Sir Quentin Blake at the Brook







Above: Sir Quentin Blake’s Insects II (2012)

If you’re an art gallery seeking to exhibit book-related art during your town’s literary festival you wouldn’t go far wrong by following the example of Budleigh Salterton’s Brook Gallery.

Instantly recognised and loved by millions Sir Quentin Blake is one of Britain’s best-known book illustrators. The Gallery on the town’s Fore Street, almost opposite Fairlynch Museum, is delighted to be showing an exclusive collection of original prints and drawings by this talented artist.

Blake gained a reputation as a reliable and humorous illustrator of more than 300 children's books by authors including Joan Aiken, Elizabeth Bowen,  Nils-Olof Franzén, William Steig, and Dr Seuss and notably Roald Dahl.

Blake was born in 1932 in Sidcup, Kent, and was evacuated to the West Country during World War Two. He went to Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, where his English teacher, J H Walsh, influenced his ambition to become involved in literature. His first published drawing was for the satirical magazine Punch, at the age of 16. He read English Literature at Downing College, Cambridge from 1953 to 1956, received his postgraduate teaching diploma from the University of London, and later studied at the Chelsea School of Art. He worked at the Royal College of Art for over twenty years and was head of the Illustration department from 1978 to 1986.

His many prizes for illustration include the Eleanor Farjeon Award which he received in November 2012. This annual award administered by Children's Book Circle recognises outstanding commitment and contribution to the world of British children's books. Blake was knighted in the 2013 New Year Honours for his services to illustration.

The Brook Gallery’s Sir Quentin Blake exhibition runs from 11 September to 12 October 2013. The Gallery’s opening hours are from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and 2.00 - 4.30 pm on Sundays.  For more details click on http://www.brookgallery.co.uk  

Budleigh Salterton’s 2013 Literary Festival http://www.budlitfest.org.uk takes place from 19-22 September.  

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