Vendi Vernić III

I was unable to attend this years Bologna Children's Book Fair. It is an annual event that I hate to miss, as it is so good to see the worlds new children's books and discover new talent and new projects, in particular the exhibition and on the illustrators wall.  As well as see great friends and be in this fantastic city in Spring.

However I was extremely happy to hear that the winner of the 2018 International Award for Illustration Bologna Children's Books Fair is Vendi Vernić from Croatia. I have admired Vendi's work for many years and particularly love her submission, five illustrations for 'The Crocodile' a short story by F. M. Dostoyevsky published in 1865. It is the story of Ivan Matveich and his wife Elena Ivanovna who visit an Arcade to see a crocodile that has been put on display by a German entrepreneur. After teasing the crocodile Ivan is swallowed whole. Surprisingly, this new situation doesn’t affect Ivan as one would expect . . . 

Jelena Perisic II

Jelena Perisic's Baltic sea creatures showing us the error and horror of our ways, anthropomorphizing the creatures to look like humans and also the humans to look like the creatures they are mistreating.

"The sea world moves, transforms and travels in a particularly fluid way. Due to the richness of layers and freedom of expression it allows, as well as it's direct connection to water, the medium of watercolour was the ideal choice to visually tell the story about the life of the sea creatures." Jelena Perisic

Jelena Perisic I

Croatian illustrator Jelena Perisic's wonderful project 'Endangered and Protected Species of the Adriatic' was exhibited as part of the Croatian exhibition at this years Bologna Children's Book Festival.

"The project 'Endangered and Protected Species of the Adriatic' educates the public (including visitors to the Croatian Adriatic Coast) about the pollution and numerous organisms that live there, either as an endangered or protected species.The cycle of more than one hundred illustrations shows certain species in the Adriatic Sea ie there permanent living habitats. Also featured are the species that occasionally stray into our sea often to their own detriment." Jelena Perisic

Jelena has used clever and enigmatic anthropomorphism to convey her message about the damage we cause and the conservation and protection we should be providing.  

Danijel Srdarev

This is a very different impression of bird song by Danijel Srdarev with an enigmatic roughness and a fresh naive quality. Danijel's work was exhibited as part of the Croatian Exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, it is exuberantly messy; mixing media, fine art, illustration and graphic design in an excitement of illustration that is very compelling.

Denis Sarazhin II

These wonderful textural paintings by photographer and painter Denis Sarazhin, for me they epitomize autumn, in their colour, structure and mood. 

Petar Dolic II

Petar Dolic, these heavily scored, energetic pieces make me wonder about what Petar's work would be like if he tried relief printmaking.

Petar Dolic I

 Petar Dolic is a Croatian sculptor, here I am featuring on his two dimensional  works.

Bane Milenkovic I

Bane Milenkovic is an artist from Novi Sad who paints many subjects still life and landscape he trained under the abstract painter Ferdinand Kulmer. Today I have chosen his lively works on paper featuring dogs.