If you’re heading to the Apsex gallery with your kids this weekend, why not try playing ‘Eye Spy’ whist you’re there?

These four things are hidden in the exhibition. You can download a copy here, or pick up one at the gallery…

Thanks to everyone who came along to listen to my talk at the Aspex Gallery last night. Nice to see so many small folks there!

Both exhibitions run through till May, details below…

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrated’ 18 March – 17 May, Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, PO1 2AB. Open 9-5, Monday to Friday and 11-2 on Saturday.

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrating’ 13 March – 7 May
, Aspex Gallery, The Vulcan Building, Gunwharf Quay, PO1 3B. Open 11-4, Wednesday – Sunday

A sneak peak of the exhibition of artworks from Michael Rosen’s Rover books opening at The Portsmouth Guildhall tomorrow. (Sorry about the shakey one handed phone photos!)

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrated’ 18 March – 17 May, Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, PO1 2AB. Open 9-5, Monday to Friday and 11-2 on Saturday.

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrating’ 13 March – 7 May
, Aspex Gallery, The Vulcan Building, Gunwharf Quay, PO1 3B. Open 11-4, Wednesday – Sunday

I’m very excited to announce that this month I will be exhibiting my work in not one, but two galleries here in my home city of Portsmouth! Both shows have been curated and organised by the Aspex gallery, and will open later this month.

For Neal Layton- ‘Illustrating’  I’ll be re-creating my workplace in their cafe gallery! Expect to see  sketches, drawings, videos,  teddy bears, half finished cups of tea, books, and photographs which will hopefully show some of the creative process that goes on behind the scenes…

…and then the following week the second exhibiton Neal Layton -Illustrated will open at the Guildhall. This one will concentrate more on the finished books with original artwork from Rover, Howler and Monster; three of the picture books I have done with Michael Rosen for Bloomsbury Children’s Books. Keen eyed locals will hopefully spot local landmarks in Monster, the latest book in series, as I set it in and around my daughter’s school. To coincide with it’s publication the amazing Michael Rosen will also be coming down from London to do an event for schools at Central Library, on 23rd March.

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrating’ 13 March – 7 May
, Aspex Gallery, The Vulcan Building, Gunwharf Quay, PO1 3B. Open 11-4, Wednesday – Sunday

Neal Layton: ‘Illustrated’ 18 March – 17 May,  Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, PO1 2AB. Open  9-5, Monday to Friday and 11-2 on Saturday.

Thrilled to be a part of ‘Under the Spotlight’– a new exhibition at Coastguard Studios showcasing some of the many creatives working in Portsmouth.

I’m exhibiting two original drawings from the Mammoth Academy books, with the books displayed underneath so you can spot the illustrations. Exhibiting alongside me is my wife Sadie Tierney, who is showing a series of expressive prints and drawings of ships at sea.

When we were hanging out work we were amazed at the variety of other artworks on display; everything from skateboards and graffiti, to knitted totems and flowers. I’ll try and take a few photos at the private view tonight showing more…!

The Norris Museum in St Ives is currently running an exhibition called ‘Marvellous Mammoths’ featuring none other that Oscar and Arabella!

The exhibition runs from 24th January through till 24th April, with a ‘Hot, Hot, Hot’ storytelling event on 19th February. Check their website here for more details…

Oscar gets woolier everytime someone visits the exhibition…

‘Norris’ the woolly mammoth model.

Chris Thomas surveys a mammoth tooth.

Over the last year my agent has been regularly profiling each of their artists on their blog. My interview has just gone up here… And you can look at some of the other entries here. I’ve found it fascinating to read about my peers backgrounds and studio practices, so a big thanks to all at Arena and Emma Swabey for organising it!

Hodder Chidren’s books have made some snazzy Emily Brown stickers to coincide with the new reprints of all four books.

Keep an eye out for them at forthcoming events!

Fancy owning an original Oscar and Arabella drawing and helping children in war torn regions? Then get yourself to the Illustrators for Warchild  auction now running on eBay!

The Illustrators For Warchild auction was the brainchild of Leigh Hodgkinson, who wanted to find a way to raise money to help the children around the world who are being affected by humanitarian crises.
 
The auction also has artworks by a host of fantastic illustrators including David Roberts, Rebecca Cobb, Marta Altes, Yasmeen Ismail, Clara Vulliamy, Helen Hancocks, Vivian Schwarz and Tor Freeman.

You can also the latest news on the auction on twitter @IlloAuction with hashtag #illustratorsforwarchild

The auction is running until 7th September.

So what are you waiting for….? Get bidding now!

That’s right! New bigger editions of ‘Poo’, ‘Talk, Talk, Squawk!’ and Deadly will be published by Walker Books this November, with the other three books in the series to follow in 2015.

‘Poo: A Natural History of the Unmentionable’, ‘Talk, Talk, Squawk!’ and ‘Deadly’ are written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Neal Layton.