tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23292650485770433552024-03-13T00:13:50.253-07:00James Mayhew - author & illustratorJames Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-53196573104084426792014-01-23T05:43:00.004-08:002014-01-23T05:45:09.136-08:00NEW WEBSITE TO LAUNCH January 30th 2014Dear all,<br />
<br />
My new website, which replacs this blog, will launch (all being well!) on January 30th, around 12 noon. The address is:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jamesmayhew.co.uk/"><i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">www.jamesmayhew.co.uk</span></i></a><br />
<br />
See you there!<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-70627608699688068322013-12-16T00:03:00.002-08:002013-12-16T00:09:24.218-08:00Looking back, looking forward - my final blog post.I'm happy to tell you that <i><b>at last</b></i> I am in the process of creating a whole new website. It will be launched very soon, and visitors to this blog will be automatically redirected.<br />
<br />
The website is being created by <a href="http://www.pennink.com/"><b>PennInk Productions Ltd</b></a>, who have offered sterling and very patient service, and I'm very excited with how it all looks. The existing blog posts will be incorporated, so the transition should be very natural. There will be separate areas for Katie, Ella Bella, work in progress, concerts and events, galleries, schools etc. I hope you enjoy looking around when it is launched. It will be work in progress too, and will change and be updated... when I have time! Oh this digital world of ours! What a curious way to use our creative time!<br />
<br />
I've loved using Blogger and thanks to all of you who have contributed and commented. Please continue to do so on the website!.<br />
<br />
My final post is about the book I deliver today. It is my "first" book - <i>Katie's Picture Show</i> - but re-illustrated and with a slightly updated text. All the Katie books will be reissued over the coming 18 months in a new, luxury, larger, format. This first book didn't look great when the illustrations were enlarged; it was my first book and I have leaned SO MUCH in the years since first working on this idea.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;">
Katie was created in my imagination when I was about 19 years old, although only committed to paper in 1984 when I was 21. It was a student project and not seen by a publisher until 1987, and at last published in 1989 - <b>25</b> years ago, by Orchard Books. And it is that anniversary that is being celebrated next year: a silver jubilee!</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #073763;">
It was my personal request to return to this book, to revisit those illustrations. As I have leaned about the techniques of artists, my own techniques have correspondingly improved. Katie as a character has progressed, just as the Moomins and Snoopy evolved in the hands of their creators. So for posterity, for the next 25 years, I wanted this first book to be more consistent. And for the recreations of the famous paintings, I wanted to create a better "homage". Some people said - if it aint broke, don't fix it. And I had doubts. But I do think it was the right thing to do.</div>
<br />
It means the old editions will now be collectors items I suppose! It also means that if you have a dog- eared old copy... you will soon be able to "upgrade" to the new edition.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And as it turns out, I have loved revisiting these old haunts: I have been on late night journeys to Constable's Suffolk (where I grew up); I ran around Paris in the rain. I took tea with Madame Moitessier and saw a tiger in a stormy jungle. All these places, when you become lost in an illustration, come alive, just as they do for Katie. Instead of finding the task a chore, it has been a delight, a rhapsodic adventure with me and my trusty friend: a paint brush! It is the paintbrush that has led me to these wonderful places as I burned the midnight oil. I hope children looking at it will be similarly transported to these worlds of colour and imagination.</span></div>
<div style="color: #990000;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wkYRQxB9qpKj2QFHtJTVj-jsPNXGjDQS23SXxdVeKVB47jPvEFinVBvILJZ__CLFQMsB6XCecBYoL76kKtPl-W0eUbaaA82i7fragyTSkDGihJEmGnxVaoyWKgdAvwJTaYi3RCqw0Ekg/s1600/P1040618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wkYRQxB9qpKj2QFHtJTVj-jsPNXGjDQS23SXxdVeKVB47jPvEFinVBvILJZ__CLFQMsB6XCecBYoL76kKtPl-W0eUbaaA82i7fragyTSkDGihJEmGnxVaoyWKgdAvwJTaYi3RCqw0Ekg/s320/P1040618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c2mBaFAgh6sZvH_7HV355sRbIfX4VXBIVexdrR5C8xziVuX9BvF2zShlqWFDk9AESY-JQIr8Wz7FFhN4VvN7iBzuVV4njOYE8BeWG9MPf05feZF_QrdCUTxPK7BsgdH0woU5DxNLVAIy/s1600/P1040626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c2mBaFAgh6sZvH_7HV355sRbIfX4VXBIVexdrR5C8xziVuX9BvF2zShlqWFDk9AESY-JQIr8Wz7FFhN4VvN7iBzuVV4njOYE8BeWG9MPf05feZF_QrdCUTxPK7BsgdH0woU5DxNLVAIy/s320/P1040626.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMFrAmarlhbnHgF6u78_v9ZUG255QDesgUjE_UySphIb8X1wg6NTBcTHHiddsuonll0yRj8yUn19a2DtS-gc1SL-zu2T3H0VjxOOtL4_9Z8TpkuAabJsow9Grs6Hrwngu3Qz0pm9A9_V5/s1600/P1040705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMFrAmarlhbnHgF6u78_v9ZUG255QDesgUjE_UySphIb8X1wg6NTBcTHHiddsuonll0yRj8yUn19a2DtS-gc1SL-zu2T3H0VjxOOtL4_9Z8TpkuAabJsow9Grs6Hrwngu3Qz0pm9A9_V5/s320/P1040705.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tu0VWj7j7aukLpJ_2BdnfzDs7ZO9nV7mbbWcvPHlYi9cHGqedS1ugbq0hqObPZQW5yuqR9JegbEOFleXisLqjhJU0AKw6cFSg-X9NkSO6L0Jok8qJuHgyh6HZdYK548RmmLQ6aWxphng/s1600/P1040656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tu0VWj7j7aukLpJ_2BdnfzDs7ZO9nV7mbbWcvPHlYi9cHGqedS1ugbq0hqObPZQW5yuqR9JegbEOFleXisLqjhJU0AKw6cFSg-X9NkSO6L0Jok8qJuHgyh6HZdYK548RmmLQ6aWxphng/s320/P1040656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNhgWS20FTYcpzs52KWXZcQnksunjvkIZTEpIgBtzynZwF6X8yvKj3bph93FHLJ2Fv0qY2WFCS0ZebnU0cEXJ8DObPLcRe9yGaMfs6FOHSRCR6NVc1LbLXxWzFr1iLnYNKZN365AGhKq0/s1600/P1040702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNhgWS20FTYcpzs52KWXZcQnksunjvkIZTEpIgBtzynZwF6X8yvKj3bph93FHLJ2Fv0qY2WFCS0ZebnU0cEXJ8DObPLcRe9yGaMfs6FOHSRCR6NVc1LbLXxWzFr1iLnYNKZN365AGhKq0/s320/P1040702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB2c4Ny-IFWrbYu5k0WyJ5DYZlMIzFymtrWAtGBvlWp5JudB1BjAZP8Kr0Aw1OloJIfkLgqDlMJjGfiNxT287o0wkJ-AgdP0PGcUgqYToICQ18oVMIfwUwxKVZqnCrA5p1_y900Zts88N/s1600/P1040703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB2c4Ny-IFWrbYu5k0WyJ5DYZlMIzFymtrWAtGBvlWp5JudB1BjAZP8Kr0Aw1OloJIfkLgqDlMJjGfiNxT287o0wkJ-AgdP0PGcUgqYToICQ18oVMIfwUwxKVZqnCrA5p1_y900Zts88N/s320/P1040703.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJO3tsnzjcQv32yGDQGH2_yTV4I6IOzrZjN1fh-vw0QEdCw0Eep_IrYdNbakZGL4hdWOLWjk2wlKmshj-UfPazeZ8fIUp6SGmKODeHLTZGo3lnMt0AXywTTvxOdG559aPUwpradqgPPXf/s1600/rousseau.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJO3tsnzjcQv32yGDQGH2_yTV4I6IOzrZjN1fh-vw0QEdCw0Eep_IrYdNbakZGL4hdWOLWjk2wlKmshj-UfPazeZ8fIUp6SGmKODeHLTZGo3lnMt0AXywTTvxOdG559aPUwpradqgPPXf/s320/rousseau.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrli_s5dGjCtYxNiIKgANGJPLlF0YivuUO-AHlDLeaUS15ju4MORhpZ8zPyhvAabWA0JWDrv_6pY6wWyCAZuB4kK9OUCPoo9oxI8npDCQAwKeiArlSd0-F25LQZpMc7-sC9V2Qz6Mxfks-/s1600/moitessier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrli_s5dGjCtYxNiIKgANGJPLlF0YivuUO-AHlDLeaUS15ju4MORhpZ8zPyhvAabWA0JWDrv_6pY6wWyCAZuB4kK9OUCPoo9oxI8npDCQAwKeiArlSd0-F25LQZpMc7-sC9V2Qz6Mxfks-/s320/moitessier.JPG" width="296" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yK7XC9Up7R8sLbRPtdB51Axh00CyiVMsnGIPxUOQx_TXbUK9NhoLD1_OTBguUlB13gwB_-y1FdjZIo_mdUXc4WGeG8leHqg0vWxRYxxuKvqjLz6CbRb1XZaQac1HoSUq7eRFNdMRoGEW/s1600/P1040690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yK7XC9Up7R8sLbRPtdB51Axh00CyiVMsnGIPxUOQx_TXbUK9NhoLD1_OTBguUlB13gwB_-y1FdjZIo_mdUXc4WGeG8leHqg0vWxRYxxuKvqjLz6CbRb1XZaQac1HoSUq7eRFNdMRoGEW/s320/P1040690.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
These pictures are all <b>work in progress </b>over the last few weeks<b>.</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
<div style="color: #4c1130;">
And so... farewell, thanks, SEASON'S GREETINGS and see you in the New Year on the new website; only a holding page right now, but soon a real thing which I hope you'll enjoy:</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.jamesmayhew.co.uk/">www.jamesmayhew.co.uk</a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-47135828032121846632013-12-02T09:42:00.002-08:002013-12-08T03:34:13.891-08:00The return of Mouse and Mole!This Christmas you can snuggle down in the warm and enjoy a very special event - the premiere of a new <b>Mouse and Mole</b> animated film on the BBC!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOCybMOPnKXVMCrucMN24PKjIp9DWfyUtZQdGr8X_Bx0RQWTdNs4s_DlKnCA_bQHImbZ0jh2DulaOpsVaqt0smyp9cl9HRfodG-qkwO5aRvzpPwzXl-w440Z_lhUh1VPdzuvqmcY6cLOa/s1600/Mouse&Mole_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOCybMOPnKXVMCrucMN24PKjIp9DWfyUtZQdGr8X_Bx0RQWTdNs4s_DlKnCA_bQHImbZ0jh2DulaOpsVaqt0smyp9cl9HRfodG-qkwO5aRvzpPwzXl-w440Z_lhUh1VPdzuvqmcY6cLOa/s320/Mouse&Mole_3.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
It's called, simply, <b><i>Mouse & Mole at Christmas</i></b> <b><i>Time</i></b>, and features one of dear old Richard Briers' final recorded performances as Mouse. He is joined by Alan Bennett and Imelda Staunton, no less, who between them voice many other characters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJRh1uZrXL7iFxK2H_UQvPvjl3VG2JT0siRs768Gjgddz9bShVfesvfRCNqCr7hx_ceIGJAce71X0njNv38JGvHOOMK1Z3Nob7nIGzGbdFSBLcDYM32V5voqEaghsYTgxpsyOP_5kit5g/s1600/608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJRh1uZrXL7iFxK2H_UQvPvjl3VG2JT0siRs768Gjgddz9bShVfesvfRCNqCr7hx_ceIGJAce71X0njNv38JGvHOOMK1Z3Nob7nIGzGbdFSBLcDYM32V5voqEaghsYTgxpsyOP_5kit5g/s400/608.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The story is by the original author, Joyce Dunbar, and was in fact written many years ago, when the original television series was created from the books that she wrote, and which I illustrated. It has taken around 15 years to get this new film made... Happily, producer Joy Whitby of Grasshopper Productions (and creator of Jackanory) never gave up on Mouse and Mole.<br />
<br />
The film is scheduled for <b>Monday December 16th at 4.45</b> and will be shown on the CBeebies channel. A repeat showing is scheduled for <b>Boxing Day on BBC 1 at 9.25 am. </b><br />
<br />
The animation is remarkably close to the original
illustrations and I hope will bring festive cheer to all! A great way to
begin the Christmas celebrations!<br />
<br />
You can read more about the production on the BBC website here:<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/mouse-and-mole-xmas.html">http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/mouse-and-mole-xmas.html </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaUeL0FQv-gVwVN3SfB_oshCnK70X47dSAPqdaTVZ3iYpy2yxV0d3637TsCU5a-eNq9OVLOU6z1IFbZk2fX9-sHF2qBTyDu0ewRRulTqL1U9IllMr61fgrnfFS_R1gQ0wiVOhH-Xy413Z/s1600/Mouse&Mole_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaUeL0FQv-gVwVN3SfB_oshCnK70X47dSAPqdaTVZ3iYpy2yxV0d3637TsCU5a-eNq9OVLOU6z1IFbZk2fX9-sHF2qBTyDu0ewRRulTqL1U9IllMr61fgrnfFS_R1gQ0wiVOhH-Xy413Z/s320/Mouse&Mole_4.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNDZgM9AP-Q0-e1Bbfr2jWPAMWIWqvWtE5JKztlJdsJaE5fFYgk7eVAGlH8Y4pzbSyWKjfcVLFHBh0qyE3Yan_3fFkrLQbqJwG3yiVpkPO5QA_r5uW6JxhDe0g0xYbC4VnpbsdZ_E6WL/s1600/Mouse&Mole_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNDZgM9AP-Q0-e1Bbfr2jWPAMWIWqvWtE5JKztlJdsJaE5fFYgk7eVAGlH8Y4pzbSyWKjfcVLFHBh0qyE3Yan_3fFkrLQbqJwG3yiVpkPO5QA_r5uW6JxhDe0g0xYbC4VnpbsdZ_E6WL/s320/Mouse&Mole_1.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And you can read about when I met Richard Briers here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://james-mayhew-author-illustrator.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/goodbye-mouse-remembereing-richard.html">http://james-mayhew-author-illustrator.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/goodbye-mouse-remembereing-richard.html</a><br />
