01 Jul 2025

The Art of Picture Book Illustration discussion with award winning author-illustrator Joseph Namara Hollis!

Read about author-illustrator Joseph's talk at The Art of Picture Book Illustration: 10 years of The Klaus Flugge Prize!

Our Plum author-illustrator Joseph Namara Hollis joined fellow author-illustrator Mariajo Ilustrajo last week to talk all things picture books, at an event hosted by the Klaus Flugge Prize organisation and the AOI.

In his presentation, Joseph talked about the process of creating his Klaus Flugge Prize-winning picture book Pierre’s new hair, discussing the themes throughout the book and the parallels they draw to creating a picture book in itself. He also talked about his second book Not in The Mood, and his upcoming projects.

Joseph and Mariajo also took questions from the audience about how to work with editors and art directors, and how they built their careers as picture book illustrators, in a discussion moderated by AOI Publications and Membership Manager Derek Brazell.

 

About Joseph:

Joseph Hollis is an award-winning author-illustrator based in Nottingham. He graduated from Cambridge School of Art in 2018 with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration, and has won a range of awards including the V&A Student Illustrator of the Year, and has been highly commended in the Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration.

He won the Klaus Flugge Prize in 2022 for Best New Illustrator, for his book Pierre’s New Hair- a book concept he developed with us at The Plum Agency that was presented to publishers and picked up by Tate Publishing.



Check out Joseph’s brilliant books Pierre's New Hair and Not in The Mood today!




Joseph had a great time at The Art of Picture Book Illustration, saying : 

"When you're surrounded by people who share a passion for picture books there's a special atmosphere. It's deeply fulfilling connecting with creatives who are chasing the same dream. Huge thanks to the AOI and the Klaus Flugge Prize team for making everyone feel so comfortable sharing their experiences in such an idyllic location. The place was filled with people who cared for the craft and each other"

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