University lecturer scoops accolade for illustration
Viviane Schwarz, Associate Lecturer from the Faculty of Arts was among the winners announced at the annual Booktrust Best New Illustrators Awards in London. Booktrust is an independent UK-wide charity dedicated to encouraging people of all ages and cultures to enjoy books and the award was established to raise the profile of emerging picture book illustration. Viviane said: “It's a very respectable list, I am very pleased to be on it. The ten of us are now expected to do serious profile-raising for picture books in an ambassadorial kind of way, which I'll try my best at happily and I'm looking forward to seeing what my best will be. Since the 2008 Awards the sales of picture books have demonstrated a healthy growth and this is only the second group of illustrators to receive it. Born in Germany in the 1970's, Viviane’s first ‘taste’ of books was as a child when after reading them she liked to eat them! With a developing passion for craft and invention, she soon decided to make her own books. After finishing school and studying English at university, Viviane moved to the UK as she decided this language would help her books reach a wider audience.
