‘Medusa’ à La Roche Jagu

Olivia Lomenech Gill expose « Des mondes fabuleux », au domaine de la Roche-Jagu, jusqu’au 31 décembre. Entre immersion dans le décor, et proposition fantastique, l’artiste britannique affirme sa quête du véritable. Vendredi marquait un tournant pour la carrière d’Olivia Lomenech Gill, émue de voir ses œuvres réunies au château de La Roche-Jagu. Ses illustrations, tirées de quatre livres : « Where my wellies take me… », de Michael Morpurgo ; « Les animaux fantastiques, vie et habitat », de J.K. Rowling ; « Muck & Magic », de Clare et Michael Morpurgo ; et « Medusa », de Jessie Burton, ont pris vie sous les yeux des visiteurs contemplatifs. Marie Le Seac’h, Le Telegramme, le 23 octobre 2022

I just wanted to post some photos of Jessie Burton’s ‘Medusa’ which is centre stage in the current exhibition at le Chateau de La Roche Jagu, here in the Cotes d’Armor in Brittany, and to celebrate the fact that Medusa has just been longlisted for the Carnegie Medals for text and illustration!!

I also wanted to say a big thank you or rather, merci bras, to La Domaine de La Roche Jagu and the incredible people who work there. I have never seen such a magnificent venue, and to be asked to show work here as my first exhibition in my newly adopted homeland of Brittany, is quite an overwhelming honour. The exhibition is presented in French, Breton and English, with translations by SVP Traductions and the Office Public de la Langue Bretonne. Thank you in particular to Nolwenn Herry, ‘chargée des expositions et des actions culturelles’ (a title I am quite envious of!), Graphisme/Graphic Design is by Ralph Wendel (who also took these photos for me, merci Ralph), and the Regie Technique or Technical Team who have done this superb installation (and who I could quite easily get used to have around all the time!); Denis Marc, Jean Luc Rault, Boris Delaunay, Christope Lecouflet, Denis Maybon and Marc Brouard. Also, last but not least though oft forgotten, the house, or rather ‘castlekeeper’ Isabelle Coret, who keeps four floors of medieval castle clean, I have no idea how!

Open every day, afternoons, until 31st December. For more information go to www.larochejagu.fr

Des Mondes Fabuleux

Forthcoming exhibition at Le Chateau de La Roche Jagu, Cotes d’Armor, Bretagne.

Click here to go to the website of La Roche Jagu

DRAGONS, MONSTRES, CHIMERES…QUEL BESTIAIRE!

Le Dragon de Mont St Michel (et les Goemoniers)

Absolutely delighted to be invited to be part of this fantastic exhibition at Le Scriptorial, le Musée d’Avranches, Normandie. A new body of work inspired by some of the spectacular manuscripts from the Library of Mont St Michel, which are included in the exhibition. Runs until March 2023. For more information click here to go to the website of Le Scriptorial

Human cargo: A Journey Among Refugees

 I am honoured to be doing an event with acclaimed writer and human rights journalist Caroline Moorehead at Stirling University, where ‘Lampedusa’ is on loan as part of their year long programme about ‘Experiences of Exile’. 3-5pm Monday 18th March, all welcome.

https://www.stir.ac.uk/events/calendar-of-events/2019/march/human-cargo-a-journey-among-refugees/

A PARLEMENT of BIRDS

 I am delighted to be doing an exhibition with Abbott & Holder, opening this coming week. A body of 40 or so new works, all or mostly about birds… All welcome! There will also be an ‘in conversation’ event (!) on Saturday 16th at midday.

PLANTS FOR PEACE

 after a long absence due to a serious seduction by Instagram… probably noticed by noone….!?

‘PLANTS FOR PEACE’

‘JARDINS DU MONDE’

We are fed up with hearing about conflict, disputes and all the other stuff that is going on in different parts of the world at any one time. We as in me, Olivia, and Lomenech Gill & Fils are artists/artisans and our work, one could argue, is a commodity and so is ‘gardening’ for us in the UK but actually in most of the world, it is not! Forget the Chelsea Flower Show, we are talking gardening to grow stuff one can live off and support families and communities. That is mostly what I do, grow food for my family, with the little bit of ground I am lucky to have. What I hope to do is start an initiative whereby others can do the same, starting or re-starting gardens in or after places/times of conflict. This, today, is the launch, and whatever funds are raised will go towards a future initiative.

All plants here are: local, organic and hardy. I am a guerilla gardener and so anything I grow has a good chance of survival!

100% of funds raised through sales today will go to charity.

THANK YOU & WATCH THIS SPACE< IT MAY ‘GROW’ INTO SOMETHING…!

come and see us at:

Lomenech Gill & Fils

2 Market Place, Belford NE70 7ND lomenechgill.com/olivia@oliviagill.com

 

Harry Potter Book Night: Fantastic Beasts!

Harry Potter Book Night: An Evening with Jim Kay and Olivia Lomenech Gill, Waterstones, Piccadilly on Thursday 1st February 18:30

Jim Kay’s spectacular ‘The Phoenix’ with sketches and copperplate etching by Olivia Lomenech Gill

Join us on Harry Potter Book Night to hear from two illustrators who have lovingly, and carefully imagined the world of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts.

 

Jim Kay’s work on the Illustrated Editions of J.K. Rowling’s prized series, and Olivia Lomenech Gill’s work on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them differ in mood and approach, but both achieve stunning, immersive results. Jim’s interpretations of Beasts faced by Harry Potter and his peers include that of Buckbeak and The Phoenix whilst Olivia has depicted Occamy and Sphinx among many more. Both however, have invented and created Beasts in incredible detail that fascinate both children and adults alike.

 

Join us for a special opportunity to hear from both Jim and Olivia as they chart their influences and inspiration for approaching one of the nation’s most loved series, and the pressures that come with it as a celebration of Harry Potter Book Night.

 

This event will be chaired by Emily Drabble. Emily is Head of Children’s Books and Promotion at Booktrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity.

https://www.waterstones.com/events/harry-potter-book-night-an-evening-with-jim-kay-and-olivia-lomenech-gill/london-piccadilly

Extraordinary Sketchbooks Exhibition

 Delighted to be part of this exhibition in highly distinguished company. Two sketchbooks from the RHA barracks will be on display alongside ‘Standing To’. 

Copperplate etching (78 x 107cm). Limited edition of 10 available.

Fantastic Beasts at the LG workshop!

The Beasts have come home! After some wonderful events at the House of Illustration, the British Library, Seven Stories and Mainstreet Trading we are celebrating the launch of Fantastic Beasts ‘at home’, in our Belford workshop, where the book was made.

2-6 pm Saturday 9th December, Lomenech Gill & Fils NE70 7ND

We have copies of the book in stock, standard and deluxe editions, available for signing by the illustrator. If you would like to reserve a copy please send us an email.

A selection of artworks, etchings and bronzes will also be on display. Come and join us, friends and family welcome.

Fantastic Beasts in St Boswells 6th Dec!

Delighted to be a guest at Mainstreet Trading this Wednesday and following in the exquisite footsteps of one of my all time heroines, Judith Kerr, who spoke at Mainstreet last week, and whose work and life is a true inspiration!!

Armed with my first ever Powerpoint presentation, previously shown at the House of Illustration and Seven Stories (the audience survived as far as I know!), I will be talking about all the various influences, techniques, ideas and species that went into the making of ‘Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them’.

7pm Wednesday 6th December. Mainstreet, St Boswells, Scottish Borders TD6 0AT Tel. 01835 824 087

For some sample pages see below, and for more info go to:

http://www.mainstreetbooks.co.uk/events/