<br />
And now I thought I'd post a little piece about how I came to be commissioned to illustrate these enchanting stories...<br />
<br />
Many, many years ago, more than I care to remember, I visited Joyce Dunbar at her Norfolk home. We'd done a book together (Five Mice and the Moon) and had kept in touch. She told me she was having trouble finding an illustrator for some stories she'd written. Almost as an after-thought she gave me the manuscript to read on the train home. At once I began drawing... and drawing... and drawing! The characters leapt off the page and into my sketchbook, and were unusually easy to imagine and create. And I filled their world with so many details and all the paraphernalia of my own life. Illustratively speaking these are semi-auto-biographical and I remain hugely proud of these loveable creatures into whom I put so much of my personality.<br />
<br />
Everyone loved the drawings and I got the job, and a series of four books followed. Sadly now out of print, I still get asked about these books. They've been much imitated; there is even a very cheeky American series called Mouse and Mole by a certain Wong Herbert Lee - a blatant rip-off but entirely lacking the charm and heartfelt storytelling of the original. So I am very happy that at least the films, if not the books, are being revived.<br />
<br />
Here are some of those very early sketches... it's been such a joy to look at these again. It's made me want to return to using scratchy old pen and ink again!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnFf5lzrXIvlPuiqf9T_LGubqXnjBdAvqIItIDzt2ZyfoMr836MprME-mfqjfiIw76Jd4_2UDOXM_1uA-umLYwfV1CckyeD7HIxeicm_5n6gCW9TOeQfWsvoj5H-IJOtCrtmmgF0QZqlg/s1600/mm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnFf5lzrXIvlPuiqf9T_LGubqXnjBdAvqIItIDzt2ZyfoMr836MprME-mfqjfiIw76Jd4_2UDOXM_1uA-umLYwfV1CckyeD7HIxeicm_5n6gCW9TOeQfWsvoj5H-IJOtCrtmmgF0QZqlg/s400/mm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYVTNml6jACi3WFOhByIvd89llwQg9zv_kLxIlElAhviec_GmFQd3O8p1vghzyllpD22wWqGNACw-cQRYeZOZUloQwzwe0Pm3pjKlDWra7jzKWPOALhq8JvD9DH4bDOk969aNaLqFgJtp/s1600/italy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYVTNml6jACi3WFOhByIvd89llwQg9zv_kLxIlElAhviec_GmFQd3O8p1vghzyllpD22wWqGNACw-cQRYeZOZUloQwzwe0Pm3pjKlDWra7jzKWPOALhq8JvD9DH4bDOk969aNaLqFgJtp/s400/italy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmIY67LMgzfMIgMiMXFc3SAR-mgl1IeRoSAC427S4wGbWHt-XY7bMp5XoIa8FnMOfCfj0JNch_z1GYOywrQ2_x6Xl8OOGmqS0dcuwWVJ5YQfuR0Q963pqjPBz2rpBa1Z8w-5FcBWPrDNg/s1600/italy+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmIY67LMgzfMIgMiMXFc3SAR-mgl1IeRoSAC427S4wGbWHt-XY7bMp5XoIa8FnMOfCfj0JNch_z1GYOywrQ2_x6Xl8OOGmqS0dcuwWVJ5YQfuR0Q963pqjPBz2rpBa1Z8w-5FcBWPrDNg/s400/italy+copy.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUIcJo-XD7zqP9DQZFIqRDuRwtJRtk9K_SPGmnLJdferI_ZJ0nQncRdo8Oywyj038uFxnSSO-Qg4p62IrQwJ5mZSdu75OrjHzZ9S1J5lmP8J6AiHoIL4dVQkyqSrfmVZvliKl2PYseKXV/s1600/italy_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUIcJo-XD7zqP9DQZFIqRDuRwtJRtk9K_SPGmnLJdferI_ZJ0nQncRdo8Oywyj038uFxnSSO-Qg4p62IrQwJ5mZSdu75OrjHzZ9S1J5lmP8J6AiHoIL4dVQkyqSrfmVZvliKl2PYseKXV/s400/italy_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbD18pja5qveKPVZtFJ2Gul7PlMav2qomVcn_8TjwjPtQkRjikYpI05oWfDx2-nx0YoQPq9gUcQDaJ2yt1aza3nq6lbAIuTYx5iUY2TsXAWjsLYk08zHqb5BU0DfzhssKQQhUBoS2veyh/s1600/italy_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbD18pja5qveKPVZtFJ2Gul7PlMav2qomVcn_8TjwjPtQkRjikYpI05oWfDx2-nx0YoQPq9gUcQDaJ2yt1aza3nq6lbAIuTYx5iUY2TsXAWjsLYk08zHqb5BU0DfzhssKQQhUBoS2veyh/s400/italy_0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CEU84RgZI5ZBxgHYBWd4dmCP8rS_oMlNwWSFgIzaqucAiESiWcywxH2qWIUwr_-29j76sckzdGwJjb9bMkB-ESHRg_bxvpLc89dp4rpPOonGq33DToOh7Hm9E-dyg5Q5ZoOMWceQ_ACm/s1600/italy_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CEU84RgZI5ZBxgHYBWd4dmCP8rS_oMlNwWSFgIzaqucAiESiWcywxH2qWIUwr_-29j76sckzdGwJjb9bMkB-ESHRg_bxvpLc89dp4rpPOonGq33DToOh7Hm9E-dyg5Q5ZoOMWceQ_ACm/s400/italy_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMFFQRKm5Z-0L9WGE3kzWkDXZY5ix0HaMj7qbmYxSkMT79B1tIVDYwvk5EHcH1ueNY8y9wfb47bOQSQuQql7b78YUOkfQ5__fEna-ozM3rV5D_rEmyY-QrgAM4c5NtA775WR_kg6rVU4l/s1600/italy_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMFFQRKm5Z-0L9WGE3kzWkDXZY5ix0HaMj7qbmYxSkMT79B1tIVDYwvk5EHcH1ueNY8y9wfb47bOQSQuQql7b78YUOkfQ5__fEna-ozM3rV5D_rEmyY-QrgAM4c5NtA775WR_kg6rVU4l/s400/italy_0005.jpg" width="326" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_Fo0hUOMUbdSqP4HG8QqwmakMk9EMOrMo_wEPbHLdfwD0R_-fBgIg8ihfVI-KRESgobOd6lApKMFecpVW50_ElKtLRcIwM1nFejNHZdP7bSuu37AQh3l9wdifK7VfmqDImkirhriGbzH/s1600/italy_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_Fo0hUOMUbdSqP4HG8QqwmakMk9EMOrMo_wEPbHLdfwD0R_-fBgIg8ihfVI-KRESgobOd6lApKMFecpVW50_ElKtLRcIwM1nFejNHZdP7bSuu37AQh3l9wdifK7VfmqDImkirhriGbzH/s400/italy_0003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpU6-6GPoXGZ60Nl5QM6roVhcDFtplRIYMP89Qi-4exG-qJojdkIxWDYO4BqDhyphenhyphenYMOiVwSbRfGtT3ronuwACwiZdZ2aQPoilik8ozSPps5D2Zoi-Eo4aqZER1KhzJwyiFb23C6aDChfHy/s1600/italy_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpU6-6GPoXGZ60Nl5QM6roVhcDFtplRIYMP89Qi-4exG-qJojdkIxWDYO4BqDhyphenhyphenYMOiVwSbRfGtT3ronuwACwiZdZ2aQPoilik8ozSPps5D2Zoi-Eo4aqZER1KhzJwyiFb23C6aDChfHy/s400/italy_0006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-10124994769044383202013-11-24T13:15:00.004-08:002013-11-24T13:41:19.004-08:00Britten's Birthday with Docklands SinfoniaIt was an auspicious occasion. November 22nd 2013. The tremendous Docklands Sinfonia, with their founder-conductor Spencer Down, were performing in the beautiful St Anne's Church in Limehouse. The church was absolutely packed with people looking forward to a celebration of Britten on his 100th birthday, with Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony for good measure. And I was there to bring words and pictures to the music by Britten. A very great honour and a very special evening.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gWGIlHiE4RardHZXZaU03KfM4lX-9fKhNiTx03zFdaN24bcQ5R16t5H-7MsSG4IBp8nTJvhjL5BxPCmUybbVbpagopC_dev3bkXqVpoADN-xZW_FOUKfK6gtqlvGdJ-1YqpOKFwOwRi5/s1600/docklands+britten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gWGIlHiE4RardHZXZaU03KfM4lX-9fKhNiTx03zFdaN24bcQ5R16t5H-7MsSG4IBp8nTJvhjL5BxPCmUybbVbpagopC_dev3bkXqVpoADN-xZW_FOUKfK6gtqlvGdJ-1YqpOKFwOwRi5/s400/docklands+britten.jpg" width="282" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
There were some heartstopping moments. A least one player was stuck in traffic problems on the M25. The camera responsible for transmitting my paintings to a big screen lost power minutes before we began. But the orchestra made a terrific sound despite being one man down. And somehow the camera issues were resolved, and in a whirlwind of music and pictures I whizzed through The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - more or less the same version given in Cheltenham and Hatfield earlier this year. This was followed by the glorious and extremely visual Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes. Memories of open skies and cold seas off Lowestoft surge back into my mind when I hear this wonderfully evocative music. Memories of my family and growing up in Suffolk too. It is music that HAS to be painted to.<br />
<br />
There are four movements, each lasting between 3 and 4 minutes. They are: Dawn; Sunday Morning; Moonlight; Storm.<br />
<br />
Sunday morning (a slightly wobbly practise version) is shown here. The music vividly describes seagulls and church bells. So this is what I whipped up in 4 minutes with a bit of emulsion paint. And I'm surprised at how much I like it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvNasKM8fnOJj8fE4Yjwmo8dGFNis_ToKjz6g-QYvdI0EaEVF-8ZhNJ-h5lrqkAatBe57c4ksH6cK6kSlfAgGhuCsJwPXZrDMCg-rMbUfih3JW3R5mQL1MSmftofCnTaXoMaB-TLR4Xbn/s1600/P1040615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvNasKM8fnOJj8fE4Yjwmo8dGFNis_ToKjz6g-QYvdI0EaEVF-8ZhNJ-h5lrqkAatBe57c4ksH6cK6kSlfAgGhuCsJwPXZrDMCg-rMbUfih3JW3R5mQL1MSmftofCnTaXoMaB-TLR4Xbn/s400/P1040615.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
All the art - ten pieces in all - were auctioned after the concert to raise funds for the Docklands Sinfonia outreach and education plans, and over £1000 was raised! My thanks to all the Docklands Sinfonia team for a wonderful evening.James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-45205780888412993772013-11-22T00:51:00.002-08:002013-11-22T05:16:47.055-08:00Happy Birthday Benjamin Britten - 100 years!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU-AnPZKHl9MZTjgSz4uKN0ngPhUgxldmL5goZ2dUIjlJuxgcswpI9DjVInHb03btXEy9d8enSf0uMdxMfIudPAVEQN215IBWMsEMgLB8Db-cHsz08SiGDTIwA20ydHV-YQ-nFr4Vah9J/s1600/benjy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU-AnPZKHl9MZTjgSz4uKN0ngPhUgxldmL5goZ2dUIjlJuxgcswpI9DjVInHb03btXEy9d8enSf0uMdxMfIudPAVEQN215IBWMsEMgLB8Db-cHsz08SiGDTIwA20ydHV-YQ-nFr4Vah9J/s320/benjy1.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
Much of my year has been taken up with the music of Benjamin Britten. As musicians all over the world have celebrated the centenary of Britain's great composer, I've been lucky enough to be involved in several projects. I've reinterpreted his Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra in Cheltenham with Chetham's Symphony Orchestra, and with the de Haviland Philharmonic in Hertfordshire. I've painted along to his <i>Sword in the Stone</i> Suite at the Birmingham Conservatoire. I've designed his opera <i>Noye's Fludde</i> for Tewkesbury Abbey.<br />
<br />
Tonight, though, is the grand finale. On the actual birthday itself, I'm joining the brilliant and youthful Docklands Sinfonia, and dynamic conductor Spencer Down, for a special celebration in Limehouse, London.<br />
<br />
I'll be repeating the Young Person's Guide one last time... and then painting to the glorious Sea Interludes from Britten's opera Peter Grimes. The music takes me straight back to the east coast where Britten was born and where I grew up.<br />
<br />
<br />
For full details, and tickets, visit this link: <a href="http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts">http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts</a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-80315441438573226952013-11-18T01:40:00.000-08:002013-11-18T01:44:39.165-08:00World Book Day Competition for Schools!I'm suddenly getting lots of requests from schools to visit them on or around World Book Day next year. How kind... but unfortunately, I'm already very booked up in March. <b>HOWEVER</b> here's a way that schools can have me visit<b> </b>on<b> WORLD BOOK DAY</b> for<i><b> free</b></i>!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pEo1EtXiw-W4QZxZAZMhPnoetoqaWo-i5RAfBo28kYUo3t1eN0eCgJNPjOJJ_GoQhSa3G-sloYPvPb-vI555Trc7A6vIK1Xu-9cPY359gaKa8gIsFKpo0yKP6Dj2KU5_u2nsBgI7tBuR/s1600/Katie_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pEo1EtXiw-W4QZxZAZMhPnoetoqaWo-i5RAfBo28kYUo3t1eN0eCgJNPjOJJ_GoQhSa3G-sloYPvPb-vI555Trc7A6vIK1Xu-9cPY359gaKa8gIsFKpo0yKP6Dj2KU5_u2nsBgI7tBuR/s200/Katie_2.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwG-aGaslMzNMB-_Kmsw7iGpZgkx1mWCma7_Pr1VXRBofW3zkxMQ3pqt5He4qEU9blBDuSO5ZvR4t34xZYmXpds2sLNDN06NT5Jer_A7rpW6sUHl-XUo9URPTQQiuqLxc4ko9MTIj53ds/s1600/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwG-aGaslMzNMB-_Kmsw7iGpZgkx1mWCma7_Pr1VXRBofW3zkxMQ3pqt5He4qEU9blBDuSO5ZvR4t34xZYmXpds2sLNDN06NT5Jer_A7rpW6sUHl-XUo9URPTQQiuqLxc4ko9MTIj53ds/s400/logo.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Orchard Books and the World Book Day organisers have teamed up to host a brilliant "Katie" competition. Next year is her 25th anniversary, and we want schools to celebrate by being artistic and creative and inventive... All you have to do is use the time between now and Friday 24th January to get your children creating a response to a famous painting featured in a Katie book. It could be art - murals, or illustations; It could be sculptures; It could be a play based on a painting; Creating your own books... it can be anything you want! It can be a class or a whole school project. And it can tie in with literacy, languages, history, geography, science, music... and art. Let's see how amazing and inspiring teachers can be!<br />
