7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #495:
Featuring Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Shane Cluskey
August 7th, 2016 by jules
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It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means I’ve got a newly-graduated illustrator visiting today to share artwork. Shane Cluskey, originally from Ireland, actually graduated in 2005 from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin (so, he’s not exactly newly-graduated), but he’s currently working on his first children’s book, so I thought it’d be fun to showcase his artwork. As I understand it, Shane is currently living in London.
Shane also says a few words below about his work, so let’s get right to it. I thank him for visiting. (To see even more of his artwork, here’s his Instagram page.)
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved drawing. I never really saw it as a profession until I went to a creative conference in Dublin, called Offset. A number of illustrators showcased their work. It was very inspiring and encouraged me to pursue illustration full-time.
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Growing up, I was obsessed with Disney movies. I could never get my head around how the characters were drawn and brought to life. I also remember staring at Coca-Cola ads at Christmas time! I loved the way Santa Claus was depicted. I would later learn that Haddon Sundblom was the illustrator and had the chance to see some of his work in New York two years ago while I was on a summer residency in the School of Visual Arts.
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Oliver Jeffers and Kevin Waldron were very instrumental in inspiring me towards illustration as a full-time pursuit. I also love Ping Zhu, Yuko Shimizu, Al Hirschfeld, and Quentin Blake.
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I love working with ink and a splash of watercolour. I’ve most recently started experimenting with gouache, too.
Along with a few interesting works in progress, I’m currently working on a kids’ book and will be sending it off to New York soon for revision. I’m also creating characters and storyboards for a tech start-up in London, helping them explain how their technology works in a fun way.
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All images used by permission of Shane Cluskey.
Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.
As you regular kickers know, we moved to a new home last weekend, so my seven kicks this week are that we finally have all of our stuff in ONE home, though unpacking and organizing are ahead of us. Sorry for an absence of seven separate kicks, but I think that will do. Happy that the moving part is behind us.
What are YOUR kicks this week?
Hi there, Cluskey’s work reminded me of Quentin so when he was mentioned I wasn’t surprised. Thank you for sharing the illustrations. Will be on the lookout for his book.
Jules, it takes.time to get settled. Don’t be afraid to take your time
My kicks:
1. Going through boxes in the garage from our move last year. More trips to GW. Discovering treasures.
2. Afternoons on the deck under the umbrella.
3. Poetry swap arrivals.
4. Walking.
5. Reading.
6. Wine tasting and lunch with a friend.
7. To the coast for 4 days starting today.
Have a great week.
Hello there Jules and other 7-Imps! I have been popping in and out over the past few months but there have been so many changes I have not commented. So happy Jules that you are all in one spot finally. Having moved twice in 9 months I can identify with all the packing and unpacking. I still am unpacking from the second move. It’s mostly books. Thank you for sharing Shane Cluskey’s work. I, like Jone, will be looking for his book.
My kicks: (some from last month)
1. NerdCampMI
2. Scholastic Reading Summit in Covington, KY
3. Connecting with authors/illustrators during blog tours
4. Picture books
5. Cardinals singing in the morning and night
6. Air conditioning
7. Hope for a new puppy
Have a wonderful week everyone
Hello Shane! I like the look of that sassy bird (owl?) and I definitely like that smiling pup assisting the hungry squirrel.
Hello Imps!
Hello Jules! Welcome home! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hello Jone! Thank you for donating to others. Enjoy the coast.
Hello Margie! Hurrah for smarts + books + songbirds.
My kicks for the past week:
1) Singing
2) Smiling
3) Prepping
4) Sharing
5) Declaring
6) Helping
7) Staying
Jone: Have fun on the coast! Sounds dreamy.
Margie! New puppy?! Will you be adopting soon? Do you have your eye on a particular one?
Little Willow: I wanna hear you sing in person one day.
Have a good week, you all!
Margie, glad.you are getting settled and having hope.for a.puppy.
LW, soning,.sharing and stayong. Love.
I love that helpful wolf letting the squirrel balance on his head.
Jules – happy you are settled into one place, unpacking can be a fun process, I hope you give yourself time. (Loved that photo of disgruntled Pumpkinfacehead)
Jone – hooray for giving things away and discovering treasures.Have fun at the coast!
Margie – cardinals singing and hope for a new puppy sounds lovely.
LW – yay for singing and smiling!
My kicks this week:
1) Busy work week.
2) My oldest friend (known each other since we were 11 years old) has been in town visiting from NY – very fun visit.
3) Another good friend visiting from Montana.
4) Read “Paranormalcy” by Kierstan White, which was fun.
5) Read “Under the Egg” by Laura Marx Fitzgerald and loved it.
6) Dinner party with incredible food that was all harvested from the hosts’ garden.
7) The Olympics!
Have a wonderful week Imps!
Rachel, what a good week. Have fun with your visiting friends. …. We were reading Fitzgerald’s THE GALLERY, but we got stuck in the middle of it (and lost track of it) during the move. Bummer. We’ll have to start over, and I want to read UNDER THE EGG one day too.