100 Days of Happiness - Day 50!

[amberdreams]

Halfway through being happy! Ha ha ha!

Today's post is a picspam of terrible quality phone photos I took today at a truly wonderful art exhibition across the road from our house. It's of childrens' book illustrators who all have some connection with the town's art school. Strangely enough, one of the sets of artists, Anne and Janet Grahame Johnstone, were among my fave artists when I was growing up. Mainly because they illustrated my books on Greek and Roman myths which I loved so much. The best thing about this exhibition was seeing these twins' working processes, using tracings of their drawings so if they made mistakes in the painting they still had the template for the picture to fall back on. Makes me wonder how often they made mistakes! I really love the beautifully confident pencil strokes they use in their work. And it's fascinating to think how the two women worked together as a team, illustrating books for decades. One sister died and the other carried on for several years alone - how weird as well as devastating must that have been?

So to the pictures:

These first ones are all Anne and Janet Grahame Johnstone. Once again, apologies for the fuzzy focus and the reflections.



I had to snap this and include it because - oh man, Dean's book of Pussy? Really? Supernatural does get everywhere...

This one will only have meaning to old Brits like me - but Andy Pandy!

Margery Gill - another of my favourite illustrators as a child. I remember her book covers and pictures really well.

I love the fact that she drew figures separately then literally cut and pasted them together to make a whole scene. There was me thinking everyone was perfect and in fact they had their own workarounds even without the sophistication of Photoshop!

Comments

[chomaisky.livejournal.com]

I especially love the second and the third piece!
You know, a friend of mine once told me that great artists make what they do look effortless :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I think that Theseus and the minotaur is my favourite too. The lines and the movement just flow.

[matchboximpala.livejournal.com]

I recognize some of those! Really lovely.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Good illustrations don't go out of date, do they.

[siennavie.livejournal.com]

Wow, those are so cool :D I love the musculature and dynamic movement in the minotaur piece. And all the drawings of the kids have that same wonderful linework.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

The minotaur one was my fave in the exhibition I think. And yes, their linework is stellar.