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News Archive |
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Special new Quentin Blake Christmas cards sold in aid of Survival International Click here to see these beautiful images for Christmas 2010.
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The Boy in the Dress selected for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2009 shortlist This hilarious but also serious book by David Walliams, illustrated by Quentin Blake was shortlisted for this prestigious prize, now in its second year.
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Quentin unveils Cambridge 800 panorama 28 September 2009 Quentin unveiled his epic work of art portraying some of Cambridge University's most famous alumni, including Charles Darwin, John Milton and Oliver Cromwell. Created to help celebrate the University's 800th anniversary, the work is over 21 metres long and can be seen in Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital. If you can't get to Cambridge, the images can be seen on the Quentin's drawings were also projected from 16 - 18 January 2010 as part of the Winter Finale to the 800th anniversary year. Listen to Quentin talking about this project on the BBC
The Young Darwin, one of Quentin's 15 images for Cambridge's answer to the Bayeux Tapestry |
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Quentin Blake in lights! As part of Cambridge University's 800th anniversary celebrations, Quentin was invited to make a special series of drawings of famous Cambridge alumni, including Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. The drawings were projected onto Cambridge's Senate House and Old Schools in central Cambridge in mid-January 2009. Cambridge University 800th anniversary
Quentin's drawing of the young Charles Darwin....
In addtiion, Quentin has created a huge banner telling the history of Cambridge through some of its star alumni.
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Quentin Blake on the radio On 26 November he featured on BBC Radio 3's Night Waves, discussing the Saul Steinberg exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery. On 29 November he was on BBC London Breakfast Show where he talked about the exhibition What Are You Like? also at Dulwich Picture Gallery, and discussed plans for the new House of Illustration.
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Quentin Blake wins the ACA J.M. Barrie Award, 27 October 2008 Quentin Blake was announced the winner of the prestigious Action for Children's Arts JM Barrie Award at a special ceremony during the Big Picture Party at the British Library, London. The Award is presented annually to a children's arts practitioner or organisation for a lifetime's achievement in delighting children and whose work will, in the ACA Board's view, stand the test of time. Quentin is shown here receiving his award from a young admirer (photo courtesy edmundbingphotography*) .
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The Big Picture Party Monday 27 October 2008 Quentin Blake launched this free event which used picture books and illustrations to unlock families’ imaginations and creativity. Drop-in sessions and art workshops were led by illustrators to explore themes with special appeal to young visitors.
Crowds gather at the British Library to watch Quentin drawing! The Big Picture Party was a collaboration between the Campaign for Drawing, Booktrust, the Campaign for Learning and The British Library.
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Quentin Blake at St Pancras International, Saturday 17 November 2-5, 2007 Quentin created a large-scale drawing on the theme of travel (with audience assistance) at the the new St Pancras International Station. This was part of the Arrivals festival which celebrated the opening of the new station. St Pancras International Arrivals
photo copyright Sophie Laslett/Arts Council England
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New Quentin Blake logo for The Big Draw 2007 Quentin Blake is a founder patron of the Campaign for Drawing, who kicked off their eighth Big Draw season with a national launch in Tower Hamlets and Hackney, East London. The Big Draw East took place in Tower Hamlets and Hackney, London on Sunday 30 September 2007 with exciting drawing events for people of all ages and abilities. The emphasis was on access, inclusion and active involvement. Themes included Shape the Future - Designing for Sustainability (in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering), Changing Cities, and Body Science/Body Culture. Before the launch, children, students and adults worked with artists, designers, scientists and architects from the area, well known for its high density of art and design studios. With a team of celebrity 'drawers', these practitioners led activities which ensured a lasting legacy of collective creative achievement.
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Quentin Blake turns 75! December 2007 saw Quentin Blake reach the magnificent age of 75. He celebrated the day in his usual modest and hardworking style with a book signing appearance at 'The Illustrators' exhibition at the Chris Beetles Art Gallery in London. He didn't get away without being presented with a special 'Clown' birthday cake though.
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Quentin Blake on BBC Radio 4 On 30th August at 11.30 Quentin Blake presented George Herriman, creator of 'Krazy Kat'. The famous American illustrator George Herriman was born in New Orleans in 1880. Like Quentin Blake, Herriman first earned money from his drawings by selling a sketch to a newspaper (in Herriman's case the Los Angeles Herald), while he was still a teenager. He is best-remembered today for the daily strip cartoon Krazy Kat which appeared from 1913 until his death in 1944. Herriman was also the illustrator for the first printed edition of Don Marquis' archy and mehitabel stories. |
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More honours for Quentin Blake Quentin Blake has collected over 12 honorary degrees which recognise his outstanding contribution to the worlds of illustration, children’s literature and now also exhibition curating. 2006/7 has brought him another clutch including Honorary Doctorates from the Institute of Education, the University of Loughborough, the Open University and Anglia Ruskin University. And in December 2007 France paid a special tribute to Quentin by creating him Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Quentin Blake President of Downing College Cambridge Alumni Association Quentin Blake read English at Downing College 1953-56 (The redoubtable F R Leavis was one of his tutors). In 2000 he was elected to an Honorary Fellowship of the college and in September 2007 began a year as President of the Downing College Association, the college alumni society. The Association has produced a print (originally drawn as a cover for the Downing Association Newsletter) in a limited edition available to the members and alumni of the college at £75 each.
