Brita Granström

Brita Granström (born 1969) is a Swedish painter and illustrator living and working in Great Britain.[1] As a painter she is represented by The University Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Works

Granström was born in Sweden. She won The People's Show Painting Prize in 2001 and 2005. In 2011 her self-portrait Mother of Four was bought by The Ruth Borchard Collection. Granström paints directly from life: In this language beyond words one senses nature burgeoning, decaying and indefatigably renewing itself. writes William Varley in his essay for the catalogue Life In Landscape.[2] This major exhibition of her paintings opened in London at the Kings Place Gallery, Kings Place[3] in 2011 and toured to The University Gallery in Newcastle in 2012 under the title A Breath of Fresh Air. It ran alongside another of her shows Butcher, Baker, Cockle Sweet-Maker; an exhibition recording the independent shopkeepers and landladies of Berwick upon Tweed. There is a catalogue printed by Berwick Civic Society. Her most exhibition The Night Swimmer opened on 19 September 2014 at The University Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne.

As a children's book illustrator, Granström often collaborates with her associate and partner, Mick Manning. They have produced notable children's titles such as: What's Under The Bed? (Watts) - winner of the 1997 T.E.S Award, The World is Full of Babies (Watts) - winner of The 1996 Silver Smarties/Nestle award and Charlie's War Illustrated (Frances Lincoln) - winner of the 2014 English Association Award. Their book Tail-End Charlie (Frances Lincoln) was shortlisted for The Blue Peter Book Awards 2010 and nominated for the 2010 Carnegie Medal. Taff in the WAAF, about Manning's mother's war service for Bletchley Park, won the English Association Award in 2011. Their book Yuck! is visually and verbally referenced by the character Poppy during a scene in the Mike Leigh film Happy Go Lucky.

In 1998 The Scotsman newspaper wrote: "Mick Manning and Brita Granström's approach to non-fiction for younger children has revolutionised our bookshelves"[4]

Brita Granström is one of the contributing illustrators to The Birthday Book (Jonathan Cape) - a book for charity, celebrating His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales' 60th birthday) and We Are All Born Free (Frances Lincoln) - a picture book for Amnesty International, celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Her most recent books include: The Beatles (Frances Lincoln) Charlie's War Illustrated (Watts) and Secrets of Stonehenge (Frances Lincoln).

Granström was elected as a Fellow of the English Association in May 2011 for her work for children. She was shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award,[5] in 2013 and 2014, the largest children's literature award in the world.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Brita Granström" (in Swedish). Rabén & Sjögren. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Piano Nobile". Kingsplace.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
  4. ↑ (Inside the Big Wide World of Stories. Lindsey Fraser. The Scotsman. Tuesday 11 August 1998)
  5. ↑ "About the Award | Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award". Astridlindgrenmemorialaward.wordpress.com. 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2015-04-16.

External links