My favourite season

Here's an editorial illustration* in suitably autumnal colours to ring in the first day of fall, my favourite season.

*Topic: "Opening up: do men and women speak the same language?"

(Client: Microsoft)

Louise Heugel at La Maison des Contes

A few days ago, I saw the illustrations of Louise Heugel at La Maison des Contes et des Histoires, which currently has an exhibit featuring illustrated books on the theme of ancient Egypt. 

Louise did illustrations for Le Papyrus Sacre (by Aude Gros de Beler, published by Actes Sud Junior), which explores the secrets of hieroglyphs.

Louise studied at Penninghen (the highly reputed Parisian art college), and now lives and works in Barcelona.

 I love her approach to image-making, involving drawing, block-printing and layering with torn paper, vellum and ephemera.

The linoleum block prints are shown in workshops at the Maison des Contes. Louise also creates and teaches regular workshops for the Revue Dada, the wonderful art magazine for kids (and art teachers!).

I love these illustrations from Les Noces de Messire Chat

(from Editions Courtes et Longues).

As for La Maison des Contes et des Histoires, it is a small gallery specializing in art for children's books. Located in the Marais district of Paris on 7 rue Pecquay (in the back streets behind the Centre Pompidou), it is well worth a visit for anyone with an interest in livres jeunesse.

Nocturne Croco

I've been feeling the change of seasons lately — 

the nights are getting longer and colder.

But this crocodile is still frisky when it gets dark out. Either that or he's got a touch of insomnia!

Stay warm, out there...

PS. To see more of these charming creatures, check out the gallery "Crocodiles make great pets".

FILUSTRA

Image by Philip Giordano

I just heard of Filustra, an international illustration fair to be held in Guadalajara this coming November.

Image by Javier Zabala

Among the participants are: Beatrice Alemagna, Javier Zabala, Arnal Ballester, Diego Bianchi, Philip Giordano, Miguel Tanco, Eliana Pasaran, Javier Recio, Kitty Crowther and Gabriel Pacheco... all of them stellar, exceptional talents!

I believe it is under the auspices of the Book Fair of Guadalajara (FIL: Forio Internacionál del Libro de Guadalajara), the largest global market for Spanish language publications.

Image by Gabriel Pacheco

I look forward to finding out what transpires at Filustra!

Bumping into Serge Bloch

I was on my way back from the swimming pool (26 laps today, yay me!) when I noticed a gallery on rue Dante. Galerie des Arts Graphiques, specializing in illustration, graphic design and bande dessinée, just put a new show up. Serge Bloch, one of my heroes!

"C'était Fatal"

"Un Bon Gars"

If I had 600 euros burning a hole in my pocket, I'd certainly be tempted by this one!

As for the gallery, they've got an interesting fall season lined up including Loustal and Jean Jullien. So I shall certainly be returning — stay tuned!

PS. I was told by the woman running the gallery that La Poste (the French mail service) would be putting out a set of postage stamps designed by Serge Bloch within the next few months. You heard it here first!

On the rue des Écoles

And speaking of Michel de Montaigne...

This statue of him is near where I live, and the inscription below it reads:

"Paris a mon coeur des mon enfance.    

Je ne suis français que par cette grande cité —  

grande surtout et incomparable en varieté,  

la gloire de France et l'un des plus nobles ornaments du monde."*

This quote has always resonated with me — like Paris was saying a welcome to newcomers like myself! I have been living here for 18 years (already!) and it still makes me smile every time, to bump into this man, these words...

*(in English)

P.S. Montaigne, the first blogger

The cure for melancholy

"If you are idle, be not solitary;

if you are solitary, be not idle."

Samuel Johnson said that, suggesting that it was a cure for melancholy.

He was such a prolific writer of letters and essays and bons mots that some think of him as the very first blogger ever! But of course, this distinction could just as easily go to other writers — to the likes of Michel de Montaigne, Samuel Pepys, writers of Japanese "Pillow Books", and (my personal favourite) E.B. White... especially his letters.

How about you? Do you have a favourite proto-blogger?