<br />
I'm looking for originality and creativity and the school that creates the most spectacular work - and it can be anything - will win a free visit from me on <b>MARCH 6th 2014</b> (World Book Day). It can be ANYWHERE in the country, so don't hold back! go for it! I also want to tell you that World Book Day 2014 is the day before a landmark birthday. So I will also be looking for a school who can help me celebrate and make me especially welcome.<br />
<br />
Is that your school? Then get going now!<br />
<br />
For full details and information of how to enter, visit the official website HERE:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.worldbookday.com/competitions/katie/">http://www.worldbookday.com/competitions/katie/ </a><br />
<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-1374607262355584142013-11-14T11:41:00.000-08:002013-11-16T01:39:28.868-08:00Ella Bella Best Seller!The term best seller is a bit overused, but thanks to all my friends in America, it seems it can be legitimately applied to Ella Bella now. Barron's have recently issued two special twin-packs of books; one is called the Magic Gift Set the other is the Enchanted Gift Set. The former reached No.2 on the Amazon Best Seller lists last week, and today, the latter was at No.1!<br />
<br />
How wonderful to think of all those children discovering the stories that inspired Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev! That truly does make me happy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLROIhuTsco4JbE1trYYNIuffxhMQ6ltqEI5Lxt3EFl6Yt14bSCymXjX7m1AlKl-talqCY_9xEqxwXr_an-yXLBtUT3btRhtbvYWXlWKm2FrJEq6v2DQSMXWmjQ5AFXIZ1nLh0Jb1Xlrzr/s1600/51ZVZjAO2UL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLROIhuTsco4JbE1trYYNIuffxhMQ6ltqEI5Lxt3EFl6Yt14bSCymXjX7m1AlKl-talqCY_9xEqxwXr_an-yXLBtUT3btRhtbvYWXlWKm2FrJEq6v2DQSMXWmjQ5AFXIZ1nLh0Jb1Xlrzr/s1600/51ZVZjAO2UL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhord_7ZtqzIkJZKBMjUYKpV4ExfRNMHQT72X2-nk2te5jl9tEVHTKHkVgRDcCs9nA8_vwuPk7XoJdlcE_yMvMBZI2-Vtx5xcy9DOpQk9wGU73-KhT7PR_3h6z2Ur-x7bReulYVsPFzFhM7/s1600/51lfCDBUi4L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhord_7ZtqzIkJZKBMjUYKpV4ExfRNMHQT72X2-nk2te5jl9tEVHTKHkVgRDcCs9nA8_vwuPk7XoJdlcE_yMvMBZI2-Vtx5xcy9DOpQk9wGU73-KhT7PR_3h6z2Ur-x7bReulYVsPFzFhM7/s1600/51lfCDBUi4L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So what's next for Ella Bella? Conversations are taking place. Watch this space! </div>
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-15344588862596197962013-11-11T00:22:00.003-08:002013-11-11T02:43:20.545-08:00Magic with Merlyn at the Federation FestivalThe Federation of Children's Book Groups celebrated their Eleanor Farjeon award in spectacular style on November 9th, with a unique one-day festival at the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9LvBU5gIHVGbJU2TsUFC_Ee-bCmiSgCJY2Dgu1PWDhIX3txmnq-lmn25qPNQ2fPmZpDXvig6-F4s7xRkEUMDeXMdir6OMzY2T4RUXUUdDttJLmU3ab0UuRDrsyaKrrIPFYtb2IMUli-A/s1600/5320416940_bc0c308c2a_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9LvBU5gIHVGbJU2TsUFC_Ee-bCmiSgCJY2Dgu1PWDhIX3txmnq-lmn25qPNQ2fPmZpDXvig6-F4s7xRkEUMDeXMdir6OMzY2T4RUXUUdDttJLmU3ab0UuRDrsyaKrrIPFYtb2IMUli-A/s320/5320416940_bc0c308c2a_o.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
David Almond, the latest recipient of the same award, started the day, and other authors appearing were no less starry: Clara Vulliamy, Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester-Clark! It was a very busy day, but I was very glad to renew my acquaintance with David, who very graciously found time to sit in on one of my events, and to chat afterwards. As for the others, I had to content myself with merely being in the same building... there was no time to find them!<br />
<br />
In the morning there was a two hour workshop with 20 children, based on the idea of painting to music. To facilitate this, 7 musicians, and a conductor, were provided by the conservatoire to perform Britten's suite from The Sword in the Stone (after the classic King Arthur book by T. H. White).<br />
<br />
The Merlyn Ensemble, as I christened them, were just wonderful, playing and repeating sections of the suite during the workshop, so the children could become familiar with the enchanting music. I explained the story to give them a context and provided materials so they could paint and draw.<br />
<br />
Afterwards, we had to prepare for a public concert! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VZ6AEsZSZ-_B-jJMXOO8S28ilxO0lIPt0lKrj3GB32NDyTVkxglNF_tdCzQmBLkiqYA24-qtE0N61gj_H9MWB24O3eiLVj2almNEx5UblXlUQPg_DXEl7SbNHHfvHOzgap90FFUzYYuL/s1600/merlyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VZ6AEsZSZ-_B-jJMXOO8S28ilxO0lIPt0lKrj3GB32NDyTVkxglNF_tdCzQmBLkiqYA24-qtE0N61gj_H9MWB24O3eiLVj2almNEx5UblXlUQPg_DXEl7SbNHHfvHOzgap90FFUzYYuL/s400/merlyn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The concert took place in the Adrian Boult Hall (named after the famous conductor). I read extracts from the book, and painted six sketches to go with the named sections of the suite. This was quite a challange as each only lasts a minute or two, some only a few seconds!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYr_5xLLDn5qXb7G1sXwVkOCBWuSBQu-O_1lQy8rndgcaAqLNVyi5J3OxeYnYotBkd54D75HwdWikK9mzWyvhltW2dNCWexwuL8TjbqYu4vjXtFfvgnLvObqYvv1gPTT8nC0em1wa-1OH/s1600/me+and+merlyn.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYr_5xLLDn5qXb7G1sXwVkOCBWuSBQu-O_1lQy8rndgcaAqLNVyi5J3OxeYnYotBkd54D75HwdWikK9mzWyvhltW2dNCWexwuL8TjbqYu4vjXtFfvgnLvObqYvv1gPTT8nC0em1wa-1OH/s320/me+and+merlyn.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Afterwards, the morning students came on stage and bravely painted collaboratively during a second performance of the suite (without readings this time).<br />
<br />
They did a wonderful job, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed their illustrative talents, as well as Dan the conductor and the Merlyn Ensemble. I am so gratefulto them, the participating children, and the wonderful Federation for their help and support, especially Zoe Toft (see her website, Playing by the Book: <a href="http://www.playingbythebook.net/">http://www.playingbythebook.net/</a>), who first invited me.<br />
<br />
It was a magical day that Merlyn himself would have been pleased with and a great way to celebrate The Farjeon Award and Britten's centenary, which falls this month.<br />
<br />
There's more Britten to follow - my final event this year is on Britten's actual 100th birthday, when I'll be in London with the Docklands Sinfonia, painting along to the Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes and offering one final performance of my illustrated Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. That's November 22nd and tickets can be bought here: <a href="http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts">http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts</a><br />
<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-62371005136367533222013-11-03T10:50:00.002-08:002013-11-08T00:15:01.829-08:00Book Group Bonanza in Birmingham - this Saturday!The Federation of Children's Book Groups are presenting a simply extraordinary one day festival in Birmingham THIS SATURDAY November 9th, celebrating their receipt of the Eleanor Farjeon Award.<br />
<br />
There, you can meet: <b>Michael Morpurgo, Emma Chichester-Clark, David Almond, Clara Vulliamy... and ME! </b><br />
<br />
I'll be running a workshop for youngsters about painting and illustrating to music. And afterwards, I'll be presenting a truly fabulous concert with live performances by superb young musicians from the Birmingham Conservatoire. They'll be performing an enchanting yet little known score by Benjamin Britten, written as incidental music for "<b>The Sword in the Stone</b>", T H White's gorgeous King Arthur novel (and inspiration for both the Disney film and the musical "Camelot"). It was one of my sister's favourite books as a child - the same sister who inspired the Katie books! She read me a passage which she found hilarious, and read it with such relish that I, too, became hooked.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsr4nrUUN5FO2kFOGGzUzHt5WP0XOG0DC2EvGjVigWQlSUtsj3vqQm6MAyfC-DT9Z9s0zaw8BHmvzCqJZMgxEQ9krIq14q1C6YgqCEmEVkabMNA450XNbbs4P2vcKlpmRicPRlp8L7_OBR/s1600/2013-11-03+18.18.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsr4nrUUN5FO2kFOGGzUzHt5WP0XOG0DC2EvGjVigWQlSUtsj3vqQm6MAyfC-DT9Z9s0zaw8BHmvzCqJZMgxEQ9krIq14q1C6YgqCEmEVkabMNA450XNbbs4P2vcKlpmRicPRlp8L7_OBR/s400/2013-11-03+18.18.59.jpg" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The book follows the basic story outline of Morte d'Arthur, but in decidedly early 20th century language. There are passages of enormous wit; others of surpassing beauty. I will be reading some favourite extracts and talking about the book, weaving words around sections of the music as part of the concert; above all, I'll be illustrating live on stage as the music is played.<br />
<br />
Children who have grown up with the BBC's bizarrely mixed up version of the Merlin and King Arthur legends will be in for a few surprises. I will also be talking about my family connection to Benjamin Britten whose centenary this month is celebrated with this unique and magical event. The Sword in the Stone concert is at 1pm in the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire. <br />
<br />
This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and be inspired by some fabulous people. And the concert is also a great way to excite young people about the storytelling inside music. If you are in the Midlands, with young children, this is a day you can't afford to miss!<br />
<br />
Oh, and DO buy raffle tickets - then you could win one of the illustrations I sketch during the performance! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyf3h39ZcqRr7WydUDtR4AocWhe0kPXTn5gUroSBjvah9AKDgl1tBFqJFgfOqavxzOAG1utv6vc1IGUc8P8GoHlGyaM6eQByJQab2zuvdfZ0hyIoK6_bVxnQF3L_YVNQ-boW6oy1_U3xyJ/s1600/conservatoire_adrianboult_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyf3h39ZcqRr7WydUDtR4AocWhe0kPXTn5gUroSBjvah9AKDgl1tBFqJFgfOqavxzOAG1utv6vc1IGUc8P8GoHlGyaM6eQByJQab2zuvdfZ0hyIoK6_bVxnQF3L_YVNQ-boW6oy1_U3xyJ/s320/conservatoire_adrianboult_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
To book tickets for the Sword in the Stone concert, click on the link below:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.birmingham-box.co.uk/event/festival-of-childrens-literature-james-mayhew-and-/">http://www.birmingham-box.co.uk/event/festival-of-childrens-literature-james-mayhew-and-/</a><br />
<br />
and for more information about the festival, visit the website here:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_717295972"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.fcbg.org.uk/festival-of-childrens-literature/">http://www.fcbg.org.uk/festival-of-childrens-literature/</a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-78030647853412982912013-10-27T13:42:00.002-07:002013-10-27T21:48:20.623-07:00Young Person's Guide to fun with music!Many thanks to all at the de Havilland Philharmonic, conducter Robin Browning, the UH arts team and the St Albans
Children's Book Group... and all those who came to join in the fun
today... Arnold's hilarious Carnival of Animals was a great warm up for
the Young Person's Guide and both concerts whizzed by. The audience
tittered, the orchestra giggled and the music was superbly performed.
