An exhibition of illustrations by Dorset's book illustrator de notre jour Pixie Layted is to be mounted this month in the Edna Whisky McNightly Room of the Threadbone Gallery, Crendell under the curatorship of veteran book illustrator Elektra Playte.
Ms Layted's work has graced the cover of many a book over the last half-decade, but no series is more defined by her style than the Threadbone Press's recent VINTAGE THRUPIECE imprint, the graceful and characteristic covers of which give a unifying quality to the otherwise very disparate [and often disappointing] titles. Their simple but evocative covers have persuaded many a punter to take a chance on a book that he or she [✓noted [Ed]] might not otherwise have considered and Threadstones - the high-class High Street book retailer - report brisker than expected sales of the recent reprint series, attributing the surprising demand to Ms Layted's cover art. "We rather suspect people like them on their shelves as an objet d'art than as something to read per se", says Threadstone's chief fiction buyer M T Shelves.
Ms Layted is a graduate of the Sladebone Institute of Fine Art, East Creech where she studied under master illustrator The Rev E H Goatherd. Goatherd, co-founder of the English Literal School, was responsible for some of children's literature's most iconic images, including his work on Winnie the Poodle, The Wind in the Bellows and Old Dorset Fairytales. Other pupils include Sir Quentin Flake, Helen Oxenbone, and Tracey MnM. After graduating from the Sladebone, Ms Layted briefly joined the staff of Dorset Vogue Magazine, before starting up her own company Pixie Laytions Ltd - a clever pun on her own name. Following "a sticky patch" [when colouring pencils went up by 2% more than inflation] she joined Munich-based GRAFF-iK Design Studios, air-brush specialists and major suppliers to the German soft-porn industry.
OWN YOUR OWN LIMITED EDITION PRINT:
professorthrupiece.com in association with the Threadbone Gallery, Crendell and The Threadbone Press is offering every reader the chance to win one of four VINTAGE THRUPIECE commissioned prints featured in Pixie Layted's latest exhibition. Each is individually numbered and signed by the artist. [NB Wallpaper is illustrative only and not part of the deal.]
To enter the competition, simply answer the following question:
Where was Pixie Layted trained as an illustrator?: [a] Moscow [b] Borstal [c] The Sladebone Institute of Fine Art.
Answers on a postcard to Pixie Layted Competition, c/o The Threadbone Press, Great Heaving, Dorset. Entries must be received by 12 noon on 11th October 2019. Winning Entries [4] will be drawn at random and the winners will be informed by post. Illustrations will be allocated to winners at random.
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