An Edinburgh based illustrator won a prestigious competition when the winners were announced in London last week.
As part of the award Marie-Alice Harel from Edinburgh has been commissioned to illustrate Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. She was presented with the award in London at the House of Illustration by Laura Cecil, founder of the first literacy agency for children’s books and Wynne Jones’s agent.
In addition to the commission there is a cash prize of £5,000
Chosen from over 500 entries from 47 countries Marie-Alice is a French author and illustrator based in Edinburgh.
Others who made the shortlist won prizes of £500 each.
The Folio Society Art Director, Sheri Gee commented: ‘I was so impressed by the standard of illustration this year – narrowing it down to 5 runners up and a winner was no easy task but we couldn’t ignore the beauty and skill in the winner’s fairy-tale inspired illustrations. I’m looking forward to working with her on the rest of the commission.’
Colin McKenzie, Director of House of illustration, said: ‘Having received the highest ever number of entries from illustrators all over the world, judging was even more difficult than normal. It was wonderful to have Laura Cecil (Diana Wynne Jones’ literary agent) as part of the panel this year, and we are delighted with the shortlist and indeed the winner.’
2018 BIC winner and member of the 2019 judging panel, Max Löffler said: ‘Being part of a judging panel for the first time was an interesting experience. It was difficult to select a winner when there was such an exciting variety of visual approaches at such a high level of artistic quality.
Colin McKenzie also revealed the recipient of the People’s Choice Award, voted for by a record breaking 5279 members of the public online. The winner – Lulu Chen (Taiwan, student) – will receive books worth £100 from The Folio Society and a year’s membership to House of Illustration.
Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle, illustrated by Marie-Alice Harel and introduced by Marcus Sedgwick, will be available from The Folio Society (www.foliosociety.com) in October 2019.
Marie-Alice Harel has lived in Edinburgh since 2014. Originally from Toulouse, France, she has a PhD in Geosciences PhD from LSCE in France and holds a degree in Engineering. Because of her passion for drawing, she decided to become a full time illustrator in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. She dedicates her time and energy to develop ideas and challenges herself with new projects. Â
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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