www.alisoneldred.com    alisoneldred@gmail.com    07712 592 155

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Newsletter September 2023

Neil Packer and Shakespeare

It's been a dream commission. On 25th September we'll celebrate the publication of The Folio Society's magnificent edition of Shakespeare's Complete Works at The Globe Theatre in London. Four hundred years after the publication of the First Folio, Neil Packer was asked to produce one illustration for each of Shakespeare's plays, and to provide designs for the binding, the slip case and much more.
Neil gave a great deal of thought as to what style of illustration would be suitable and has drawn on many references from that time but also more recent styles which have influenced him during his career. He talks about that here.
This is Twelfth Night.
King Lear.
And Othello.
Using blackwork as an inspiration, he's designed the fabric for the jacquard silk binding and was invited to visit the factory to see it being produced.
He's designed a theatre interior to go inside the slip case.
And it can be made into a 3D model.
Throughout the whole process Neil has been invited to share ideas and to work closely with the team at The Folio Society. I believe that it shows just how much can be achieved when all parties are thoroughly dedicated to finding the absolute best solutions for each stage of an important and historic production like this.

This is a highly desirable collectors' edition – with the same attention to detail as the edition of The Divine Comedy illustrated by Neil, published just two years ago, and which sold out within weeks. More information on both on The Folio Society website.

Neil's images were largely produced digitally so we don't have any originals to offer but we have superb paintings from his other books, including The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Olivia Lomenech Gill original art

And while we're on the subject of Shakespeare, I also have some beautiful sketches by Olivia Lomenech Gill.

In other news

I know some people are waiting to hear whether Ian Miller is able to sell any proofs from the Sorcery Contested Realm series. He probably will at some point but he's rather preoccupied at the moment so just let me know if you're interested and I'll pass the message on to Ian when he's ready. This one is Warp Warrior.

We've also been asked for prints of Ian's covers for some of the Fighting Fantasy series: Creature of Havoc, The House of Hell, and Phantoms of Fear amongst others so let me know if you're interested in those too.
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www.alisoneldred.com    alisoneldred@gmail.com    07712 592 155

   

Grahame's latest book, The Every-Changing Earth, follows The Rhythm of the Rain and Wild is the Wind as he works his way through the elements. These books are informative but each one also has a charming narrative bringing together the realities of the Earth with some of the children within. To celebrate publication of the latest, he's made a short film which you can see below.

The detail and the many different styles he's used in Life, The First Four Billion Years also demonstrates Grahame's lifelong passion for the history of the Earth and its' inhabitants. That same book sets the scene for Bok's Giant Leap (or The Book of Bok), the story told by Grahame's hero, Neil Armstrong, about that very same period of time.

But it's not all about the Earth. The range of his books is impressive. His own story, FArTHER, (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal) is supremely sensitive. He's also bringing new life to the classics. The Wind in The Willows and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland have given him the chance to indulge in his own interpretation of stories we all know so well.

There are more of those to come, as well as a wondrous book about 'Stone-Age Giants'. He is an artist with immense talent and an ability to engage children whether he's telling a story from his imagination or explaining something from the real world.

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alisoneldred@gmail.com

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