POP UP FILM

So I've written a few times about the work I do for workshops in schools etc. I love that part of my job - going into schools or bookshops to read my books and do a little illustration workshop is not only fun, but inspiring for me to see the children enjoy themselves and get so much out of my visit. I think it is so important for children to have access to books, it shouldn't be a wealth, or class issue reading and enjoying books. And while I love visiting local bookshops sometimes I only reach children that already have an excellent understanding and love of books. It is important for me to visit schools that perhaps have a group of school kids where there isn't a huge culture of them being read to at home, or perhaps english is not their first language, or more often isn't their parents first language.

I work a lot with the Pop Up Foundation which is this absolutely brilliant orgaisation that works very closely with schools in London and authors and illustrators bringing together workshops to help inspire and instil a love for books. Recently I went to Grafton school in Holloway where Pop Up was running a week long series of events for the children there, culminating in a story reading session from the people from the Roald Dahl Museum. I did a workshop reading Batty, talking about making a book from start to finish and creating a jungle backdrop with the kids for the story telling session at the friday assembley. Pop Up made an amazing video of the whole week to go with it. If you get a minute please do watch it - it is beautifully shot and edited, not like any other video on the subject I've seen before....and of course yours truely 'pops up' to speak in it a few times....

 

BOOK EVENTS

As well as completing the colour spreads for my new book in a few weeks just fifteen days time (oh lordy it makes me weep a little when I write that) I am jetting all round the country in the next few months promoting my books, including my newest book release with fantastic author Lucy Coats.

First up I'm visiting two schools for the Booklinks Festival on March 4th. Absolutely love being part of this festival run in partnership with Pop Up which is an excellent creative programme and always has great authors and illustrators involved. My last school visit with them was such fun, you can see the amazing results here.

Then I'm off to the Shrewsbury Festival, School's Week, on the 6th March for two days where I will be visiting a school all day, and delivering these workshops based around my book 'The Girl with the Bird's Nest Hair'.

After that it is off up to Newcastle where I will be doing a 'best friend' reading and drawing workshop at the the AMAZING Seven Stories with Lucy on March 17th. Details found here.

Then on May 28th I'll be a little more local in Herne Hill, South London, at the beautiful book shop Tales on Moon Lane at 10.30am with Lucy to read our Bear book and do a short drawing workshop. On June the 1st I'll be back in my old stomping ground in East London at the Discover Story Centre to do an event there with the lovely Lucy again.

If you live near Newcastle or London and want to pop along to one of the events get booking now as they sell out quickly. And let me know if you are coming so I can say hello! I'm afraid the other events are just for the schools I'm visiting. Fingers crossed I might be at Cheltenham later on in the year for their book festival...

And then I will be putting my feet up and having a well deserved cup of tea and seeing my poor neglected child!

OH, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT

Sickness that is. I am so rarely ill. Stanley has his moments, like all good babies they pick up little treats here and here. For example this morning I went in to his room to find that he had been sick in his cot. I will come back to that...for now it is about me. I was ill Sunday, you know when you start to feel something creeping in and it has that way of sweeping over your body with the same dread and lethargy I loathe. Anyway by Monday morning I had a pretty impressive temperature and felt terrible. It is so hard too to explain to Stanley that I'm not my usual crazy dancing self because I'm ill. And no it's not because I don't want to give in to all the 'uddle mummy' demands it is because I reeeeeeally don't want to pass this on to your tiny little body to deal with. I had to get better, I had a book festival to go to miles away in Southend on the tuesday...the very next day. I had someone picking me up at 6.20am to drive the hideous 3 hours there. I think though sometimes that helps - forcing yourself to get up, get moving and basically get over it! In the end I made it. It was booked 6 months ago and I didn't want to let the library down, the staff, or the lovely children coming for two workshops. In the end it was the best decision. The place was lovely - Southend Book Festival is one of the best small book festivals I've been too. Welcoming, well organised and run with kind people making sure I was ok, feeding me sugary treats and cups of tea to keep me going. The kids were a joy to work with, thoughtful, clever imaginative and above all fun. I clearly wasn't quite right as I completely forgot to take my normal photos of the wonderful creatures they draw. This time though I did get something given to me... this as a memento from one of them. What more could you ask for when you're not feeling quite yourself?!

