The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, working with auction house Bonhams has launched a special fundraising auction of original artwork by Quentin Blake. The collection of works in Airborne reflect Quentin’s longstanding fascination with flight and features airborne characters, flying machines and birds.
All in watercolour and with Quentin’s distinctive scratchy line, these works will be open for bidding on Monday 21st April at 12.00 noon BST on the Bonhams website. You can register to bid in the online auction now.
This is a great opportunity to support the work of the Centre, and own an original Quentin Blake illustration. All proceeds from the sale will support the organisation at an exciting time, as construction work is well underway on its permanent home at New River Head in Clerkenwell.
Work is proceeding apace on the restoration of New River Head’s magnificent engine house, windmill base and derelict stores, which will be repurposed as galleries, learning spaces, a café and a shop, set within half an acre of new public gardens.
The Quentin Blake Centre will offer a dynamic, distinctive programme of exhibitions, uncovering rarely-seen original illustration for books, advertising, packaging, protest and propaganda. It will provide a home for the 40,000-work archive of the UK’s best-loved illustrator, Quentin Blake. It will be created with and for its local community, while strengthening the foundations for nationwide tours and schools projects.
• Find out more about the work of The Quentin Blake Centre at qbcentre.org.uk
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Auctions, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds
“Robinson Crusoe” artwork by John Worsley offered in upcoming auction 
In His Own Words: Carlos Ezquerra on his Early Judge Dredd designs 
Ian Gibson “Annie Droid” art set to go under the hammer next week 
A War Comics mystery – where was “Hero of the Snows” published?