What a wonderful way to spend a day. Thank you all for your warm welcome
and good spirits! It's shaping up to be a legendary series; this is the
7th year. And for next year? wait and see...<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, here are a few snaps of rehearsals and performances today. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x2By3UPnRaELanEiABqWQlzOr2avp2VIK9qnyoqU4piN9JqaG63sSuXC5FXx9fp8Luch8et8c_gkdKSJfzReMbxvS61b-6rncXZImHNzIlQyCwVR6_d1iTUC8sdfl3wDXjYKtQEr7V5G/s1600/BXlZtU2IQAAu3EY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x2By3UPnRaELanEiABqWQlzOr2avp2VIK9qnyoqU4piN9JqaG63sSuXC5FXx9fp8Luch8et8c_gkdKSJfzReMbxvS61b-6rncXZImHNzIlQyCwVR6_d1iTUC8sdfl3wDXjYKtQEr7V5G/s320/BXlZtU2IQAAu3EY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZEq92SpM-IIqFRysrHymDOS8Avz9WT-oc5aJNZg__5fr4Hz6I1GtfowTovhhU9oUm52upwyRISkDg-RvfrOaY_pnNM5Q70CLDmFYhPlhkcZEFH5SFzMxuJI4T_qxavX9xPmjQbPqccCm/s1600/BXmOTN0IQAA7pWL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZEq92SpM-IIqFRysrHymDOS8Avz9WT-oc5aJNZg__5fr4Hz6I1GtfowTovhhU9oUm52upwyRISkDg-RvfrOaY_pnNM5Q70CLDmFYhPlhkcZEFH5SFzMxuJI4T_qxavX9xPmjQbPqccCm/s320/BXmOTN0IQAA7pWL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAiSAr4TGfV8X1yrmSbyWEBk61OBvb9VhG4QRcJCTXlXlLJ1vFTcdV6u3L3q8SH3fu8grKSIUie8PZfQ5nxsmFax1nBjOtuibszs46oubWCpfQ1rkVORJih-9FC8xR1S22i7isFNObhQn/s1600/BXmuDV-IMAAVTrL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAiSAr4TGfV8X1yrmSbyWEBk61OBvb9VhG4QRcJCTXlXlLJ1vFTcdV6u3L3q8SH3fu8grKSIUie8PZfQ5nxsmFax1nBjOtuibszs46oubWCpfQ1rkVORJih-9FC8xR1S22i7isFNObhQn/s320/BXmuDV-IMAAVTrL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-64462601849059784902013-10-22T00:46:00.002-07:002013-10-22T00:46:47.262-07:00Getting Spooky in Saffron Walden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d36EeCV3UendvQ0A4rQTHJpanchgToNKNnxENmkALnKtrNn_CwTVAmEBMKklBSzBEm7YRfVwMvY6vm37BR40d7u_9TQnoogAd8MCkCYjKpZHTMFH2G9cGROnBIThcHscLFJ8aSVEThp0/s1600/5841_547880585282298_503375025_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d36EeCV3UendvQ0A4rQTHJpanchgToNKNnxENmkALnKtrNn_CwTVAmEBMKklBSzBEm7YRfVwMvY6vm37BR40d7u_9TQnoogAd8MCkCYjKpZHTMFH2G9cGROnBIThcHscLFJ8aSVEThp0/s400/5841_547880585282298_503375025_n.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Thanks to all those who came to the Spooky Tunes concerts in Saffron Walden on Sunday. The Friends' School Hall was packed out for two performances, with the Uttlesforde Orchestra and conductor Richard Hull. <br />
<br />
This was the grand finale to the Words in Walden festival, and I must therefore also thank the festival team and Harts booksellers for their support, especially Jo Burch. These events have such a lovely sense of community, with especially warm audiences and happy smiling children. Much hilarity greeted the opening piece, <i>Night on a Bare Mountain</i>, as one young audience member piped up ... "It's a little bit loud!" She wasn't kidding. The orchestra sounded wonderfully dramatic, as outside the autumn sunshine faded into a wild afternoon of howling winds and lashing rain as if summoned by Mussorgsky's demonic music!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlaqx4LwKfS8Jbfbfewjlv1HVbRPt4t4iXWwyznVqCHABcIaDSdlyPzj-ymjF_ygYvFo4ZEQqhUmn8ix_hOlcMW8h4xB188ZSh7UOiZCRuSlzKhPl-1yxyPMVAkHOM2fKlgW92J0dY1n-/s1600/-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlaqx4LwKfS8Jbfbfewjlv1HVbRPt4t4iXWwyznVqCHABcIaDSdlyPzj-ymjF_ygYvFo4ZEQqhUmn8ix_hOlcMW8h4xB188ZSh7UOiZCRuSlzKhPl-1yxyPMVAkHOM2fKlgW92J0dY1n-/s320/-3.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblbfoMCr1vIn84581mpmj4SOzThVxpQZR6RxUos063I_NDiu4wspCIy_GF3nuq3qMZZHlXdCsACQ1Zj0rVUDTPfmBIl_ix7ZPmLGWFfhURsZpJbTvKe7cFVwYexJhprUl1f3u3oz2qk_R/s1600/swan+tuonela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblbfoMCr1vIn84581mpmj4SOzThVxpQZR6RxUos063I_NDiu4wspCIy_GF3nuq3qMZZHlXdCsACQ1Zj0rVUDTPfmBIl_ix7ZPmLGWFfhURsZpJbTvKe7cFVwYexJhprUl1f3u3oz2qk_R/s320/swan+tuonela.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Danse Macabre, Baba Yaga </i>and <i>The</i> <i>Swan of Tuonela</i> followed, and the very generously programmed concert ended with <i>The</i> <i>Sorcerer's Apprentice</i>. Talk about value for money! Oh, and there was even a little encore: Mussorgsky's <i>Gnomus</i> from his <i>Pictures at an Exhibition.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qxWOS8kqaaBb2YFFEDWlAxeIwoUw-bZaZsfLdGUZzpd7IEG1-luh1M0e05TGG7VZ_gxmqdxVeZzZ3EDRL_AvvvxBF38ESeJPtjDyIPWUy5-OFssqnLYxV0edyNUl2qBerRvxw3_pe8bm/s1600/-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qxWOS8kqaaBb2YFFEDWlAxeIwoUw-bZaZsfLdGUZzpd7IEG1-luh1M0e05TGG7VZ_gxmqdxVeZzZ3EDRL_AvvvxBF38ESeJPtjDyIPWUy5-OFssqnLYxV0edyNUl2qBerRvxw3_pe8bm/s320/-6.jpg" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12kXR0mbSSssbSN_-idXd5GHuHugUT_2M1KGdRt4gjt7F-x9bXl0AXBHaH_wtfwrkxUgou3aTZ_cQlSN38-YaHuSoXjCTMbfDQzS2typQh-D8iPwElt_8IhVE2bCqDsgHbMk7yl0HDroT/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12kXR0mbSSssbSN_-idXd5GHuHugUT_2M1KGdRt4gjt7F-x9bXl0AXBHaH_wtfwrkxUgou3aTZ_cQlSN38-YaHuSoXjCTMbfDQzS2typQh-D8iPwElt_8IhVE2bCqDsgHbMk7yl0HDroT/s320/-1.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwFZqKlrVMUlh3s7t9sXIxPLPRtMl0S__ssbBGBEMpH0EaD-SSVBikbF6qZiNjLrPINMCOs14dH-rJ48OFRhBGSBv3GR7nXBRJYrYrauNmHG_u6UdDAQ44rS8C1ZCxk2sk6An5IqW9kgA/s1600/-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwFZqKlrVMUlh3s7t9sXIxPLPRtMl0S__ssbBGBEMpH0EaD-SSVBikbF6qZiNjLrPINMCOs14dH-rJ48OFRhBGSBv3GR7nXBRJYrYrauNmHG_u6UdDAQ44rS8C1ZCxk2sk6An5IqW9kgA/s400/-2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Throughout, I told stories and painted like a crazy man; the pictures were raffled, raising £400 for EACH Children's Hospice. <br />
<br />
Lastly, thanks to <a href="http://www.vanessastone.net/">Vanessa Stone</a>, who took the photographs.<br />
<br />
AND NOW, I have just a few days to practise for the next concert: Arnold's eccentric <i>Carnival of Animals</i>, and Britten's <i>Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra</i>. This will be at the Weston Auditorium in Hatfield on October 27th with the de Havilland Philharmonic... What a busy week!James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-11661943709518299102013-10-19T00:25:00.004-07:002013-10-19T02:37:10.751-07:00Benjamin Britten's 100th Birthday Concert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwo6_Ggt9t1MdEPOC489T-dx5vCPybA_D_0Lw-P-f-6aH_AJ2I6EEsUyNtkgv_asiLnznmLuM6ZOfx3L_xvEJ5TQIeo6SfU_NLjzT-cTHkf80K3_19yzqlTVCqzW9UCIK8klTajxvFUaF/s1600/cropped+sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwo6_Ggt9t1MdEPOC489T-dx5vCPybA_D_0Lw-P-f-6aH_AJ2I6EEsUyNtkgv_asiLnznmLuM6ZOfx3L_xvEJ5TQIeo6SfU_NLjzT-cTHkf80K3_19yzqlTVCqzW9UCIK8klTajxvFUaF/s400/cropped+sea.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Exciting news! I have been asked to join the Docklands Sinfonia for a very special concert. November 22nd will be Benjamin Britten's 100th birthday, and as a special tribute the orchestra will perform his <i>Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra</i> and the <i>Four Sea Interludes</i> from <i>Peter Grimes</i>.<br />
<br />
I'll be narrating AND illustrating the guide, and - very exciting - I'll also be painting seascapes to accompany the Sea Interludes. They are such marvellous, evocative music. They immediately conjure up the broad, open skies of the Suffolk coastline, the ebb and flow of the sea. Growing up just outside Lowestoft, the same skies and seas that inspired Britten, inspired me too. I've written before about my family connections to Britten, so it feels entirely apt that I should be painting to his music on this landmark date.<br />
<br />
PLEASE come and join us in London's Docklands, in the beautiful St. Anne's Church in Limehouse. This unique voluntary orchestra is made up of exceptionally talented youngsters, and will be conducted by their director, Spencer Down, who set the orchestra up. This is an evening concert, but families are welcome ('tis a Friday night, so no missed school the next day).<br />
<br />
The programme will be completed with Tchaikovsky's passionate 4th Symphony. Which I will not paint to, but just sit and enjoy!<br />
<br />
It's an interesting combination, apparently with not much in common. But in fact there are definite links. Britten visited Russia often and became great friends with Dmitri Shostakovitch, the cellist Mstislav Rostropovitch and his wife, the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. She is generally considered the best interpreter of Tchaikovsky's finest operatic heroine, Tatiana in <i>Eugene Onegin</i>. And, of course, both composers were gay. With the dreadful current situation in Russia, one wonders what fate would have awaited these two brilliant composers now...<br />
<br />
It would be great to get a good crowd and really support this terrific orchestra. And I can't think of a better celebration of Benjamin Britten on his actual 100th birthday.<br />
<br />
Tickets are on sale now. Full details and links on how to book can be found on the orchestra website HERE: <a href="http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts">http://www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk/concerts</a><br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-24011936414262974202013-10-14T08:41:00.001-07:002013-10-14T08:41:35.361-07:00Noye's Fludde: The Rest is Noise...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCesrBkXRRHar6S6XVBNDfPUuIszztbr3TPHertbDvTtCRUTWTsY59XzsVAiDGzXxSlKkfI3lJ3mr2K4a-Nb-iOQE1ZNufj5m9hTfG1h-tm3bgOutmw7VA0yepfGHt-1QTTcBSbSQUxwVe/s1600/DSC_8958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCesrBkXRRHar6S6XVBNDfPUuIszztbr3TPHertbDvTtCRUTWTsY59XzsVAiDGzXxSlKkfI3lJ3mr2K4a-Nb-iOQE1ZNufj5m9hTfG1h-tm3bgOutmw7VA0yepfGHt-1QTTcBSbSQUxwVe/s400/DSC_8958.jpg" width="322" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Guardian Newspaper has created a lovely short film of the dress rehearsal for the production of Noye's Fludde that I designed earlier this year. The performances took place in the magnificent Tewkesbury Abbey, and were part of the Cheltenham Music Festival, of which I was guest director.<br />
<br />
This film is part of an ongoing series called "The Rest Is Noise",
which started as a book on 20th century music by Alex Ross (music critic for The New Yorker) and became a series of South Bank concerts,
and now films. <br />
<br />
<br />
In the film you'll see glimpses of the designs, and meet some of the team involved. It was the most extraordinary, unforgettable experience and I'm very grateful to have a souvenir of this magical and moving pageant of pictures and music.<br />
<br />
Just click on the link HERE:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/video/2013/sep/25/benjamin-britten-noyes-fludde-video">http://www.theguardian.com/music/video/2013/sep/25/benjamin-britten-noyes-fludde-video </a><br />
<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-51166205627004725562013-10-04T01:21:00.000-07:002013-10-06T00:51:59.692-07:00Singapore Sketchbook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCRHiLqhujTzXpXeeWdmwNr5wrMsIlT5wFJJRR5HEbay7-aWLSi6JpQFeljw1kmwg42thfnijmxhhYJeNQDWnRwUOxgMDv_6Z0MK5g94OpI7WYgwXMJiqxANVpqSLoEnjqiEfMqdcDrWO/s1600/514bHuogYOL._SX385_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCRHiLqhujTzXpXeeWdmwNr5wrMsIlT5wFJJRR5HEbay7-aWLSi6JpQFeljw1kmwg42thfnijmxhhYJeNQDWnRwUOxgMDv_6Z0MK5g94OpI7WYgwXMJiqxANVpqSLoEnjqiEfMqdcDrWO/s320/514bHuogYOL._SX385_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I always attempt a bit of sketching when I go away. If nothing else, it secures a memory of a place (however bad the drawing!). It is a moment of closer observation. But I find it hard. There was so much I wanted to draw during my recent visit to Singapore but as usual my self-consciousness was a bit of an obstacle. I also always regret the tools I take for one reason or another. I need to rethink this sketching lark.<br />
<br />
One further problem is finding somewhere to sit and draw. Often there isn't a convenient seat at the chosen site, and balancing watercolours and ink pens on a crowded Asian street is something of an ordeal. I need to be more practical!<br />
<br />
The school librarian in Singapore, Ben Farr, very kindly gave me a beautiful gift - a book of sketches by Graham Byfield. It's wonderful and I was inspired to spend my last day with my sketchbook. I can't pretend to understand Singapore as well as Mr Byfield, but here are a few quick sketches that I am just about prepared to share...<br />
<br />
The Chinese Gardens. There were little kites flying in the sky over this pavilion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfeIs2DQDYDLtgsPRPO86cUMOjdXa5i3KXbxMyauZF2hgbTLH_Ra-Nbkcy8SHB62dUOCOlg59jmDi0xklRtbQ0ZNYZyMXMTTMB37FsqVEiLxyPnyYg945jEKEIeD0vMoZC42dTqP2ldFs/s1600/singapore+sketchbooks_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfeIs2DQDYDLtgsPRPO86cUMOjdXa5i3KXbxMyauZF2hgbTLH_Ra-Nbkcy8SHB62dUOCOlg59jmDi0xklRtbQ0ZNYZyMXMTTMB37FsqVEiLxyPnyYg945jEKEIeD0vMoZC42dTqP2ldFs/s200/singapore+sketchbooks_0001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
