Saturday, January 2, 2010

Checking the rear vision


During my reading of 'A Little History of The World, by E.H. Gombrich', I came across a paragraph that states: "It's a bad idea to try to prevent people from knowing their own history. If you want to do anything new you must first make sure you know what people have tried before". So with this quote in hand, I decided to start the New Year with a tour into the past, the past of the British Art of Illustration, dating back from 1870 until 2009. It was at the Chris Beetle's Gallery, Piccadilly, where artwork from some of history's best known illustrators were on display. The range of techniques and approaches were varied, but clever storytelling and captivating characters were a constant.

I was particularly taken aback when I got a glimpse of Winnie-the-Pooh, drawn by E.H. Shephard in 1966! This little bear had been a big part of my childhood, and seeing him again brought back many wonderful memories and adventures. The beauty with children's illustration is, like distinctive scents, they have the power to take us back deep into our forgotten memories. I have included a small sketch I made after my much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh.

Also on display were artworks as part of Quentin Blake's latest show, 'Only young twice, the lively art of Quentin Blake'. Like Pooh-Bear, Quentin's imagery has featured heavily in my formative years. It is amazing and inspiring to see that he is always creating new work, as well as using his 'powers' to promote the art of illustration. It is exciting to see that he is erecting a 'house of illustration', a place that will showcase the power of illustration in communicating and supporting literature and the arts. It will be a venue to explore new and old, as well as a site for learning. I will wait with baited breath until the doors open - hopefully in the next couple of years!

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