Joe Spellman is a professional artist specialising in acrylic, watercolour and commercial illustration.
Born in the North East of England he trained at Sunderland College of Art where he gained a teaching degree in Art and subsequently began work as an interior designer.
Joe emigrated to Australia in the early 70s and began teaching at schools and then art colleges in Sydney.
He now lives in Queensland where he continues to paint from his home studio. The vibrant colours of Joe's landscapes are quite distinctive and he has gained an active following for his original works in Australia and abroad.
Joe has illustrated several children's books. His latest, Hubert and the Magic Glasses will be released in August.
Joe selects Five Books of Influence:
Just William by Richard Crompton
I was very excited to receive my first junior library borrower’s card at the age of eight. Being rather a good little boy at school I was delighted to find a range of books about my opposite number - the ‘Just William’ books by Richard Crompton. I can always visualise the illustrations of William, dressed in a battered, untidy school uniform as he appeared during his wars with goodie-goodie Hubert Lane and Hubert’s equally despicable cronies. By today’s standards, William would probably merit a halo but in those faraway days he rivalled ‘Dennis the Menace’ for his ‘villainous’ activities. He was the smarmy Hubert’s nemesis, always lurking in the upper crust’s privet prepared to deflate this obnoxious Lane’s ego.
Tut tut - such villainy!
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Fleur McDonald grew up in Orrorroo, South Australia. After school shespent a couple of years jillarooing in the outback. Fleur lives with herhusband and two children on a station near Esperance in Western Australia,where she is involved in the daily management of their 8000 acres. She is theauthor of the bestselling novels Red Dust and Blue Skies.
Fleur McDonald selects Five Books of Influence
Five books of Influence? Just five? Oh dear, well I'll have a shotat trying to pick five!
Any Famous Five or Secret Seven book
I think this is where my love for a good mystery comes from. Fromthe time I was old enough to read these books by myself, I was never withoutone in my hand. I still have the tattiest old copy my dad bought home fromAdelaide after a business meeting down there; it was Five got to Treasure Island and the first book I ever remember receiving as a gift.
0 Comments on @fleurmcdonald selects Five Books of Influence as of 1/1/1900
Janeen Brian is a lover of words and an award-winning children’s author with over 70 books published, ranging in genres from picture books to short fiction, non-fiction and poetry. She also has her poetry in fourteen anthologies besides having had over 100 stories, poems and articles published in children’s magazines both in Australia and USA.
With an early career in teaching and a later one in children’s theatre, Janeen now believes she has the best job possible – creating with words.
Janeen's Five Books of Influence are:
The Super-Roo of Mungalongaloo written by Osmar White, illustrated by Jeff Hook
Anne began her professional career in the 1984 production of The Rocky Horror Show starring Reg Livermore. After that short foray into the world of musical theatre she became a ‘serious’ actor and studied drama at NIDA.
Since graduating from NIDA in 1988, Anne has worked with distinction in film, television and theatre. In 1990 she was a member of the inaugural NIDA Company performing roles in Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid, and Larry Buttrose’s Mr Kurtz He Dead. She has worked with some of the best theatre directors in Australia including Gale Edwards, Rodney Fisher, Jim Sharman, George Ogilvy, Rex Cramphorn and David Berthold. Her theatrical experience is extensive, having played such roles as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth; Goneril in King Lear; Olivia in Twelfth Night&nbs
Jacqui is an artists and children’s book illustrator. She has always loved art and music – Jacqui has completed a Bachelor of Music. Sadly Jacqui put down the violin after it had an adverse effect on her first born – he cried every time she played the violin.
Jacqui has since concentrated on her art - a “fabulous decision”. Jacqui finds people fascinating and enjoys painting a huge canvas to capture the “true essence” of interesting people. Her skill with portraiture is evident in her picture books, A True Person, Various Faerious and Molly's Memory Jar.
Jacqui may have given up the violin, but her love of music continues. She can be heard every Saturday morning co-presenting Classically Kids with Adam Piertak on 3MBS (Melbourne). Every second Wednesday Jacqui presents The Score and every third Thursday she presents Night Concert.
0 Comments on Caroline Eshak Liuzzi selects Five Books of Influence as of 1/1/1900
Great to hear about Joe and the books that influenced him. Really interesting as well to see that his interest in art and illustration goes way back to childhood.