet.

In the late nineties I began writing picture book stories and after trying out various things settled on watercolour as the medium most suited to the stories I was writing.

I still continue to make engravings and lino cuts for designers and the advertising industry.

Books illustrated include: 

New and Selected Poems, by Robert Penn Warren, Franklin Library 1985, The Story of a Norfolk Farm, by Henry Williamson, Clive Holloway Books 1986, English Country Traditions, by Ian Niall, Victoria and Albert Museum 1988 and Pavilion 1990, An Alphabet of Animals, Collins (UK) Dial (US) 1990 - winner of the graphics prize at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair 1991, Trout from the Hills, by Ian Niall, Victor Gollancz 1990, Mowgli's Brothers, by Rudyard Kipling, Harper Collins (UK) Creative Education (US) 1991, A Number of Animals, with Kate Green, Creative Education (US) Jonathan Cape (UK) 1993, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selbourne, by Gilbert White, Folio Society 1994, The Cook's Journal, Running Press 1994, Mediterranean Flavours, by Maria Jose Sevilla, Pavilion 1995, The Roald Dahl Treasury, Jonathan Cape 1997, A Flower Gardeners Journal, Running Press, 1997, Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund, William Morrow and Co. 1999, The New Alphabet of Animals, Running Press 2002, Swan Song, by J. Patrick Lewis, Creative Education 2003, Pine Woods of the Black Mount, by Peter Wormell, Dalesman Publications 2003, Through The Animals Eyes, Running Press 2006

Picture books written and illustrated:

Blue Rabbit and Friends, Jonathan Cape 1999, Blue Rabbit and the Runaway Wheel, Jonathan Cape 1999, The Animal Train, Jonathan Cape 2000, Off to the Fair, Jonathan Cape 2001, George and the Dragon, Jonathan Cape 2002, Two Frogs, Jonathan Cape 2003 - winner of the bronze medal at the 2003 Smarties Prize and short listed for the 2003 Kate Greenaway Prize - In the Woods, Jonathan Cape 2003, The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, Jonathan Cape 2004, Teeth, Tails and Tentacles, Running Press 2004, The Sea Monster, Jonathan Cape 2005, Mice, Morals and Monkey Business, Running Press 2005, The Wild Girl, Jonathan Cape 2005, Henry and the Fox, Jonathan Cape 2006, The Saddest King, Jonathan Cape 2007, George The Dragon and The Princess, Jonathan Cape 2007, Wings, Horns and Claws, Running Press 2007, Molly and the Night Monster, Jonathan Cape 2008.

Exhibitions:

Spellmans Bookshop, York, 1986, The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1988, The Fouts and Fowler Gallery, London, 1990, Heffers Bookshop, Cambridge, 1990, The Artworks Gallery, London, 1994 & 2002, The Richmond Literary Festival, 1996, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, 1996, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, 2001, Conningsby Gallery, London 2004. Plus group show with The Society of Wood Engravers, The Society of Illustrators, The Association of Illustrators and The Illustration Cupboard.