ART OF THE BOOK
ILLUSTRATION ART ~ SIGNED & RARE BOOKS
Robert Ingpen studied art and illustration at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology from 1955 -1957. From the start he has been interested and involved in work for science and always focused on environmental and heritage issues. Colin Thiele’s Storm Boy was the book which first brought him recognition as an outstanding artist. In l986 Robert became the first and, to date, only Australian to be awarded the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Encyclopaedia of Things That Never Were. In l989 this was followed by the Australian Dromkeen Medal for his contributions to children’s literature. Copious exhibitions of his original artwork have been held in both Europe and America, including his first UK exhibition at Illustrationcupboard Gallery, London in 2011.
In Britain, Blackie published The Idle Bear in l986 and in more recent years he has been published by Walker Books with Who is the World For? [artwork featured below], written by Tom Pow as well as a non-fiction title, Shakespeare: his Work and his World, written by previous Children's Laureate, Michael Rosen. He has had a long-term and productive working relationship with Palazzo Editions producing The Wizards Book of Spells, and a centenary edition of Peter Pan and Wendy in 2004, published by Templar, which was the first in a series of impressive re-workings of the classics. 2004 saw a retrospective catalogue of his work published by Michael Neugeauer entitled Pictures Telling Stories - The Art of Robert Ingpen. He lives in Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia and continues to paint and publish books. Robert is seen here signing his books at his solo-exhibition at The Illustrationcupboard Gallery, London, 2011.
