Emma Chichester-Clark, 'Enchantment' (detail).- CONTRIBUTED
Michael Robinson, Contributor
TRADITIONALLY, THE pencil has been a symbol of creativity and freedom of expression. In keeping with this, the Magic Pencil exhibition at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) is refreshingly vibrant. Officially opened on August 17 by the British Council, the exhibit showcases the work of 13 children's book illustrators from the United Kingdom, as well as children's art from Jamaica's Junior Centres.
Magic Pencil is a global project, spearheaded by the British Council which has 110 offices worldwide. With the encouragement of reading as its aim, the exhibitions launch incorporated a reading area featuring a number of children's books. Among them was Little Lion Goes to School, the Caribbean's first digitally illustrated children's book.
On one side of the IOJ's gallery space is a showing of art designed with the inspiration and entertainment of children in mind. Mounted across the room is an ebullient
example of such inspiration. Collages, paintings, puppets and hand-made paper are just some of the colourful pieces produced by local youngsters through the IOJ's art programme. The work has been produced over the last year
at the island's three junior
centres.
DIVERSITY
Stylistically and technically, the images of the British illustrators on display are as diverse as they are compelling. From the minimalist line-focused approach of Tony Ross, for whom "colour always comes second," to the emotionally-charged watercolours of Michael Foreman, who allows colour to create lines and shapes, there is evidence of an admirable attention to detail and a complete commitment to creation.
While a Quentin Blake uses more traditional materials, the envelope is being stretched by the likes of Lauren Child and Sara Fanelli, who employ
collage and digital techniques to produce some fascinating pictures. Child tends to use
digitally scanned images as backgrounds as textures, sometimes varying the typeface used as text to create quirky and appealing images. Fanelli, who has been accused of producing images too sophisticated for children's books, has an enigmatic style. Her images read like surrealist collages and consist of a mix of newsprint, text, photos and personal and folk drawings.
TENDER INNOCENCE
Posy Simmonds's illustrations utilise the speech bubbles associated with comics to tell the story in 'Fred'. Her lines have a tender innocence about them and her use of colour is at times subtle and always sophisticated. The drawings seem to have been done with the spirit of a child but the hand of an aesthete. Raymond Briggs has
a similar style in Ethel and Ernest: a True Story but with a more energetic approach to line. Briggs captures mood with line quality where Simmonds creates atmosphere with colours.
Of note are the many approaches these artists have taken in pursuit of the same goal: telling a story. The illustrations show that there are many ways to approach a problem and still achieve amazing results. More
than one way to skin the proverbial cat.
The exhibition is an eye- opener for illustrators as well as anyone who is unaware
of the scope and strength of children's book illustration internationally. It is a
powerful example of the importance of imagery in
storytelling and underscores the value of visual and
intellectual stimulation in children.
MATTERS OF CREATIVITY
If we are to learn anything from these artists, it is not so much to think outside the box as that there is no box. In matters of creativity, as well as problem solving, thinking outside of perceived boundaries always produces fantastic results. Just ask history's inventors and innovators. People of all ages can benefit from exercises in non-linear thought, while society at large moves up a notch or two on the ladder of psychic evolution. Simply put, just looking at creativity can make us smarter.
In everyday life, it pays to remember there is always the option to think differently. Whether the problem is which blue to use, how to achieve financial stability or conflict resolution, the answer will always be there as long as we remember one thing:
There are no boundaries.