One of my favourite places was Kampong Glam, the Arab Quarter. Here's the Sultan Mosque one evening...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoW81sG0vRYYGNfy5pPiWn7ODiit-GfEpT3D0GCj3eDvWGm65F7ZOkfGmZApuNDRNxHoq8FEuWXh-amuCOUzBgzU0kFYIpv2CeIis2dn1PXZpGPSI8p5JNqEkvDoziPc4kbGySLet7zb9/s1600/singapore+sketchbooks_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoW81sG0vRYYGNfy5pPiWn7ODiit-GfEpT3D0GCj3eDvWGm65F7ZOkfGmZApuNDRNxHoq8FEuWXh-amuCOUzBgzU0kFYIpv2CeIis2dn1PXZpGPSI8p5JNqEkvDoziPc4kbGySLet7zb9/s400/singapore+sketchbooks_0003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In a Hindu temple, there were musicians and processions... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfXhhkr45awQnjiWHghUmlcNgSmcFdEOiGBO9XgO2kdcgyE-gMs3_F_9U-hgdNQu5xrItOHwiu01t2bdIAo_pNQJ2rmIXqyCA-FEcfPaOotOvsUeTQju9g_3BFxcGnxoeYOGK6Auh2JSK/s1600/singapore+sketchbooks_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfXhhkr45awQnjiWHghUmlcNgSmcFdEOiGBO9XgO2kdcgyE-gMs3_F_9U-hgdNQu5xrItOHwiu01t2bdIAo_pNQJ2rmIXqyCA-FEcfPaOotOvsUeTQju9g_3BFxcGnxoeYOGK6Auh2JSK/s200/singapore+sketchbooks_0005.jpg" width="130" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Sultan Mosque again, from another angle... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlffJq7sl043UwFsM26lVQ5Geux247iD9bJaW212I7oxUoXF2ayn2QFvZu9l5dyN1VUuUwLgMTu_dM64L3yDSeiE03Oa9sku4mx3azQeq8IU2amP143CLFemNNGRaKRFQQVi27uf9s4k5h/s1600/singapore+sketchbooks_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlffJq7sl043UwFsM26lVQ5Geux247iD9bJaW212I7oxUoXF2ayn2QFvZu9l5dyN1VUuUwLgMTu_dM64L3yDSeiE03Oa9sku4mx3azQeq8IU2amP143CLFemNNGRaKRFQQVi27uf9s4k5h/s400/singapore+sketchbooks_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Old topsy-turvy shop fronts in Little India. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApxAXS-Tj2V_JlKxYOQmrfboKToNardKwRLld32lmRfP9eMHau2712nnM7xB0NzgDEYQsL6vWf1wMJtq9a4y0EYCZFY4CJU7YI1dSScmmN3vkioCgseQ-qhvliIht1nSD49_FWx3Y9Wm_/s1600/singapore+sketchbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApxAXS-Tj2V_JlKxYOQmrfboKToNardKwRLld32lmRfP9eMHau2712nnM7xB0NzgDEYQsL6vWf1wMJtq9a4y0EYCZFY4CJU7YI1dSScmmN3vkioCgseQ-qhvliIht1nSD49_FWx3Y9Wm_/s400/singapore+sketchbooks.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<br />
Happily, and surprisingly, I have just been invited back to Singapore, so I will redouble my efforts with the sketching next time and rethink the tools of the trade. Watch this space!James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-47747462464511150432013-10-03T00:01:00.003-07:002013-10-03T01:16:04.821-07:00Singapore - full of Eastern Promise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoNpbZSup8yVeZR17aj6NKp-h0s2nYhMkXPSUt8G6lIoArofiyfMZbWsjLRqOdZpzx_LFf8xbOzOjt4Nf5o1_XotfrezSHG9iWCkbiYRtMhtpQcu5TDS-_RuWqi_9p-ghFyWVIpUH-KMB/s1600/lanterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoPTuKSg-9CH5FdF4gS_Xfi_DDy_vt8vDvvGIBkvhr7RxDpJxLG4Nm7iT8Ypxpol3aLand3-wUyT3hgJsZX9P17EyEhFRPfb7kITBPeapWsWF904CFEaGKyjrbZPNfAImQSp7vvN0_XR-/s1600/2013-09-21+12.26.08.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoPTuKSg-9CH5FdF4gS_Xfi_DDy_vt8vDvvGIBkvhr7RxDpJxLG4Nm7iT8Ypxpol3aLand3-wUyT3hgJsZX9P17EyEhFRPfb7kITBPeapWsWF904CFEaGKyjrbZPNfAImQSp7vvN0_XR-/s320/2013-09-21+12.26.08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Last year, out of the blue, an email arrived from a young librarian - Ben Farr - inviting me to speak at a school in Singapore. This was an extraordinary coincidence, as at the time I was working with the Orchestra of the Music Makers, from Singapore. You can read about our suitably eastern Scheherazade performance in this<b> BBC</b> review: <a href="http://www.classical-music.com/blog/colourful-tales-cheltenham">http://www.classical-music.com/blog/colourful-tales-cheltenham</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The orchestra raised the possibility of me working with them in Singapore, and that remains a delicious possibility. In the meantime, I accepted Mr Farr's invitation and last week flew to Singapore to visit his school.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Clean, efficient, safe and welcoming,
Singapore is a wonderful introduction to Asia. It is also strict and
measured: spitting, chewing gum, eating on trains are all punishable by
law. But
the first thing you notice is the climate: a solid wall of wet heat
hits you, and the temperature and humidity are more or less constant
throughout the year. There are no seasons as such and the sun always
sets at 7pm. Storms, when they break (which is often) are swift and
violent, with spectacular lightning and enormous droplets of rain. But
one soon adjusts to the humidity and the air conditioning, on trains and
in shops and cafes, is always only a few feet away.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tanglin Trust is a British school and everyone made me exceptionally welcome. All the children were properly
prepared by the teachers and knew my books. It was a hugely worthwhile
visit thanks to the school being so thorough. Everything was superbly prepared by Mr. Farr. It was truly a model school visit and I absolutely loved every minute of it. I am enormously grateful to him, for all his hard work setting everything up. The school and the children are lucky to have such a great advocate for books. And lucky to have numerous enormous libraries to lose themselves in. I have rarely, if ever, visited a school with such a great symbolic value placed on books. I only worked in the Infant Library. It was vast! And the Junior library was bigger still, on two floors...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The respect for books is repeated throughout Singapore in the magnificent libraries. This is a nation of readers, and a city of achievers. And it begins with the infant libraries, where books and words and pictures are properly valued. Schools in the UK could learn a lot from this model!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This bewildering climate, this colourful world of ethnic tradition sharing the crowded streets with the glittering modern excesses, was a dazzling experience. Here are a few pictures of the sights of Singapore - a unique melting
pot of many races and faiths, cohabiting in apparent harmony, where old
buildings and fascinating history rub shoulders with the futuristic city
scape around the harbour.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Above is Mr Raffles, who claimed Singapore for the English. Below, one of many temples throughout the city. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSxForE8uVpZasyEizNQyEEPZukLS-A7Uq6iOS7QxT4-kL-OU8C6tNRNRR6-tYmoh-pUTNny7g13qwnWX-4cpkzL83pCzZOWxtzXfns4VzGzobF-1TFptKQZHrnw0LDvMsGP__5WW-lL0/s1600/india.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSxForE8uVpZasyEizNQyEEPZukLS-A7Uq6iOS7QxT4-kL-OU8C6tNRNRR6-tYmoh-pUTNny7g13qwnWX-4cpkzL83pCzZOWxtzXfns4VzGzobF-1TFptKQZHrnw0LDvMsGP__5WW-lL0/s320/india.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The beautiful Sultan Mosque in the Arab Quarter...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_JotNNsGzm8f_jP5xYwh3ZkZOXeo9zpYFycu_Kq1alKZlIaS51WUGcZ75lMsPSJ36BmMaBrZl32zaaqGdLOwEYENqHvc6SQPUBigEB9vvvOyicSZ2X0mJQfkOpABuCfGei36_sjrdSFX/s1600/cg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTirTgK34K9gfR5e5IgGYvptodgNf8WBFS8vXZb8jvKSCHqKS0jzM3gsh1svlXAHJ0wGwT79cHBJpGCF3ve31qFhIo1PrYa2IFGXHavtsG6zUJ8gpD9-6S0PbTQoXZhajwpg1k5viyymDH/s1600/2013-09-21+13.03.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTirTgK34K9gfR5e5IgGYvptodgNf8WBFS8vXZb8jvKSCHqKS0jzM3gsh1svlXAHJ0wGwT79cHBJpGCF3ve31qFhIo1PrYa2IFGXHavtsG6zUJ8gpD9-6S0PbTQoXZhajwpg1k5viyymDH/s320/2013-09-21+13.03.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A cable car ride to the island of Sentosa afforded terrifying views of space age architecture...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PMtJQnUPTJ5TBkv5hCZcXkS9bGaooGGzLBMdAql-__PKVLC1PoYN7whOoVpbhR3Qf7ziZvlP_uu4pxIy72z3JwR_a4It_I1x_8YiF4O9rgcxeVLGNxvVsj80Jc5lS_jVK5cbo_JUpXqT/s1600/P1030921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PMtJQnUPTJ5TBkv5hCZcXkS9bGaooGGzLBMdAql-__PKVLC1PoYN7whOoVpbhR3Qf7ziZvlP_uu4pxIy72z3JwR_a4It_I1x_8YiF4O9rgcxeVLGNxvVsj80Jc5lS_jVK5cbo_JUpXqT/s320/P1030921.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwA3ZeYYNEECEWVYU2O5fkiVsUaNb8UiAUoJgoRuqchW5opOS4bqqSQYpiYrMXDHkZofwpUB4vCH4dvRM84UDp3XaWx9gtCvmweojXWPy8OTDuyRz-WYkEFG-I2fuqZaVvgKfUKxmXl48u/s1600/P1030925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwA3ZeYYNEECEWVYU2O5fkiVsUaNb8UiAUoJgoRuqchW5opOS4bqqSQYpiYrMXDHkZofwpUB4vCH4dvRM84UDp3XaWx9gtCvmweojXWPy8OTDuyRz-WYkEFG-I2fuqZaVvgKfUKxmXl48u/s320/P1030925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Mer Lion, symbol of modern Singapore</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZ_G8cMT5TjaLyOiPJ_bBKf1eEXLSFoHEGZT1hCsoaWV0twpVudHbg2E99PuVGF36HL7PDHOm-uijfIXm4j1btFKbXWSFilt3o9SVBvRf6xi3q09cU9dYz9rBJ7uMdaudnQ9121S1BZk7/s1600/P1030937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZ_G8cMT5TjaLyOiPJ_bBKf1eEXLSFoHEGZT1hCsoaWV0twpVudHbg2E99PuVGF36HL7PDHOm-uijfIXm4j1btFKbXWSFilt3o9SVBvRf6xi3q09cU9dYz9rBJ7uMdaudnQ9121S1BZk7/s320/P1030937.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The world's busiest harbour...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHS8JaTGSg2LPN_IjlUqfJNTrzyUsudNsWFZIDaMZPbmcioPK7vZaCAiwmI3fvz4abozOPX6A1fL-9rqlJpl2Twlwv67hTGhHNl-2PPiOaaCYG1gf-oXOD8LGnsEfDvM93HMhFiKzsc-7/s1600/P1030978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHS8JaTGSg2LPN_IjlUqfJNTrzyUsudNsWFZIDaMZPbmcioPK7vZaCAiwmI3fvz4abozOPX6A1fL-9rqlJpl2Twlwv67hTGhHNl-2PPiOaaCYG1gf-oXOD8LGnsEfDvM93HMhFiKzsc-7/s320/P1030978.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the enchanting Chinese gardens, unfamiliar birds of many colours dashed from tree to tree, dancing among waiting lanterns. Herons glided over bridges, while basking turtles lurked below in the last of the sunshine. Prayer flags danced in the breeze around pagodas and temples. And gnats the size of Pterodactyls gathered in the air, reminding me that Singapore is really a tropical island within sight of the equator. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTgW6ikF2KZ5sA6rS5EMkQvIhif5VyCqAOwQIQ26Qe60KJWj10GaOkYZsRBs30OGh2Ff3uIvd8okWXtxXmZW7iCrKf5xD7vjnK_zkuvWPehbFGjIAr33FjYEjxcyXRtDRS-HCzJumz407/s1600/P1040029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTgW6ikF2KZ5sA6rS5EMkQvIhif5VyCqAOwQIQ26Qe60KJWj10GaOkYZsRBs30OGh2Ff3uIvd8okWXtxXmZW7iCrKf5xD7vjnK_zkuvWPehbFGjIAr33FjYEjxcyXRtDRS-HCzJumz407/s320/P1040029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeg-nZ7zJURMQlVLxLmE7CWh3P7ONFURCqUBnuH85ImRXZUe3I6x24yhHVtIVsXwMZYfBnP_Lhgz6Ci21DpIKaoDu42DwvNkRioHC30F4BuTlwF16fDDvS8MkwXmZG7wbjfKU-zX1jnjB/s1600/P1040038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeg-nZ7zJURMQlVLxLmE7CWh3P7ONFURCqUBnuH85ImRXZUe3I6x24yhHVtIVsXwMZYfBnP_Lhgz6Ci21DpIKaoDu42DwvNkRioHC30F4BuTlwF16fDDvS8MkwXmZG7wbjfKU-zX1jnjB/s320/P1040038.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMXLX0AeTOnJzJ9E5VrL3n9wjul0djDXvenDv8QxtT7BsEf4mX5eSk3fEi1p_5damGiKrQwZX1jQ7axynMXLjaX34yfzFH0HTUj1_QWJJMxrA0JpdYlFmSbYy14r7izpaaX6b1jDD8CJc/s1600/P1040080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMXLX0AeTOnJzJ9E5VrL3n9wjul0djDXvenDv8QxtT7BsEf4mX5eSk3fEi1p_5damGiKrQwZX1jQ7axynMXLjaX34yfzFH0HTUj1_QWJJMxrA0JpdYlFmSbYy14r7izpaaX6b1jDD8CJc/s320/P1040080.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_JotNNsGzm8f_jP5xYwh3ZkZOXeo9zpYFycu_Kq1alKZlIaS51WUGcZ75lMsPSJ36BmMaBrZl32zaaqGdLOwEYENqHvc6SQPUBigEB9vvvOyicSZ2X0mJQfkOpABuCfGei36_sjrdSFX/s1600/cg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_JotNNsGzm8f_jP5xYwh3ZkZOXeo9zpYFycu_Kq1alKZlIaS51WUGcZ75lMsPSJ36BmMaBrZl32zaaqGdLOwEYENqHvc6SQPUBigEB9vvvOyicSZ2X0mJQfkOpABuCfGei36_sjrdSFX/s320/cg.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Gigantic red ants bit my ankles, as suddenly the lanterns were lit. People came and went in the gardens which come alive in the night. The darkness swallowed up the secret paths. Later there were bats, instead of laughing short tailed birds. And the trees gathered together in blue clumps, in this miniature land of enchanted Oriental fairy tales.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GzqvLNtcqPF2SJH6RCGe1NP1K8tcr92hBsNS48PWZmebKvDsXJaObUGP0imD3Fao7URzu4GMnHXQN0lb6hKHth3dyDO6jknc_Ww-IkyAbY4KCADosHKP36cpJ3spkOs_QzTNDlcMJuFb/s1600/P1040056.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GzqvLNtcqPF2SJH6RCGe1NP1K8tcr92hBsNS48PWZmebKvDsXJaObUGP0imD3Fao7URzu4GMnHXQN0lb6hKHth3dyDO6jknc_Ww-IkyAbY4KCADosHKP36cpJ3spkOs_QzTNDlcMJuFb/s320/P1040056.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm-tl24wLZ2vPjmDN6PNYN81xyTcqb9AAx1pCx0qxprvqTqndS5uDMVM1Wcc9FQl78oL4TFEGTuTP6cUeQp8qdF7N0cxLsgylnvoncyOVNpx0K7COSLeVnkWaz622O-G019CebpeLtAl/s1600/P1040087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm-tl24wLZ2vPjmDN6PNYN81xyTcqb9AAx1pCx0qxprvqTqndS5uDMVM1Wcc9FQl78oL4TFEGTuTP6cUeQp8qdF7N0cxLsgylnvoncyOVNpx0K7COSLeVnkWaz622O-G019CebpeLtAl/s320/P1040087.JPG" width="241" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoNpbZSup8yVeZR17aj6NKp-h0s2nYhMkXPSUt8G6lIoArofiyfMZbWsjLRqOdZpzx_LFf8xbOzOjt4Nf5o1_XotfrezSHG9iWCkbiYRtMhtpQcu5TDS-_RuWqi_9p-ghFyWVIpUH-KMB/s1600/lanterns.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoNpbZSup8yVeZR17aj6NKp-h0s2nYhMkXPSUt8G6lIoArofiyfMZbWsjLRqOdZpzx_LFf8xbOzOjt4Nf5o1_XotfrezSHG9iWCkbiYRtMhtpQcu5TDS-_RuWqi_9p-ghFyWVIpUH-KMB/s320/lanterns.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In Little India, flowers are strung like clusters of pearls, full of of happy insects and perfume and colour. The streets were alive day and night with hustle and bustle. The pavements were strewn with shoes, as people washed their feet before entering the many temples...