Original picture book artwork and some hand finished prints by Joel Stewart are available for purchase from Children’s Book Illustration.
Joel Stewart grew up in rural Yorkshire and Sheffield. In 2000, he graduated with a first class degree in Illustration from Falmouth College of Art and since then, has been writing and drawing for a living. He is known internationally for his Dexter Bexley picture books and in 2008 was chosen by Booktrust as one of the 10 Best New Illustrators of the decade. He has collaborated with Michael Bond, Julia Donaldson, Carol Ann Duffy and Michael Rosen and illustrated classics of Children’s Literature by authors such as Hans Christian Andersen and Lewis Carol and J. M Barrie.
The Adventures of Abney & Teal is a British children’s television programme which uses a mixture of 2D and CGI animation and is based on Joel Stewart’s work. As well as the creator, Joel is also the series director and spent three years working on the show with Anne Wood of Ragdoll Productions before it was first aired by cbeebies in 2011 and is still going strong! It is also shown in Australia, Canada, China, Poland and elsewhere.
Joel has won numerous awards including the Macmillan prize for children’s book illustration on his graduation in 2000. The Silver Medal, Parents Choice in 2002 for The Adventures of a Nose. He was selected for the IBBY Honour List for outstanding book illustration in 2006 for Tales of Hans Christian Andersen and he was winner of the 0-5 Nestle Bronze Award 2007 for Dexter Bexley & the Big Blue Beastie.
Joel’s diverse skill set has led him from illustration to digital art. He has recently created his own set of magic paintbrushes and software to produce astonishing watercolour and mixed media pieces which he then prints and adds to by hand.
