Maisie wins top honour at Bologna Book Fair

Anglia Ruskin University graduate Maisie Shearring has won the $30k International Award for Illustration at the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy, the largest and most prestigious children’s book event in the world.

 

Maisie, who graduated from the MA in Children’s Book Illustration course at Anglia Ruskin’s Cambridge School of Art in January, was awarded a prize of US$30,000 (approximately £20,000) and the opportunity to illustrate a book to be published by the SM Group.

The International Award for Illustration attracted over 3,000 entries from 70 counties and Maisie impressed the judges with work from her project Susan’s School Days.

The jury made the following comments about Maisie’s work: “We were unanimous in our selection due to this illustrator’s subtle sense of humour in the works on display, mixing nostalgia with a feel for the poetic.  

“We feel that this young artist has huge potential to evolve and to develop an original voice within the current panorama of illustration.”

The 24-year-old originally studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art.  Maisie has also been selected to take part in the Picturehooks Scheme, which will see her work exhibited in the National Gallery in Edinburgh in November.

(Image removed)Meanwhile Martin Salisbury, Professor of Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, was at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair giving lectures and presentations, and launching his new work 100 Great Children’s Picture Books (an inside spread is pictured right).

The lavishly designed book, which has already received acclaim from The Observer, takes the form of a personal selection of 100 picture books from around the world over the last 100 years.  Accompanied by a short essay, each chosen book is featured across a double-page spread, lovingly photographed as a physical artefact, to be owned and cherished.

100 Great Children’s Picture Books is published by Laurence King Publishing and has already been co-editioned to the USA, Spain, China and South Korea.  The Cambridge launch will take place at Heffers Bookshop in Trinity Street, nect Wednesday, 15 April (5.30pm).

Image (top): Maisie Shearring with Luis Fernando Crespo, President of prize sponsors Ediciones SM


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For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 0845 196 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Jamie Forsyth on t: 0845 196 4716, e: jamie.forsyth@anglia.ac.uk
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