Creative Rituals

Today’s interview is with children’s author and illustrator Helen Stephens. Helen is best known for her incredibly popular series of picture books How to Hide a Lion, which has also been adapted for the stage. As well as writing and illustrating countless other children’s books, Helen is a cofounder of The Goodship Illustration, an online art school that helps illustrators navigate their creative career. In today’s conversation, Helen shares a lot of helpful insights into the world of children’s books, as we discuss literary vs illustration agents, the financial practicalities of working as a children’s illustrator, and the rituals she has in place when creating a new picture book, which includes a magic dressing gown…Find Helen on Instagram hereFind Georgie hereLinks:Cambridge School of Art Children’s Book Illustration Summer SchoolHow to Hide a Lion by Helen StephensGerry TurleyThe Good Ship Illustration Smelly Peggy by Helen StephensFleabag by Helen StephensQuentin Blake: Fifty Years of Illustration, Somerset House 2004The Science MuseumWhen Martha’s Away by Bruce IngmanCaran D’Ache Luminance Pencils The Royle Family - BBC sitcomAlan BennettTania WillisKatie ChappellAssociation of IllutratrorsShuggie Bain by Douglas StuartThe Glasgow School of ArtDemon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Haworth-Booth joins me on Creative Rituals this week. Mark is a poet, writer, photographer and was the Senior Curator of Photographs at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where he played a major role in building up the museum’s collection of photography. We met by chance at a creative writing workshop Mark ran at the Appledore Book Festival here in Devon, and he kindly agreed to join me for a conversation about his writing routine, what is was like working and living with David Hockney in Los Angeles, and his 30 years as a curator at the V&A. To find out more about Mark’s work, visit his websiteFind Georgie hereLinks:Helen ChadwickThis is the Place To Be by Lara PawsonIan Hamilton FinlayEggs - photographic series by Tessa TraegerMarkéta LuskačováMarina WarnerEast Sussex Coast by Bill Brandt (1957)Ansel AdamsPaul StrandRobert FrankHenri Cartier-BressonLamb Bank Arvon Centre, West YorkshirePilgrims: Photographs by Markéta LuskačováRoger MayneWind by Ted HughesFrom Today, Painting Is Dead (V&A 1972)'River Scene, France' by Camille SilvyCamille Silvy: Photographer of Modern Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I talk to artist and illustrator Tatiana Alida. Known for her signature carefree, colourful style of illustration adorned with uplifting quotes, Tatiana has collaborated with some huge names including Victoria Beckham, Warehouse, Hermes, and Rose Inc, the beauty brand of Rosie Huntington Whitely. She told me about her love of interiors, moving her studio to the countryside, the rituals she has in place around her work and who she’d love to collaborate with next…To shop Tatiana’s range of homeware, stationary and prints, visit her website Find Tatiana on Instagram here Find Georgie here Links:Hermione GibbsBattersea Business Centre The Biscuit Factory World of InteriorsThe Wallace CollectionThe Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative ArtsSalad Days MarketWild By TartThe Magic by Rhonda Byrne Flora Yukhnovich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m joined by artist and curator Laura Porter. Laura works primarily as a sculptor, using discarded clothing as her material of choice to make structural pieces that focus on sustainability. In 2020, Laura set up the artist led space Studio KIND. here in North Devon, which is where we met. We caught up to talk about how she juggles all the elements of her practice and the various hats she wears, her studio habits and the challenges of setting up a business in the midst of a pandemic.Find Laura’s work hereFind Georgie hereLinks:Thames-side Studios, WoolwichArt Hub StudiosStudio KIND.Sharon GaleGeorge RaynerAdam Garratt Lee Mok Yee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.