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7Jz9aCpsmhScArN3djJSMNmkZB40yve4OA0JU4aM_qIRMDulzF9UZALFXSIX0R2arZrpQDYCkFxBTno1eSKB13Bd4RkBvONiSil86nNOlFGdkOPaVD1lgQ3XSA5IhfUhs4fnJ0C0b0Ro/s1600/P1040200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7Jz9aCpsmhScArN3djJSMNmkZB40yve4OA0JU4aM_qIRMDulzF9UZALFXSIX0R2arZrpQDYCkFxBTno1eSKB13Bd4RkBvONiSil86nNOlFGdkOPaVD1lgQ3XSA5IhfUhs4fnJ0C0b0Ro/s320/P1040200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjwFvBGDGay3CxMWWPIP6_3WSIwnehfc6NUqgNzjrQlF3w90-vKMPN80-VPykUY4nI3sDhpuHYUHkdX5bEUaRDXK35tVqkek_iujcgXct5wLGCtOI2FNRAme7g4loDH69Xq0ZVU5Uyz-M/s1600/temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjwFvBGDGay3CxMWWPIP6_3WSIwnehfc6NUqgNzjrQlF3w90-vKMPN80-VPykUY4nI3sDhpuHYUHkdX5bEUaRDXK35tVqkek_iujcgXct5wLGCtOI2FNRAme7g4loDH69Xq0ZVU5Uyz-M/s320/temple.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18ZEEjRSncNScNJbxqwN0Nw9dp9LfBX7SnmA1_Mki0Oc5lMecCZTXfXMlRwDSFpFrJlRk2hN_AD7KpnxLqz-hwXCorevnQiVK0TxkzhI7igBc0IDLHV0GKXhIlkDCEW_8rqwQ0aIydb9j/s1600/P1040166.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18ZEEjRSncNScNJbxqwN0Nw9dp9LfBX7SnmA1_Mki0Oc5lMecCZTXfXMlRwDSFpFrJlRk2hN_AD7KpnxLqz-hwXCorevnQiVK0TxkzhI7igBc0IDLHV0GKXhIlkDCEW_8rqwQ0aIydb9j/s320/P1040166.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3qTiMQnXa9jcKjadhEzD7VKLNhnSvJ-cKMXK1iB1a_yKWOPTgNibe_CMckzAU7PblpFd1lon9Z81wUBjPtwTdf8Xn3jbm9tRM9yvRmPPxzf6RlrfdfGqNa-WNJcc2yw90ky9VHkTo5Zf/s1600/P1040176.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3qTiMQnXa9jcKjadhEzD7VKLNhnSvJ-cKMXK1iB1a_yKWOPTgNibe_CMckzAU7PblpFd1lon9Z81wUBjPtwTdf8Xn3jbm9tRM9yvRmPPxzf6RlrfdfGqNa-WNJcc2yw90ky9VHkTo5Zf/s320/P1040176.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwGfdYIxx2i_7iNz-DKQskxSNU_JgaMoIWANK7_zgOon2GorK9MwZmrBslaYE7tmBIVf7H8BIbCxmteW-Bpwoizy8UojyIBCSef9-SklH4Dp3lcxIIVeN9hmdENllhMcYdARmrX9pD4QV/s1600/temple+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwGfdYIxx2i_7iNz-DKQskxSNU_JgaMoIWANK7_zgOon2GorK9MwZmrBslaYE7tmBIVf7H8BIbCxmteW-Bpwoizy8UojyIBCSef9-SklH4Dp3lcxIIVeN9hmdENllhMcYdARmrX9pD4QV/s320/temple+man.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Astonishing carvings and creatures in many colours ...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflAI_AIaIwKAHhuboeDpQBvIghAsHs2fdEbYydltWKEk_IYhQ_sanc1qL4ip8LIm82Emj6S-Jx2XC7JV5qxGLBOK6PBtlBhpDErhOYWk4SNJqOWG8HJTsYHHwTW-FfEAIU4yubxprt5VU/s1600/P1040249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflAI_AIaIwKAHhuboeDpQBvIghAsHs2fdEbYydltWKEk_IYhQ_sanc1qL4ip8LIm82Emj6S-Jx2XC7JV5qxGLBOK6PBtlBhpDErhOYWk4SNJqOWG8HJTsYHHwTW-FfEAIU4yubxprt5VU/s320/P1040249.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGJlORSeuX7vsl4PijIImnA6IOl7PKuXiIlLfkleGpAawTMdGcHbQllQDiBIFX8PmO7prAnkgiWRHK0uR-QNaoO3cl_2ecQdwAuqsfNKksU1ELslNdGQmSmnv8kJ6j2MzzeT_xTHFyTs6/s1600/P1040163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGJlORSeuX7vsl4PijIImnA6IOl7PKuXiIlLfkleGpAawTMdGcHbQllQDiBIFX8PmO7prAnkgiWRHK0uR-QNaoO3cl_2ecQdwAuqsfNKksU1ELslNdGQmSmnv8kJ6j2MzzeT_xTHFyTs6/s320/P1040163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lNxgqE1_G00p1XKWMCwHuslnQriazl8ohJT5vYPoRtJSYQR_UMtuLoO1knQuYOdYIduTJYhEozg0LtH3qOPUtrMv4MaHeGKSxFmhzDMfqwgqf3Xglvo3AoIPPJU_XJm3Zs7HUHjva9qO/s1600/P1040169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lNxgqE1_G00p1XKWMCwHuslnQriazl8ohJT5vYPoRtJSYQR_UMtuLoO1knQuYOdYIduTJYhEozg0LtH3qOPUtrMv4MaHeGKSxFmhzDMfqwgqf3Xglvo3AoIPPJU_XJm3Zs7HUHjva9qO/s320/P1040169.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Minarets point to the sky...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWjqvQg7F97DIkfM4I4GzQVJ4CXwgFMdpSiuB8-IbtdpFHcka2SGwK7nqVyYMBTJ2VSTns7JwImesvftV60K0-_1h6UnkQTcBejLPi2V7A6efMJXNj0Hz-9_oWROvastwBr7Hfqk3tppG/s1600/P1040205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWjqvQg7F97DIkfM4I4GzQVJ4CXwgFMdpSiuB8-IbtdpFHcka2SGwK7nqVyYMBTJ2VSTns7JwImesvftV60K0-_1h6UnkQTcBejLPi2V7A6efMJXNj0Hz-9_oWROvastwBr7Hfqk3tppG/s320/P1040205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The lights of Deepavali </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3qTiMQnXa9jcKjadhEzD7VKLNhnSvJ-cKMXK1iB1a_yKWOPTgNibe_CMckzAU7PblpFd1lon9Z81wUBjPtwTdf8Xn3jbm9tRM9yvRmPPxzf6RlrfdfGqNa-WNJcc2yw90ky9VHkTo5Zf/s1600/P1040176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFWMt0vggUh5sV7oc7hCb9gkYFNQk1GNzt60EPIechFdp4iQ4VvMItwPQ_5YAiNVHRwm5qeD1lPux4Bgbcncu1SFB_To3AGk-2xQ4Uzbaxha4Mh5dqjfHnawWWXzm3SbbkOy9sMOpaJyJ/s1600/P1040220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFWMt0vggUh5sV7oc7hCb9gkYFNQk1GNzt60EPIechFdp4iQ4VvMItwPQ_5YAiNVHRwm5qeD1lPux4Bgbcncu1SFB_To3AGk-2xQ4Uzbaxha4Mh5dqjfHnawWWXzm3SbbkOy9sMOpaJyJ/s320/P1040220.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The dazzling modern harbour...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5G1700B7zPQbo0h7cBp2ZvPh4wAedMuCPxjVTCTHdu7u-rye8xmqpQmUYfbV3MMlwpNpu0p8x0-Wa_Jey7lzhXJCEJvuN64PrX8UICOdld4zP3j-iwB22bG52mUaC9l6kYhLdQW1Ytci/s1600/P1040104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5G1700B7zPQbo0h7cBp2ZvPh4wAedMuCPxjVTCTHdu7u-rye8xmqpQmUYfbV3MMlwpNpu0p8x0-Wa_Jey7lzhXJCEJvuN64PrX8UICOdld4zP3j-iwB22bG52mUaC9l6kYhLdQW1Ytci/s320/P1040104.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOhqTAXhBJpk9udaUqtnRV67W8az4si4jZSSRJfYW2XeGxzCbZo8miExe-0g78UlHvMpWCkBk7nPY8u8GRji4jscw5SSl-lLWY7MsXDgQ1AzEeSKXl0PfaI8lrTmab-EUPXnNstzo5PF6/s1600/P1040128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOhqTAXhBJpk9udaUqtnRV67W8az4si4jZSSRJfYW2XeGxzCbZo8miExe-0g78UlHvMpWCkBk7nPY8u8GRji4jscw5SSl-lLWY7MsXDgQ1AzEeSKXl0PfaI8lrTmab-EUPXnNstzo5PF6/s320/P1040128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV_HuazfTZedS-eGKRbFOL_0aJVB-SaHnIIymC_RNRpmAWO_Zg-9jzkw6pT4fXZF__fgEbmb9igQshecPDwjxH4SFD7BdC8sHym9UaucZPlS6HcTVmkH0s3KQIaFstvuSnaz8synkHgtz/s1600/P1040117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV_HuazfTZedS-eGKRbFOL_0aJVB-SaHnIIymC_RNRpmAWO_Zg-9jzkw6pT4fXZF__fgEbmb9igQshecPDwjxH4SFD7BdC8sHym9UaucZPlS6HcTVmkH0s3KQIaFstvuSnaz8synkHgtz/s320/P1040117.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The local Durian fruit inspired this extraordinary concert hall - where my friends The Orchestra of the Music Makers often perform!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoPTuKSg-9CH5FdF4gS_Xfi_DDy_vt8vDvvGIBkvhr7RxDpJxLG4Nm7iT8Ypxpol3aLand3-wUyT3hgJsZX9P17EyEhFRPfb7kITBPeapWsWF904CFEaGKyjrbZPNfAImQSp7vvN0_XR-/s1600/2013-09-21+12.26.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IWtPRrUj-zuh-9e6forVc_hRTJJ3-0uDUX_Owlz7IktNGbDuAdaYH4QrfmCekBIONcZ3x3W0b8vKltm7WXJPkQL11ZYAAQN4I710j_W6ZPDTE4M51ZqrNDfB_EL6Dp6KN9jhrHuHE6hyphenhyphen/s1600/P1040110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IWtPRrUj-zuh-9e6forVc_hRTJJ3-0uDUX_Owlz7IktNGbDuAdaYH4QrfmCekBIONcZ3x3W0b8vKltm7WXJPkQL11ZYAAQN4I710j_W6ZPDTE4M51ZqrNDfB_EL6Dp6KN9jhrHuHE6hyphenhyphen/s320/P1040110.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Flowers at the entrance to a temple...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0kPstnIDQFYAQhh21yBye4-O11Qv9KHGRc6n_BrhMxr8bKRTQOLWTVyNF9_vCSbHZzwoX66hbBihUsr5wCe0t7fSpPEgGRXJOQOWbk4a4NQv1g9jJzI0N1Fb2fvznZo5C2UutsbA1fvb/s1600/P1040178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0kPstnIDQFYAQhh21yBye4-O11Qv9KHGRc6n_BrhMxr8bKRTQOLWTVyNF9_vCSbHZzwoX66hbBihUsr5wCe0t7fSpPEgGRXJOQOWbk4a4NQv1g9jJzI0N1Fb2fvznZo5C2UutsbA1fvb/s320/P1040178.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
And the Sultan Mosque once again... at sunset.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65_pTXmRrR4btpCWUuP41UWKCoG3STxbhlUU7kVlHCcfihQdKIsx-18Tk9RoOacGKuib2wdNqkj5ce1ptmEwAl7042WpMWBCOVKQUYu9ZZLNkJmPIlISx3rOTC9RKc5a0lnIBi1tj0wJE/s1600/P1040149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65_pTXmRrR4btpCWUuP41UWKCoG3STxbhlUU7kVlHCcfihQdKIsx-18Tk9RoOacGKuib2wdNqkj5ce1ptmEwAl7042WpMWBCOVKQUYu9ZZLNkJmPIlISx3rOTC9RKc5a0lnIBi1tj0wJE/s320/P1040149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
My sincere thanks to everyone at Tanglin Trust school for a wonderful week. It was an exceptional experience - truly unforgettable. I hope it will not be too long before I have a chance to return...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-21574220755087343322013-10-01T01:13:00.000-07:002013-10-01T01:13:06.858-07:00Book shop bonanzaThe Books Are My Bag events a couple of weeks ago were great to be part of, and my thanks are due to both Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End and David's Bookshop in Letchworth Garden city, for a warm welcome.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTTDqn5P0mGIBIcjMXxWJmEIO4GhDE_nRFWAADrWUu5r9w33AypB07uBlVRZ8MJ2tbbD5Q_2A7SYcgPJbcIM_wZ29FZFxW-O5nu_hjU0HKRBIfdOiLnIszMeaif30eBmwFN6GIpwKY7ml/s1600/elleanore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTTDqn5P0mGIBIcjMXxWJmEIO4GhDE_nRFWAADrWUu5r9w33AypB07uBlVRZ8MJ2tbbD5Q_2A7SYcgPJbcIM_wZ29FZFxW-O5nu_hjU0HKRBIfdOiLnIszMeaif30eBmwFN6GIpwKY7ml/s320/elleanore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thanks also to all those who came and supported their local independent bookshops. It was lovely to meet you all- especially Elleanore who gave me a wonderful drawing of Katie and even came dressed as Mona Lisa. I reciprocated by awarding her a prize - a drawing I'd done of St. George and the Dragon!James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-83026492465214419592013-09-19T01:12:00.000-07:002013-09-19T01:13:34.496-07:00Orchestral Autumn<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">A new season begins and booking is now open for <span style="font-size: large;">two exciting October concerts</span>, with stories, art and fabulous music. </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">First of all, on <span style="font-size: large;">October 20th</span>, I'll be joining the Uttlesforde Orchestra in Saffron Walden for what I think will be our best concert to date: <i>Spooky Tunes</i>. I did something similar years ago in Hatfield, and it was just great.</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">The programme includes:</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">The Sorcerer's Appentice (Dukas)</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Danse Macabre (Saint-Saens)</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Baba Yaga (Liadoff)</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Swan of Tuonela (Sibelius)</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">As usual, I'll be illustrating the stories in time to the music! </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Last year the concert sold out very quickly and lots of people were disappointed. And so this year there will be two concerts. They take place at 2pm and 4.30 pm in the Friends' School Hall in Saffron Walden. So do please come along and join in our pre-Hallowe'en extravaganza! Booking details are divided into separate links for time and ticket type on the Words in Walden Festival website: scroll down and choose your time and adult or child tickets:</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://hartsevents.tbpcontrol.co.uk/tbp.direct/customeraccesscontrol/home.aspx?d=hartsevents&s=C&r=10000118&ui=0&bc=0">http://hartsevents.tbpcontrol.co.uk/tbp.direct/customeraccesscontrol/home.aspx?d=hartsevents&s=C&r=10000118&ui=0&bc=0 </a></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Or if you prefer to phone to book tickets, call: <span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: navy;"><b>01799 523456</b></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0zDXYOpGKUApqR62KeE1lghh8kyUasNXQZAKulVKBKrGgTso6uENn9YRDP9lxC3Wx7Y3qFq0yGZSil6Z8cRunuknD8U9SDUcjPrExIOcJ6bZZ3Mr0JaAoBf-zQd8l6BUI-R-7p-WYarG/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0zDXYOpGKUApqR62KeE1lghh8kyUasNXQZAKulVKBKrGgTso6uENn9YRDP9lxC3Wx7Y3qFq0yGZSil6Z8cRunuknD8U9SDUcjPrExIOcJ6bZZ3Mr0JaAoBf-zQd8l6BUI-R-7p-WYarG/s400/front.jpg" width="312" /> </a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Then on <span style="font-size: large;">October 27th</span> I'll be returning to Hatfield in Hertfordshire for a programme of English music by Britten and Arnold. We are celebrating Britten's 100th birthday with my new illustrated-live version of his hugely popular <i>Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra</i>, and filling up the programme with Arnold's charming version of <i>The Carnival of the Animals</i>. It should be a lot of fun.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>The concerts are again at 2pm and 4.30pm and take place in the Weston Auditorium on the de Havilland campus of the University of Hertfordshire.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>To book, visit (and scroll down):</b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1497304066"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><br /></b></span></a></span></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><a href="http://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/arts-and-galleries/whats-on">http://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/arts-and-galleries/whats-on</a></b></span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: navy;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal;"><i>For now, I'm off to Singapore to work in a school there. So all will be quiet for a couple of weeks. When I return I hope to be able to share even more exciting news with you. Watch this spac</i>e! </span></span></b></span></span></span></span>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-25145389170085128022013-09-18T01:08:00.000-07:002013-09-18T05:52:09.480-07:00Katie plans...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNo8Xi3kSGbYQf8AKZ82mYNjlxllanMRN8gNcsC5yeitR3DgvmaW2y_2yw6vAe6JMmgPZeLYzOC7k6G0Sn7V8YGjBViwZgnAegMIVAdFvUR3juQsmxdZATD2la-D905z7m_lBrHsPbNDC/s1600/1023521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNo8Xi3kSGbYQf8AKZ82mYNjlxllanMRN8gNcsC5yeitR3DgvmaW2y_2yw6vAe6JMmgPZeLYzOC7k6G0Sn7V8YGjBViwZgnAegMIVAdFvUR3juQsmxdZATD2la-D905z7m_lBrHsPbNDC/s320/1023521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's some Katie news! In advance of the big celebrations for her 25th anniversary next year, I have chosen to revise and re-illustrate the first title: <i><b>Katie's Picture Show</b></i>. This was my very first book and in my day, there were no courses in children's book illustration. I was so inexperienced! Orchard Books kindly led me by the hand, but I was learning on the job, and I have always looked back at that very first book and thought: "if I had my time again". <br />
