Illustrations for 'Once Upon A Winter's Day'

Here are the seven illustrations used at Quarry Bank Mill (National Trust, Cheshire) for 'Once Upon A Winter's Day'

Quarry Bank Mill & House

Reindeer over Apprentice House

Snow Queen in front of Glasshouses

Marley's Ghost with Srooge in Mill Manager's House

Jack Frost 

Nutcracker & Mouse

The Snow Child, Apprentice House Garden

Quarry Bank Mill Christmas

Thrilled to see my illustrations used at Quarry Bank Mill (National Trust), Cheshire in the ‘Once Upon a Winter’s Day' exhibition, based around traditional winter stories. Some images blown up large (by Shankleys printers) on top floor of mill, along with associated activities (plus visits to Santa at weekends). 

Activities include making origami roses (snow queen story), making chains (Marley's Ghost, A Christmas Carol), decorating wood discs to hang up, dressing-up (nutcracker & mouse), sending cards to Santa and finding images of Jack Frost.

Smaller versions of illustrations throughout the grounds and other buildings (and a large splintered version of The Snow Queen too!).

Quarry Bank Mill and River Bollin

Reindeer flying over Apprentice House

Snow Queen in front of Glasshouse

Jack Frost in Lower Garden

Marley's Ghost in Mill Manager's Office

Nutcracker in Quarry Bank House

Snow Child in Apprentice Garden

Workshop making clay mice

Thrilled to run a drop-in mouse-making workshop for children last Saturday at Bolton Museum, as part of the opening of their new exhibition, 'Animals and Us'. The exhibition features Leopold the mascot mouse (drawn and designed by me in black and white).

We made over 60 little mice, using self-hardening clay, string, pink cardboard, small hazel twigs, paper and pencils. Clay is great to use with children because it is so malleable.

Leopold the mascot mouse @annaviolet

Illustrated exhibition opens at Bolton Museum

I am delighted to have been involved in an exciting and unusual illustration commission for Bolton Museum, including Leopold the mascot mouse. 

I provided the black and white ink line drawings for the museum’s interactive family exhibition, ‘Animals and Us’. These images were no bigger than A4-size, scanned in at high resolution and then made into vector files. 

I am impressed how Bolton Museum has had these illustrations printed onto foamboard at varying sizes, to link the exhibition together in a very graphic and fresh way. The illustrations provide the actual furniture and the setting for the displays, so the pillars, the cupboards, the fireplace and the stable door are now life-sized. 

Leopold the  mouse is child-sized on the stairway and mouse-sized elsewhere, and guides young visitors around. 

The exhibition opened to the public yesterday and will last about 18 months.

http://www.bolton.gov.uk/website/news/pages/Miniaturemascotstarofnewexhibition.aspx

Illustrations for Bolton Museum

Thrilled to have drawn the black and white illustrations for Bolton Museum’s Animals & Us exhibition, including Leopold the mouse. Exhibition opens 3rd December.

Promoting the exhibition are five fun animal displays with a story-theme, set up in the foyer and library (see below). Stuffed animals from Museum's Victorian collection.

Leopold the Mouse (before colour)

Leopold the Mouse

The Fantastic Mr Fox

The Fantastic Mr Fox

The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs

Little Red Riding Hood

The Owl and the Pussycat