John Lawrence (illustrator)

John Lawrence (born 15 September 1933 in Hastings[1]) is an English illustrator and wood engraver.

He has twice won the Francis Williams Award for illustration (sponsored by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London), and twice been runner-up for the Kurt Emil - Maschler Award.

[5] Born in Hastings in 1933, John Lawrence was educated in Salesian schools, first in Burwash, Sussex then in Cowley, Oxfordshire, before attending Hastings School of Art (1951 - 1953).

After National Service in West Africa he moved to the Central School of Art and Design (1955–1957)[4] where he was introduced to wood engraving by Gertrude Hermes.

[2][4] He has illustrated more than 200 books,[1] both adult and children's ranging from Shakespeare to Alan Ahlberg including the best-selling Watership Down by Richard Adams and has recently worked with Philip Pullman producing all the illustrations for Lyra's Oxford and Once Upon a Time in the North[2][4][7] His work is represented in the Ashmolean, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Manchester Metropolitan University and Seven Stories in Newcastle.