Northern Highlight - Peter Bailey

Northern Highlight


Peter Bailey

Why did you become an illustrator?

I began illustrating at a very young age, filling the margins of school books with drawings...
mostly pitched battles of knights in armour. I started going to life drawing classes at the age of fourteen, and then to art school at Kingston upon Thames and later to Brighton College of Art where I was taught by Raymond Briggs, John Lawrence, Justin Todd, John Vernon Lord and C Walter Hodges… a good start to a career in Illustration!

That's what I have done for fifty three years now.


Peter's illustrations for the cover and title page of the Folio Society edition of The Book of Dust La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman


Tell us about where you live

In 1973 I was appointed Lecturer in Illustration at Liverpool College of Art, so my wife, Siân, who is also an illustrator and our baby son and I moved from Brighton to The Wirral. After 24 years I left teaching to return to freelancing and  remained on Merseyside which was now home.

Where do you illustrate?

I have a studio at home which is untidy… overflowing with books and artwork accumulated over many years. Sometimes I like to work at the kitchen table, sometimes sitting on the sofa, but not, so far, lying in bed…

What for you is the spirit of the North?

Liverpool is a great and beautiful city populated with funny, friendly, inventive and creative people. After many years of distressing decline it has been transformed into a vibrant and exciting young place. This is partly due to the development of three universities bringing in a new youthful workforce. Alongside this is the transformation of the city centre with restoration of historic terraces and warehouses.

I’m sure this spirit of renewal is repeated in Manchester, Bradford Leeds and Hull…that adds up to a large and dynamic population which could indeed become a Northern Powerhouse!

Who for you are the great Northern writers and illustrators.

Frank Cottrell Boyce, David Almond, Alan Garner and Berlie Doherty are all wonderful writers.
Merseyside has produced Illustrators Shirley Hughes, Gary Blythe, Louise Voce and Charlotte Voake. In the North East Brita Granstrom, Mick Manning and Helen Stephens are doing great work, whilst Scotland has produced Debi Gliori, Tom Gauld, Marion Deuchars and the great Jonny Hannah.

If you could be transported to anywhere in the North and Scotland, where would it be?

Lindisfarne island and wonderful Northumbria.

What would you like to see from Children’s publishing in the North?

Children’s Books North is a fantastic initiative. It will provide opportunities for authors and illustrators to meet and share ideas and experiences in person which is becoming so rare in the world of electronic communication. It would be marvellous to see regional publishing develop in the North. The brilliant publisher Barrington Stoke in Scotland is an example of what can be done outside London.

What is your favourite children’s book set in the North?

The Stone Book by Alan Garner, but The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett set on the Yorkshire Moors is a close contender.


You can follow Peter Bailey on Instagram 

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