<br />
And so next year a newly illustrated edition of this classic title - which has been firmly in print for a quarter of a century - will be published. It feels like an ideal way to celebrate the anniversary.<br />
<br />
ALL the books will be reissued gradually throughout the year, with new cover designs and in a sumptuous new larger format.<br />
<br />
HOWEVER that's only the beginning. Plans are falling into place for events at the National Galleries in London and Edinburgh. The Scottish gallery will host a major exhibition of original Katie art in October 2014, to coincide with the publication of the new book, <b><i>Katie's London Christmas</i></b>. <br />
<br />
And now... DRUM ROLL ... big news for schools and teachers.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;">For WORLD BOOK DAY you can WIN a most unusual prize:</span></b></i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">ME!</span><br />
<br />
Orchard books, together with the World Book Day organisation are hosting a major competition open to all UK schools. The brief is simple - we want to see how creatively YOU can respond to the art in the Katie books. Maybe you can create paintings, stories, installations, a theatre show. There is no limit to how big or small your entry is. You can submit pictures, books, films anything you like. I will be choosing the winner, and I'm looking for the school that I think will make me the most welcome on World Book Day.<br />
<br />
World Book Day is March 6th. So keep it free if you want me to visit your school and tell stories and paint pictures <i><b>for free</b></i>!<br />
<br />
Oh and a handy tip if you really want to win me over. <b><i>World Book Day 2014 is the day before my 50th birthday!</i></b><br />
<br />
So I want to celebrate Katie <b><i>and</i></b> my <i>own</i> landmark.<br />
<div style="color: #990000;">
<br /></div>
<b style="color: #990000;">FULL DETAILS ARE ONLINE HERE:</b><br /><a href="http://www.worldbookday.com/competitions/katie/"> http://www.worldbookday.com/competitions/katie/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
So teachers! children! GET THINKING!<br />
<br />
2014 is the year of Katie!<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-15662562818460680162013-09-12T00:29:00.000-07:002013-09-12T00:37:52.650-07:00BOOKS ARE MY BAG: A call to arms for schoolsI'm sure my author colleagues can picture the scene. You arrive for a school visit. It's a Book Week! You are made welcome, the children are a delight, but there is a fly in the ointment. Metal bookcases in school halls. The sight of them makes my heart sink. The teachers triumphantly declare "... and we have a book fair as well!" conveniently overlooking the fact that said fair sells none of their visitor's books.<br />
<br />
But this has nothing to do with selling MY books. It's a far bigger problem. <br />
<br />
The book fair selection is notoriously limited to either a given publisher or a narrow range of cheap TV tie in pulpy kind of titles. It's the fast food of literature. Now I'm the last person to be snobby. Every school should have the Beano annual in the library (assuming you HAVE a library in your school; the lack of library provision in many primary schools today is a national scandal!). I fervently believe children should have a wide range of reading matter. And of course book fairs give the school a cut too, so they can buy more pulp for the school. A small hurrah I suppose. Maybe it ticks a box somewhere. Big deal.<br />
<br />
<i><b>But wait a minute</b></i>. Pause. Dear headteacher, dear head of literacy, just consider this. Did you know that independent bookshops offer book fairs too? There are even independent bookfair companies. The terms may not be quite as cheap, but oh! the range of books, the knowledgeable staff, the quality of service is in another league! They can tailor their stock to match your school. Saints alive, they may even bring books by your visiting author! Wouldn't that be nice? (incidently, I don't visit schools with a car full of my books (unless requested to do so); I prefer to support booksellers).<br />
<br />
<i><b>SURELY</b></i>, my friendly schoolteachers, shapers and moulders of the next generation, you want to inspire your children? You want them to LOVE books. You want a rich variety to capture the imagination of every child? You want them to blossom and have great literacy skills. Those good at art to be inspired by top quality illustrations.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Tell me, teachers</b></i> - you who work so hard to educate - would you not be thrilled to have dozens of children aspiring to be authors or illustrators? Isn't that fervent hope one of the reasons you invite authors in to start with? Imagine how it must feel to have taught Michael Morpurgo, Quentin Blake or J.K. Rowling?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Then stop and think. </b><br />
<br />
Bookshops are closing. Discount book catalogues and bookfairs, along with online sites, are destroying them. <u><b>And bookfairs and discounts destroy authors too</b></u>.<br />
<br />
Our royalties get smaller and smaller as books are discounted. Many people - like myself - have dedicated their working lives to crafting thoughtful, useful, beautiful books. Only to find their work selling for pennies in a cheapo catalogue, or not sold at all on bookfair shelves. The fact is that an author gets only 3 and 3/4 % on a full price paperback. If that paperback is reduced to 99p... the royalty gets smaller and... well, you can do the maths.<br />
<br />
Why would anyone aspire to be an author, when schools - teachers - are supporting the destruction of this noble and dedicated industry of thought, imagination, philosophy, politics and vision that we call literacy. Why would your pupils aspire to be good enough to be published to be rewarded with mere pennies?<br />
<br />
I urge you to consider a world with no bookshops. A society without creativity. Civilisation without literate people creating books to stretch minds with. <i><b>This is the reality.</b></i><br />
<br />
But you can do something. You can do a lot!<br />
<br />
Move on from dreary metal bookshelved corporate bookfairs. Contact your local independent bookshop. Set up that book fair. Freshen up that library. Invite authors and illustrators in. Stop ordering from discount catalogues. Look at the wider picture. It may cost a little bit more, but in terms of your school budget, it's a drop in the ocean. I used to be a school governor. I known how much money is spent on technology and software that is never ever used. Shift the priority.<br />
<br />
Then... and ONLY then... can you stride into your classroom and honestly and sincerely inspire your children with all that literacy has to offer.<br />
<br />
THIS SATURDAY 14th September, independent bookshops will be launching BOOKS ARE MY BAG - a scheme to highlight what independent bookshops can offer. I will be supporting two shops - for no fee - by visiting them. Details are elsewhere on the blog. I hope teachers and educators will take this opportunity to support them too, by building a relationship based on expertise and knowledge and most important of all, a LOVE of books.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-67560406190330651342013-09-07T01:32:00.001-07:002013-09-07T01:37:03.141-07:00Books are my Bag!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qTzPxXjRgNYt7rO-U6nZQ6BtWOx4qjcU7ZZhdaml3bWIPSzBJGwmJ2P_qFg3E81SW05An5ZdPtd7azHkksWHCWbZgxBNIhSq50fg4vGDGXXjj_wWTx3qT0QDxgpZ79VJx0LMKuQCAFt0/s1600/BTUshK5IAAAoe2--2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qTzPxXjRgNYt7rO-U6nZQ6BtWOx4qjcU7ZZhdaml3bWIPSzBJGwmJ2P_qFg3E81SW05An5ZdPtd7azHkksWHCWbZgxBNIhSq50fg4vGDGXXjj_wWTx3qT0QDxgpZ79VJx0LMKuQCAFt0/s640/BTUshK5IAAAoe2--2.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
Next Saturday, September 14th, independent bookshops across the country will be celebrating "real books" (as opposed to downloads) with events, parties and visitations as part of a new scheme called "Books are my bag". It means a busy day for me, beginning in Crouch End at Pickled Pepper Books where I'll be telling stories, painting pictures and awarding prizes to the *best costume* - the children are all coming dressed as characters from famous paintings! I can't wait to see them! The fun starts at 11am, and store details (location etc) can be found on their website:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_875698763"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk/">http://www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O2KSAksbm009v-cOVFtTTWTOkPtidrkcqeEH3poM4LwG2SZnA_0SmMWPDjpKgw6zj_ooUtkyHD35JC17djQNuTkWDP0SexNWRcJZlpDibHLw-P7WqLhuc0HW1cXEdo6x_pHeXKKWdyc_/s1600/1234571_10151681748649543_790993900_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O2KSAksbm009v-cOVFtTTWTOkPtidrkcqeEH3poM4LwG2SZnA_0SmMWPDjpKgw6zj_ooUtkyHD35JC17djQNuTkWDP0SexNWRcJZlpDibHLw-P7WqLhuc0HW1cXEdo6x_pHeXKKWdyc_/s320/1234571_10151681748649543_790993900_n.jpg" width="214" /></a>Afterwards, I'll be dashing back to Letchworth Garden City, for a 3pm event at my local bookshop, David's. Come along and chat and get books signed. I might be persuaded to tell stories and paint there as well.<br />
<br />
As bookshops fight to survive in this digital world (both books and bookselling have changed beyond all recognition), I feel passionately about supporting independent booksellers and REAL books. I have nothing against digital books per se; indeed I'm quite interested in creating good quality e-books (which are far and few between in the picture book world). Although I personally do not have a Kindle or anything along those lines, I recognise they "work" for a lot of people and have many practical uses. I still listen to 78s and collect antique gramophones, so realise I'm not the typical man on the street!<br />
<br />
But for me books are... well, they're special. Ideally they need be real. They need to be held. They need covers with pictures (and pictures inside are good too!). They should be able to hold momentos and memories; inscriptions; pressed flowers; your child's drawings. In a changing world, I need something to hold onto. And so alongside digital books, there will always be a place for real books.<br />
<br />
I feel the same about bookselling. I need to browse. In a real bookshop. They are the stores who, unlike chains, have stocked and sold my books over the years. I like to support them back.<br />
<br />
The chains and online mega-sites and catalogues in the post offer tempting discounts... yet authors will also lose out if books are discounted more and more. We all love, I'm sure, a bargain. But at what cost? Stop and think: if we always expect a product to be this cheap, how much time, thought, and care can we expect to go into it? If we want well written books, shouldn't the auther be paid for his time? If an illustrator spends 3-6 months illustrating a book, is it right that the tiny royalty gets even smaller when a book is sold at half price (as so many are now), squeezing income to the point they can no longer afford to do what he or she does best? Here's a fact: An illustrator gets just a few pence from the sale of a book. Literally 20 or 30p on a paperback. Is our work really worth so little?<br />
<br />
People pay more for magazines than they do for books. I does almost break my heart.<br />
<br />
If we want the future of literature and illustration (noble professions, and culturally, historically important) to be secure, then these practitioners, and those who support them (booksellers), need to be respected. You wouldn't expect teachers or any other professional to have their pay reduced to be more competitive with others. What we need is a return of the Net Book Agreement, which maintained a pricing structure that worked well for decades. <br />
<br />
And imagine a landscape of towns with no bookshops. Towns with no beating heart. Personally, I couldn't live in a town without a bookshop.<br />
<br />
So I urge you to find out about local events and support bookshops, and authors and illustrators. Here's the "Books are my Bag" website.<br />
<br />