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Quentin Blake's 'Clown' at Polka Theatre, until 28 July 2007 The magical world of Quentin Blake came alive at the Polka Theatre in London. This was the final appearance of the show after a two-year UK tour. Clown, from the book of the same name, finds himself thrown head-first into a dustbin, along with lots of other discarded toys. Bravely, he takes charge of his fate and goes off in search of help – and a new home. The show was brought to Polka by acclaimed touring children’s theatre company Travelling Light. The show had no words and was brought to life through a highly physical and visual performance style, involving dance, puppetry, clowning and live music throughout. It had particular appeal for deaf and hearing-impaired audiences as well as for non-English speakers. Click here for Travelling Light
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Quentin Blake at the Institute of Education - No Escape Quentin Blake addressed fellow alumni of the Institute of Education, University of London, on Tuesday 10 July, 6.30pm. Blake has described himself as an “escaped teacher” and he will explain how the educational concerns that he carries from his time at the Institute permeate the way he works on children’s books, the school activities that have been brought about by those books and their motivating effect on reading. He will also talk about his Sailing Boat in the Sky project in France and his more recent curatorial ventures in presenting exhibitions at the National Gallery in London and the Petit Palais in Paris.
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New building in Quentin's old school named after him Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School was Quentin’s secondary school (he was taught English there by a man called JH Walsh who he says really inspired him). It’s now recognising its famous ex-student by naming its new art block after him. Quentin was there on 29 March to declare the building open.
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Quentin Blake decorates Book Bus Quentin shares with renowned publisher Tom Maschler the belief that books can change lives. Tom devised the idea of a Book Bus which would extend the benefits books bring to people who have little access to them. It’s also a part of the international drive to provide essential aid to areas of Africa in extreme need . The bus, an old Leyland Tiger converted into a library, will travel to remote villages, schools, HIV/AIDS hospitals and orphanages throughout Zambia. The emphasis will be on enjoyment. Wherever the bus stops stops, young children will visit the marquee pitched alongside the bus. A team of Zambian and British writers, artists and musicians will read to the children and encourage them to paint and to make music. A box of books will be donated to each community when the bus moves on. The Book Bus at its launch in Trafalgar Square 2 March 2007
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Quentin Blake in the People’s Archive Filmed in January 2006, Quentin Blake talks in detail about his life and work, his collaborations with publishers, authors and galleries and, his passion for illustration.
His life story is also accompanied by a range of additional features including a biography, bibliography as well as seven illustrations of his work and a 10 minute documentary, which takes us to his studio and where he shows us how he brings his characters to life. Start viewing his life story here www.peoplesarchive.com
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Quentin Blake and the Unicorn Theatre The Unicorn creates inspiring and entertaining productions in London's only purpose-built theatre for children.
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Children join Quentin Blake and enter the 'Land of Illustrations' 'In the Land of Illustrations' was a major new national initiative between Arts & Kids, Land Securities and The Quentin Blake Gallery of Illustration, launched in September 2005 it gave young people the opportunity to explore their creativity by illustrating the place in which they live. 'In the Land of Illustrations' encouraged children to think about, illustrate and take pride in the place they live. Children were inspired by seeing local landmarks and exploring the stories which bring their local environment to life. They also gained a real sense of pride from seeing their artwork on public display at one of 14 nationwide shopping centres. At the heart of the project was a book for each school, created as a long lasting introduction to illustration and a reflection of how artists have previously depicted people and places, alongside a commentary from Quentin Blake. Accompanying the book was a brief, designed to fit into the curriculum for Years 5 and 6, that encouraged children to think about where they live and how they can depict this through illustration. Quentin Blake, Patron of the Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation said: "There are many different ways of drawing the life of your own place and when you start to find out how things came to be there, you may find that it too is a sort of voyage of discovery. This work fits into the curriculum and gives children the opportunity to dream to draw and to capture how they feel about the place they live in." The children's illustrations, either individual or groupwork, were displayed at one of 14 Land Securities shopping centres in the October half term. All of the artwork displayed at the Land Securities owned shopping centres around the UK was exhibited in London in early 2006. |
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ClearVision Project wins Quentin Blake Award 2007 The ClearVision Project, a national postal lending library of children's books adapted so that they can be shared by touch readers and print readers, was chosen to receive the prestigious Quentin Blake Award 2007.
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