..and one more festival

I visit so many schools these days, that I’ve developed a good skill at guessing pretty much straight away, how my day at the school will be. All I need is to meet a couple of teachers by the door and a couple of children. In 10 minutes I know what to expect.

Last Wednesday I went to a small school Powich Primary School in Worcester. I met nice and friendly teachers there and as soon as I started to paint the board for our workshop, children gathered around me and started lively conversation. Nobody shooed them away in fact the headmaster came around to say hello as well. I knew it would be a good day and so it was.

We painted a big picture, did lots of drawings and talked about books. It was such a busy day, that I forgot to take some photos, but I got lots of drawings from the children though. Here are some.

And one more.

On Friday I traveled to Ilkley Literature Festival. I stayed in a nice hotel in Ben Rhydding. I thought it will be one of those evennings, when one doesn’t talk to anybody, goes to the hotel room and watches friday night telly. I walked to Ilkley, had a coffee and went back for a lonely dinner, but as I went down to the restaurant I met fellow illustrator Robert Crowther. We both publish with Walker Books and we had a lot to talk about. It was a nice evening.

At breakfast I spotted another familiar face – Yasmeen Ismail 

Here she is just finished her event which was a great success judging by the happy people queuing to have a book signed.

I was next after Yasmeen. I did a talk and workshop and one more talk later in the afternoon. The children and their parents who came were lovely, but people who go to festivals and who like picture books usually are nice.

Here is a picture which describes the working atmosphere pretty well. 

We made nice books.

Here is Little Mouse meeting a ladybird called Lady Ann.

Fellow young illustrator

 

and one master piece.

 

I think I can say, that we all had a great day, so thank you to Ilkley Literature Festival for having me.

I’m now off for two weeks. I’m going on my annual trip to Czech woods. I’ll be painting, walking in the woods and I’m hoping to write some new ideas for picture books.

I will also stay in Prague for a couple of days and since I publish in the Czech Republic I will do a bit of book talking there too. On Tuesday at six o’clock in the evening I’m going to be in the international book shop AMADITO & FRIENDS.  I’ll do a talk, read from my books and do some drawings.

The shop is run by Sylvie and Olivia. We met in the summer in their lovely shop. I noticed that Petr Sis did his event there only a couple of weeks before me, so I will have to work hard to match it.

Well, the shop window is now beautifully decorated. I’d better go and pack my suitcase.