SPACE
Hello I’m Gay Wegerif I write and illustrate picture books for very young children
The picture is me on the Penwith moors, by husband Pete, with our dog Ruffy. We are both artists, we live in Cornwall. Our two daughters are grown up and we have a grandson.
I was born in Holland in 1957, my parents were both South African. Since I was 5, I’ve lived in the UK, my mum was a single mum and I have a brother.
Mum was also an artist. Gran came to live with us from Africa.
We all loved books. I loved the pictures. There was Hermitage paintings, Paul Klee, embroidery books, National Geographic magazines, and more. I studied painting at Bristol. Then moved to London and studied writing for children and illustration.
At that time, we had a young family, were building our home (literally) and also setting up a career making neon and lighting for Pete.
Much later, when the family had grown and flown it was possible to pursue my enthusiasm for picture books. As our youngest left to study, I enrolled too for an MA in authorial illustration at Falmouth School of Art.
Through the contacts with the course and meeting lovely Benoit Jacques I was introduced to the amazing world of French children’s publishing.
It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be published by Editions MeMo – a million thanks to them.
My favourite picture books?
When I was young, I loved Little Grey Rabbit.
When my children were young we liked Mr Magnolia and Brown bear brown bear.
Our grandson likes all the books with enjoyable sounds.
These days I cherish quite different books. These 3 are special ones to me
Winter by Aoi Huber-Kono
Magic Dress by Kayako Nishimaki
Kolečko by Zdenek Seydl
and many many more – Thank you so much, world, for all the wonderful books
Art that inspires me?
I mention just a few
Medieval textiles
Inuit everything
Pottery – Mediterranean and Mimbres
Michio Mado poems
Bryan Pearce paintings
Craigie Aitchison’s painting of liquorice allsorts
And a short list of things I like a lot:
Lightness
Open-ness
Simplicity
Wildlife in the wild
Sunshine and spring
Unexpected, funny things
and of course….. my family!