Picture Hooks

One of the reasons I chose to go to the University of Edinburgh was because of Picture Hooks. This is a mentorship program for five lucky illustrators working with successful children's book illustrators. It's organized by many of the key faculty at the College of Art as well as by some well-known picture book people who circulate around the school. I figured folks who felt so strongly about picture books were my kind of people, and it's proven to be right.
     The results of the program are presented at the National Scottish National Gallery in a formal exhibition that elevates illustration to its rightful place. Works by the mentors and the mentees hangs side by side so that the viewer can try to discern the influence. Although the mentors often said, they learned as much as the mentees!
     The show was truly inspirational. Like these pieces by mentee Hannah Coulson.
Or these pieces by Nick Sharratt. Tracey Smith's screen prints were so interesting: The cases were just as interesting as they held the works-in-progress for the various illustrators - their creative processes (a.k.a. their brains on the outside!)


We took a field trip to go view the exhibition along with the organizers. It was a special treat to see the final product through their eyes. Here is Catherine with Vivian French.I hope I'm able to be involved in this somehow next year!