Katie Cleminson is an award-winning author and illustrator. She studied Illustration for Children's Publishing at North Wales School of Art; she graduated with a First Class Honours degree. Her debut Box of Tricks won the Booktrust Best Emerging Illustrator Award, and she went on to be named one of the Booktrust Best New Illustrators. Her title Otto the Book Bear was translated into ten languages, was highly reviewed by the New York Times, and picked as one of the Sunday Times 100 Modern Children’s Classics.
Katie discovered her drawing style on a trip to the zoo, she had forgotten her brush, and so had to draw directly with the ink pipette. She works with inks, watercolour and charcoal, and is drawn to nostalgic items like gramophones, typewriters, and bowler hats. Katie’s artwork has been exhibited at the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, as well as in London, Edinburgh, Poland, Japan and Korea.
She lives by the sea in Devon, England, with her husband and their two daughters.
Awards
Winner of the Hampshire Picture Book Award for 'Otto the Book Bear’ 2012 (chosen by schoolchildren)
Booktrust Best Emerging Illustrator Award for 'Box of Tricks’ 2009
Exhibitions
‘Bears!’ Exhibition originally at Seven Stories in Newcastle, which then toured the country during 2019 and 2020. Otto was the main promotional image and mascot for the whole exhibition. The exhibition featured among others, Jon Klassen, Anthony Browne, Lucy Letherland, Jackie Morris, Petr Horacek, Dave Shelton, Jim Field, David Litchfield, Helen Cooper, David Melling, Rebecca Cobb, Sav Akyuz, Jane Hissey, Joel Stewart, Emily Gravett and Chris Riddell.
Booktrust Best New Illustrators Exhibition toured the UK in 2011 and 2012. Illustration Cupboard London, Plymouth City Museum, Free Word Centre London, and National Galleries of Scotland.
Bologna Illustrators Exhibition 2007 (only illustrator selected from Great Britain) Toured Italy, Japan and Korea.
Macmillan Prize Exhibition Coningsby Gallery London. Katie featured in this exhibition in both 2006 and 2007.
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