Biography
Alice Melvin graduated in 2004 from Edinburgh College of Art with first class honors in illustration and a passion for paper products. Her first book an A to Z Treasure Hunt was published by Tate in 2007 and was short listed for the Book Trust’s Big Picture Best New Illustrator Award. Following the publication of her book Alice worked with the Tate on an accompanying range of children’s products. Her second title Counting Birds also published by Tate will be released in Autumn 2009.
In addition to her commissioned commercial work Alice creates limited edition silkscreen prints and artists books. Her hand printed works are held in private and public collections including: British Library, Tate, and Centre for Fine Print Research at University West of England Bristol.
Statement
Like many artists I am an inveterate hoarder and my work reflects this magpie approach to life. A whole project can evolve from the smallest of starting points: a pretty button, an old postcard, or a snippet of overheard conversation.
I am also a great organiser, a trait revealed by my predilection for resolving work in the book format. The structure of a book naturally arranges its contents into a sequence, it is a container for information and images, and, like the best containers can hide a wealth of treats within it. This is one of the qualities which I most love in books and which my work celebrates.
A book also contains a wonderful sense of exploration and discovery that encourages viewer participation. It requires physical handling: it is picked up, the front cover is opened, pages are turned. As this is done expectations as to what is to come next can be confirmed or confounded as the book is read. I like to further invite this interaction by making books with a play element.
Integral to much of my work is the making process, and I gain a great deal of satisfaction from working with my hands. My fondness for design and working with paper has led to projects such as Alice’s Cut Out and Make Menagerie, a pack containing 12 cardboard animals that can be cut out and made.
I am currently working with Tate on a range of merchandise to accompany my latest title, Counting Birds. Again these products will encourage interaction and will include a Cut Out and Make Mobile and Cut Out and Sew Glove Puppet. I am also due to start work on my third book, another children’s title that will invite young readers to accompany a young girl called Sally on a shopping trip and to peep behind the fronts of some favourite traditional shops.
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