Now though I am of course back to full health, Stanley it seems not so much. Not sure what the sick was about but I do know I had that horrid Mama guilt of knowing he had slept in it for several hours without making a fuss, poor lamb. A warm bath, a hairwash (oh dear) and some clean clothes have made him happier and comfortable for now. Hopefully this afternoon with some sensible food in his belly he will start to feel better.

♥ S&s

footnote: I hope to post the second t-shirt painting photos this week, sorry I forgot all about them.

WORKSHOP {part two}

So the Brent workshops were a slightly different set up. They were about me and my latest children's book 'Batty',  creating a workshop around the book. These workshops are always fun, but are sometimes difficult to gauge as until you get there you never really know what type of audience you will get and how many children will turn up! I always go prepared with two workshops in mind, that way I feel I can take on what ever is thrown at me and hopefully everyone is happy - most importantly the kids and the council that has employed me!

This time is was a mixed bag with only a few children at the first library but loads at the second! It all went well though as the children (and parents/carers) were really enthusiastic. I love how they interpret my characters and re-draw them, it is fascinating to watch. Children of that age (4-7ish) always draw in such a care free way, I suppose the way we as illustrators are trying to capture, or hold onto. It is refreshing to watch and good for me to. I also feel renewed after a workshop, exhausted, but eager to get back into the studio.

The theme for the books this time was 'Batty at the Olympics'. Being from London they seemed particularly inspired and excited by the events on their doorstep. Many of them had seen the torch and loved the idea of the bat being at the Olympics competing in events and winning against other animals - such fun imaginations!

WORKSHOP {part one}

I have recently been up to London twice to do illustration and story workshops. One was at the National Portrait Gallery, and the other was in libraries in Brent. I really enjoy the process of talking to children, seeing how they react when I show them my work. Especially when I show them the many stages to creating a children's book, that it doesn't happen straight away, that I make many mistakes, and practise books before starting the final one. However the noise they make when I show them my artwork is so lovely, and always makes me pleased that I continue to shun the computer to make my images and spend the time slogging it out on proper paper!

At the NP Gallery I was asked to do a morning and afternoon session involving paintings within the gallery. I based the workshop around the surreal portrait of Charles Waterton, who not only was into taxidermy but also creating new creatures out of different animal body parts! I thought this idea would appeal to children's imagination, and to keep the workshop a little to my way of working I got them to all to produce their new creatures in little books. They first were told the story of Charles Waterton by a storyteller and then I took them up to the gallery so they could make little drawings of animals from the paintings as well as draw some different styles of frames, and frame shapes that were hanging in the gallery. We went back down to the most incredible basement workroom where I could show them my work, and then I helped them make a simple book out of a few folds, and one clever cut! Then they drew their animals, cut them up, and then stuck them back together to create their new creatures. The outcomes I thought were really good for just an hour workshop. I was so pleased, and they all seemed happy with their mini books.

footnote: sorry about the quality of the photos, I only had my phone with me to record the day.

POP UP

recently i was asked to visit two schools in london to deliver a workshop event as part of Booklinks and POP UP. the schools had been given my books to read a few weeks before my event and so when i arrived many were excited to have me there which is always a nice feeling! one school had "Batty" and the other school had "Monster Day at Work".

with the first school we read the book then talked about animals at the zoo while i did a few drawings for them. they then created a huge picture with me, all drawing whatever animal from the zoo they wanted so we could hang them upside down on a branch...as is the theme of the book. the school had been really brilliant and done so may lovely things with my book and the children. when i turned up there were bat and lion masks, little bat models and amazing bat handprints. so sweet to see!
the children were reception age so mainly about 4 years old. they all did really well and i took some photos on my phone to show what they created.

the second school had also been working on my book too so i had a really warm reception! again we read the book and then spoke about the themes in the book. we 'brainstormed' ideas about what monsters looked liked which was fun. then they all created there own monster going to work.

a really fun day out for me. i find it is so rewarding to go into schools to do these workshops. connecting with the children that i write these books for is really important. sometimes working from home you can forget who your work is really for. this way i feel excited about working and go home ready to create more things! after all they can be brutally honest, if they don't like your stories then there is very little you can do about it!!