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Korky
PAUL was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1951 into a family
of seven children. His real name is Hamish Vigne Christie
Paul. He enjoyed a wild and privileged childhood in the
African bushveldt.
He cannot
remember ever having any hobbies, but does remember spending
hours scribbling cartoons and reading comic books from a
very early age.
He scribbled
his way through Durban School of Art in Natal, South Africa,
and for four years scribbled at an advertising agency in
Cape Town. (Where he played battle ships and raced office
chairs.)
In 1976
Korky 'fled for Europe' and cruised the continent in a VW
Kombi van emblazoned with the words 'Chocolat Lanvin'.
Months
later he washed up in Greece and met a mad Scot, James Watt,
who nervously commissioned Korky to illustrate a series
of educational books teaching Greek children to speak the
"Queen's English". And
so he began his itinerant career as a children's book illustrator.
He spent
time in advertising in agencies in Athens, London and Los
Angeles. In Los Angeles he attended Cal Arts and studied
film animation under Jules Engel.
Korky's
first children's book was a pop-up called 'The Crocodile
and the Dumper Truck' published in 1981. In 1986 he
met Ron Heapy, editor extraordinaire at Oxford University
Press, who commissioned him to illustrate a book all in
black. It was called 'Winnie the Witch' by Valerie
Thomas and won the CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD in 1987. The same
year his daughter Zoë was born.
 This
was followed by 'Winnie in Winter' and 'Winnie
Flies Again' which was published on the ninth of the
ninth ninety-nine (9:9:99). Rumour has it the first copy
was purchased at nine minutes past nine on the ninth of
the... There is now a fourth Winnie the Witch story, Winnie's
Magic
Wand
With
Ron Heapy, Korky illustrated many more successful books
for Oxford University Press namely with John 'Korky-Paul
Helper' Foster and Robin Tzannes.
In 1991
Editor Anne McNeil at The Bodley Head Commissioned Korky
to illustrate an 'unsolicited manuscript' from Jonathan
Long. It was called 'The Dog That Dug' and won THE
SHEFFIELD BOOK AWARD. The same year his son Oska was born.
Jonathan
and Korky have gone on to do three other books with Anne
McNeil, 'The Cat That Scratched', 'The Duck That
Had No Luck' and 'The Wonky Donkey'.
Korky
Paul is a well known figure in the children's book world.
He is especially popular with young children who read his
books, and are carried away into a fantasy world by his
illustrations. Korky Paul lives with his family in Summertown,
Oxford, but they live it up in the summer in Greece.
Profile
supplied by Korky Paul - Last Updated June 2002
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