Rant over. Wherever you are... have a great Books are my Bag day on September 14th!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.booksaremybag.com/">http://www.booksaremybag.com/ </a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-57944450271052361592013-09-03T02:36:00.000-07:002013-09-03T08:48:54.705-07:00Delivering ChristmasNo, I'm not one of those organised people who has Christmas all wrapped up by September. But I do have that curious boxing day feeling today - a sense of a moment passed. For I have finished, and delivered Katie's London Christmas. It's a feeling I have after finishing every book, but especially so when it's a *Christmas* book! One lives with the characters for so long, in both words and pictures, it's almost hard to let go. Of course I have the *real thing* (Christmas) awaiting. No doubt it will soon be here. Some shops already have Christmas cards out. The whole circus begins again; the commercial onslaught.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPerff0Q9WDbcWO6YM9bTAMpORCw0A3r3us3_PmDbJeXPR-D6w-oRJFbnMa2I5SihmsYWytis0vOsLw7crC-yB6jLeGTILDU8dD-fE-TXfNJX-Z7m1Y2emzdREYpDXVx9jqncVLCJ4N7ml/s1600/P1030801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPerff0Q9WDbcWO6YM9bTAMpORCw0A3r3us3_PmDbJeXPR-D6w-oRJFbnMa2I5SihmsYWytis0vOsLw7crC-yB6jLeGTILDU8dD-fE-TXfNJX-Z7m1Y2emzdREYpDXVx9jqncVLCJ4N7ml/s400/P1030801.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVNsDif2H2JqxoW_H-bd4cBVJlEmwy-BPXWyLU2t7ivsb2g-SfMeF1NbexOHEGVvpmGHe7eQf1Zf9WljILBOrtt0HgQfN9YuTSdo2_vd12OPq7OQG4sAWOu0HWk41sc5gqWaJFdEpSHns/s1600/P1030796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVNsDif2H2JqxoW_H-bd4cBVJlEmwy-BPXWyLU2t7ivsb2g-SfMeF1NbexOHEGVvpmGHe7eQf1Zf9WljILBOrtt0HgQfN9YuTSdo2_vd12OPq7OQG4sAWOu0HWk41sc5gqWaJFdEpSHns/s400/P1030796.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
But Katie's London Christmas is an understated traditional story. We don't see Santa's pants. The reindeers do not poo. It's a story about helping and giving and reward, with a generous dash of sparkly Christmas magic, and I hope in that sense it is a little closer to the spirit of the Festive Season. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until Christmas 2014 to see if you agree with me. Meanwhile, the above photos of a couple of the illustrations give you a hint of Katie's adventure!James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-11585026590551124542013-09-02T00:48:00.000-07:002013-09-02T00:48:09.206-07:00The Sword in the Stone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuX7u4vAAZJH_NLnHK4VLqSpJLuGqggQa8kukhvE97eBUzU6KFfNW4-e_MX_26PJPBFdmDTmah3thTdmTDgeIFMgKUHYo9B1NbUzvY7tpao7wa7YhuA9LKMXBKFN1mTOQ6urJY8xc8LIM/s1600/sword+in+stone+text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuX7u4vAAZJH_NLnHK4VLqSpJLuGqggQa8kukhvE97eBUzU6KFfNW4-e_MX_26PJPBFdmDTmah3thTdmTDgeIFMgKUHYo9B1NbUzvY7tpao7wa7YhuA9LKMXBKFN1mTOQ6urJY8xc8LIM/s640/sword+in+stone+text.jpg" width="452" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Tickets go on sale today for a wonderful one day children's book festival in Birmingham, celebrating 45 years of the Federation of Children's Book Groups, and their receipt of the Eleanor Farjeon Award.<br />
<br />
And what a day it will be! Michael Morpurgo, Emma Chichester Clarke, Clara Vulliamy, David Almond... that's a pretty unbeatable line-up for a two week festival, but all in one day? Unheard of! On top of that I'm thrilled to have been invited to participate myself. I'll be joining a chamber ensemble from the Birmingham Conservatoire to present a workshop based on The Sword in the Stone.<br />
<br />
This is a magical book about King Arthur's childhood. It's part of a trilogy ("The Once and Future King") by T H White, and inspired a musical ("Camelot"), and the famous Disney film. It also inspired Benjamin Britten to write incidental music for a radio broadcast in 1937. The music was lost for many years and remains little known. This short selection of pieces is<br />
full of colourful, tuneful invention.<br />
<br />
I'll be running a workshop with 20 lucky children who will work with the musicians and me to create an illustrated concert. The workshop is followed by the actual concert which is open to the public. Tickets are limited so if you want to join all these illustrious people in the audience and hear superb musicians and watch art created before your eyes and hear extracts from The Sword in the Stone... BOOK NOW!<br />
<br />
Here's the website with ALL the details:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_621352793"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.fcbg.org.uk/festival-of-childrens-literature/">http://www.fcbg.org.uk/festival-of-childrens-literature/</a><br />
<br />
Good luck with getting tickets!James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-47519640205003772572013-08-29T01:26:00.000-07:002013-08-29T01:26:00.464-07:00Star bright....Jackie Morris, illustrator, author, artist, storyteller... however she is described it doesn't do her creativity and brilliance justice. I'm so lucky to have collaborated on a couple of books. Hopefully there might be more. She's also a wonderful and supportive friend, always at the end of the phone when things go wrong.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
She has legions of fans and is very much loved. And below is a example of why: a piece she has written about an off-shoot from our book "Starlight Sailor". In the book - just reissued by Barefoot - she has illustrated my story about a boy in a boat-of-dreams. It was Jackie's idea to make the boat a PAPER boat. And now all the world are making and sharing paper boats, it seems.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcQiYnyjYST_H9vG3Kx1eD-Aq-Kt8dxNJY9tVi6ZcSljhoALIJfn2c4rS8arJe62jLt-UiasTJnyTUgiZMe6VL9xOY98MMcmfp_xRn5eAp-v0iD3-29KtiDWw8VXP3qRG3qpExrfrbUBR/s1600/touch-1024x678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcQiYnyjYST_H9vG3Kx1eD-Aq-Kt8dxNJY9tVi6ZcSljhoALIJfn2c4rS8arJe62jLt-UiasTJnyTUgiZMe6VL9xOY98MMcmfp_xRn5eAp-v0iD3-29KtiDWw8VXP3qRG3qpExrfrbUBR/s320/touch-1024x678.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
That's the Jackie Morris magic. She has a vision. She has a passion. And she makes it happen!<br />
<br />
Look at the post and watch the films and follow the links. You'll fall in love with paper boats. I promise. I think you may fall in love with Jackie too.<br />
<br />
Here it is: <a href="http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/whats-paperboat-stuff-living-playful-heart/">http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/whats-paperboat-stuff-living-playful-heart/</a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-37401013896625160982013-08-21T00:24:00.003-07:002013-08-21T00:50:53.784-07:00White AugustMany summers ago, as a curious child, I asked my mother what she was reading. It turned out to be a Sci-fi book, by an author called Boland, about an apocalyptic world with snow in August. It's a marked memory because that very afternoon, on a picnic, there was a freak summer storm with enormous hail stones that whitened the countryside in seconds. I thought the world really would freeze up. New Ice Ages were a "hot topic" in the newspapers in those halcyon days before Global Warming became fashionable.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEi0jxTmyMmZgYHGuxE29cQGw_dRpM5MABx1twffIAt4ns50f8xI39dTCACrJ1HOOw4omEXdMajnkG_f0nWEaOz7MyHDyt3aG4Fhk8ErZRrlAE6VN2_hzdlT2s0QfvYtxA8ciTTCiajdC/s1600/P1030526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEi0jxTmyMmZgYHGuxE29cQGw_dRpM5MABx1twffIAt4ns50f8xI39dTCACrJ1HOOw4omEXdMajnkG_f0nWEaOz7MyHDyt3aG4Fhk8ErZRrlAE6VN2_hzdlT2s0QfvYtxA8ciTTCiajdC/s320/P1030526.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Forty years or so later, and I'm reminded of the idea of snow in August as I paint snowflake after snowflake for Katie's Christmas book. Slightly less threatening - the story takes place on December 24th - but in this long awaited hot Summer of ours (a real scorcher), it amuses me to be sitting in shorts, devouring ice lollies and listening to The Nutcracker. Which was of course the theme of my previous book (Ella Bella) set on another Christmas Eve. Like Narnia, it seems I am stuck, illustratively, in perpetual Winter.<br />
<br />
These pictures are work in progress. Brrrr... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08tCSrRQa7ROHlGQYnH1eEU4s9Ha61ijjUDf8Enjw5Lrf1GjO7UvL5mkHOxHzFrjs-V2TXzQfZ0riblGVPxHn1cWTgCQDv0EBR28ON7t_q2jWv2nKDCciuLFWpA6qLeDqBNwq0VcDhos9/s1600/P1030528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08tCSrRQa7ROHlGQYnH1eEU4s9Ha61ijjUDf8Enjw5Lrf1GjO7UvL5mkHOxHzFrjs-V2TXzQfZ0riblGVPxHn1cWTgCQDv0EBR28ON7t_q2jWv2nKDCciuLFWpA6qLeDqBNwq0VcDhos9/s400/P1030528.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06l51eXCVpalZHDNLJfbS05kQfnx2tdkeoTsN_Xx7m0Blk9AyItOOGGF2mOWu3pt3lFMrBLPVR9WOTL4_vvljyxloV1bk2j_DJhn7ngUWMm2apppmHNloAkGChOeDdnJYoknlyQ90fhiR/s1600/P1030524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06l51eXCVpalZHDNLJfbS05kQfnx2tdkeoTsN_Xx7m0Blk9AyItOOGGF2mOWu3pt3lFMrBLPVR9WOTL4_vvljyxloV1bk2j_DJhn7ngUWMm2apppmHNloAkGChOeDdnJYoknlyQ90fhiR/s400/P1030524.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
And now I've just been asked to consider illustrating an anniversary edition of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales. I'll have to think about that for a while... But if I go ahead, at least I'll be illustrating snow in the Winter at last!<br />
<br />James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329265048577043355.post-944350796255999932013-08-17T03:52:00.002-07:002013-08-18T11:39:02.817-07:00Carnival of the Animals... and other musical apps from Naxos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFW-uJH9tEEW8Sf0JVhAGfIOodADCyehAEtOq5FxWcHJ5iaYbwE6nTiDxsLbzYZAia3v7sq-VyCVIrehcmAX0TjhRRANYjihk7H7CwsLMMN6OXIPFlJZh7lqd-Wc2ABDaGYq0pEfJrKJC/s1600/649295291x356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFW-uJH9tEEW8Sf0JVhAGfIOodADCyehAEtOq5FxWcHJ5iaYbwE6nTiDxsLbzYZAia3v7sq-VyCVIrehcmAX0TjhRRANYjihk7H7CwsLMMN6OXIPFlJZh7lqd-Wc2ABDaGYq0pEfJrKJC/s200/649295291x356.jpg" width="200" /></a>Saint-Saen's Carnival of the Animals is an evergreen favourite with children (in spite of some hard to decipher animals... like Pianists and People with Long Ears!). But here's a version unlike any other - a new interactive app from Naxos, which I've illustrated. This is the first time I've worked digitally, and the illustrations are something of a departure. I had great fun experimenting, although it was a huge challenge to create images out of many hundreds of components that could be animated and re-configured for different platforms.You can read a little about the start of the process here: <a href="http://james-mayhew-author-illustrator.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/starting-saint-saens.html">http://james-mayhew-author-illustrator.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/starting-saint-saens.html</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZnzH812Ik5hLh1B9CQKbXNyWbtLh06LR0smPMRtpXPdIgf6B_Sgmr4OEfFeTF30mH43Kwg7IRu9l4zKEbfbFP4IQyGwpBJGRFpkCCRzZIXuSVOuLxFmY-BDrLq0l-9S33_FD-bmW-_3e/s1600/CarnivaloftheAnimals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZnzH812Ik5hLh1B9CQKbXNyWbtLh06LR0smPMRtpXPdIgf6B_Sgmr4OEfFeTF30mH43Kwg7IRu9l4zKEbfbFP4IQyGwpBJGRFpkCCRzZIXuSVOuLxFmY-BDrLq0l-9S33_FD-bmW-_3e/s1600/CarnivaloftheAnimals.jpg" /></a></div>
Phone and tablet screens are different proportions and everything had to be movable, a bizarre and complex situation for a traditional illustrator like myself. I was also mindful that my spindly pen and ink work wouldn't register on phones in particular. This is aimed at very young children, so bold shapes and colours were the answer. I hope the result is new and fresh and fun, like the verses written specially for this release by Genevieve and Rebecca Helsby. The music is performed by the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and Ondrej Lenárd.<br />
<br />
The app is great fun, superb value and top quality. I hope it gets ever more children interested in classical music! <br />
<br />
Here's a YouTube advert for it, so you can see how it all works:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwE53p8C3hQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwE53p8C3hQ</a><br />
<br />
It's available now for just £2.99<br />
<br />
<br />
Look out for other Naxos CDs and apps!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMGNyII4iYH3MoXtByAVscwdTv26rUwHlM8M0UCBjZzxuZQw_7CCnhW2IklbyQkgsjIbL2sxR7II-l_6ufdaeMuHkgdQA-r20m4ledAk3DJF6c1CucMdlfEidG5AbwzJl2Np_gLgYR81i/s1600/LittleClassicalApp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMGNyII4iYH3MoXtByAVscwdTv26rUwHlM8M0UCBjZzxuZQw_7CCnhW2IklbyQkgsjIbL2sxR7II-l_6ufdaeMuHkgdQA-r20m4ledAk3DJF6c1CucMdlfEidG5AbwzJl2Np_gLgYR81i/s320/LittleClassicalApp.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6eCLP7kJCV9iElzDMIVxXPDcGhURPY6mBCyp-uOAuPyrQZTpkCpe9i-x5QtKXDKxskTnG9yBF6-GZtSKjZknmmUVy3NcMkY3FlR_iX_CqJ8pEdzTYxcfa2WLSK_ybPqSuHel_YMM63Xt/s1600/LittleBeethovenApp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6eCLP7kJCV9iElzDMIVxXPDcGhURPY6mBCyp-uOAuPyrQZTpkCpe9i-x5QtKXDKxskTnG9yBF6-GZtSKjZknmmUVy3NcMkY3FlR_iX_CqJ8pEdzTYxcfa2WLSK_ybPqSuHel_YMM63Xt/s320/LittleBeethovenApp.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRgWFmLWVk6n0p8mgnrBZvvXCsqKUGMcUwqCmeCa1X2p-ecOHldJq-Q1CsoD5LlpQxn0e3IczWCqQnaWGGoxQTHTDcG6AUEuyet596-pWg26ghxTl_CCA9KG01QHPlUTHByAK0_913zD5/s1600/LittleMozartApp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRgWFmLWVk6n0p8mgnrBZvvXCsqKUGMcUwqCmeCa1X2p-ecOHldJq-Q1CsoD5LlpQxn0e3IczWCqQnaWGGoxQTHTDcG6AUEuyet596-pWg26ghxTl_CCA9KG01QHPlUTHByAK0_913zD5/s320/LittleMozartApp.jpg" width="248" /></a>James Mayhewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010336942604939464noreply@blogger.com2