Brian Wildsmith New Book & Exhibition News for 2024

Hello everyone, I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the last of the summery days as the season here in the UK turns to a more chilly Autumnal one.

I am back with some very exciting news regarding one of my favourite children’s illustrators Brian Wildsmith. If you remember back in 2020, I had an interview with Simon Wildsmith, who alongside his sisters, Clare and Rebecca, set up a wonderful website dedicated to sharing more of Brian’s amazing work and personal life with us all.

On September 7th, there was a fabulous release of a new collabrative book called “paws claws tails & roars” which is very special to Simon in particular because it has been assembled using three of his father’s books on Birds, Fishes and Wild Animals. Books that had been dedicated to him alone. It is a beautifully crafted publication, larger than your usual A4 book layout and printed on heavyweight paper with gold foil on the edging !

A special volume published by the @oxunipress to honour the work of Brian Wildsmith, who remains one of my personal llustrator favorites. At just £20 it is a definite must for any bookshelf and I think suitable for children and big children (myself included) alike ! Here are a few selected highlights.

Further to this, mid September I finally got the go ahead from Simon that I could share a burning secret I had known about for a while.. namely that there is a major exhibtion planned in Brian’s original home of Yorkshire.

The Exhibition will run from 20th April 2024 til the 21st September 2024 in both Experience Barnsley Museum and the Cooper Gallery and as it says above, will feature 170 exhibits across the two venues So exciting that this collaboration is not only being housed in Yorkshire but is also curated by Brian’s family too. I look forward to giving you any updates I receive as they appear. Watch this space !!