£20,000 raised for RICE (The Research Institute for the Care of Older People) from HisWorld book sales at The Salisbury Museum.
The Salisbury Museum, the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett and Paul Kidby are delighted to announce that following ‘Terry Pratchett: HisWorld’ exhibition at the museum, substantial funds have been raised, which will be donated to RICE (The Research Institute for the Care of Older People) in Bath.
When the HisWorld exhibition opened at the museum in September 2017, a special little blue book was created to accompany it. The book ‘Terry Pratchett: HisWorld – A Brief Guide to Discworld’ was compiled by writer Stephen Briggs, with illustrations by Paul Kidby. In sixty pages, Stephen took the reader on a journey through Discworld, with an introduction to some of its most famous characters. It also features the amazing story of how the exhibition happened to come to the museum in the first place by the exhibition curator Richard Henry. The decision was taken by the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett before the exhibition opened, that 50% of the proceeds from the blue book sales would be donated to RICE, in honour of Sir Terry. By the time the exhibition closed on 14 January, it had been visited by over 21,000 people. Sales of the book were incredible and as a result £20,000 has been raised for this fantastic institution.
Professor Roy Jones, who looked after Sir Terry during his illness and Director of RICE said “We were pleased to contribute to the outstanding Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibition. Terry’s loyal fans have again surpassed themselves so that a donation of £20,000 has been made to our centre in Bath. We are very grateful for this money which will go directly towards supporting our vital research and support programme to improve life for people with dementia everywhere.”
Rob Wilkins, manager of Sir Terry’s estate said, ‘The Terry Pratchett: HisWorld’ exhibition gave readers old and new, an insight into Terry’s creative endeavours, as well as his life away from the keyboard. We are delighted that we could produce a special book to complement the exhibition and support the invaluable work by RICE – one of Terry’s favourite charities.’
Evil Harry Dread Takes the Chalke Valley History Festival
The Chalke Valley History festival is held in Broad Chalke, a small village outside Salisbury in which Sir Terry Pratchett made his home for the past several decades. Founded in 2011, it brings in thousands of attendees each year.
This year we are excited to announce that the Discworld will come home to the Chalke Valley. Following on the success of Terry Pratchett: HisWorld, the record-breaking exhibition at Salisbury Museum, the office of Sir Terry will be re-created at the History Festival, giving visitors the chance to see the inner-sanctum from where Sir Terry penned his best-selling novels.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear Rob Wilkins, Sir Terry’s friend and business manager, talk about Terry’s life, his work, his inspiration and his profound love of the Chalke Valley. Paul Kidby, official Discworld Artist will also be giving a talk about the art of the Discworld.
Award-winning magicians Morgan and West, newly inducted members of the Conjuror’s Guild of Ankh-Morpork, will also be entertaining the crowds with their time-travelling shenanigans.
The most stunning part of this this installation will be the brand-new Shed of Doom. The creation of Discworld Dark Lord, Evil Harry Dread, this menacing monolith will tower over visitors. Standing a full 18 feet tall, this horticultural horror is precisely based upon drawings by Paul Kidby.
More details will be announced in the coming weeks. The Chalke Valley History festival opens Monday 25th June. Tickets go on sale in April. More details can be found at the festival’s website.
Terry Pratchett: HisWorld – Opening Weekend
After a busy run up to the opening with not one but two pieces of artwork to finish in time for the preview, the exhibition opened its doors last weekend. We welcomed friends, family, the great and the good of Salisbury and the publishing world on Friday evening to celebrate the opening by raising a glass to Terry and toasting the exhibition’s success.
The following morning Rob Wilkins officially opened the exhibition at 10am to the waiting fans. He and I then then had a busy day of signing – thank you to everyone who waited in line so patiently.
The response has been fantastic and it has received good reviews all round; including the following in the Telegraph which gave a few nice paragraphs to the artwork on show:
“Where Dickens had the artists Phiz and Cruikshank to illustrate his world, Pratchett had two gifted interpreters of his own: Josh Kirby, whose knobbly homunculi leered out from countless paperback covers, and Paul Kidby, Discworld’s unofficial artist-in-residence since Kirby’s death in 2001.
Both have plenty of original pieces on display here, but Kidby’s are the real highlights. His map of the mountainous kingdom of Lancre may well give you vertigo. Like Pratchett’s novels, Kidby’s paintings (mostly acrylic on board) begin with a simple idea – usually spoofing a famous work – and through their technical ingenuity, wry detail and sharp eye for character elevate mere parody into something more.
His book cover for Pratchett’s Night Watch deftly reworks Rembrandt’s painting of the same name. The Science of Discworld, meanwhile, is a witty take on An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, replacing Wright’s 18th century academics with the bungling wizards of Discworld’s Unseen University. The wizards raise an eyebrow at our world, seen through a glass, darkly. As Nobbs would say, “Clever, innit?” “
Tristram Fane Saunders, The Sunday Telegraph, 17th Sept.
I am delighted to reveal what I have been working on this year: a collection of my favourite Discworld artwork, including a new portrait of Sir Terry himself.
Read the press release below:
Gollancz is delighted to announce the acquisition of TERRY PRATCHETT’S DISCWORLD IMAGINARIUM, a stunning portfolio of illustrations from the brush of renowned Discworld artist, Paul Kidby.
Paul Kidby was Sir Terry Pratchett’s artist of choice. He provided the illustrations for THE LAST HERO, designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002 and is the author of the bestseller THE ART OF THE DISCWORLD and TERRY PRATCHETT’S DISCWORLD COLOURING BOOK. Now, he has collected the very best of his Discworld illustrations in this definitive volume, including 40 pieces of never-before-seen art, 30 pieces that have only appeared in foreign editions, limited editions and Book Club editions, and 17 book cover illustrations since 2004 that have never been seen without cover text.
Sir Terry Pratchett himself once said that Kidby’s art is ‘the closest anyone’s got to how I see the characters’. If Terry Pratchett’s pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby’s brush allowed them to live it, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in this magnificent book.
Orion Group Publisher, Jon Wood, and Gollancz Digital Publisher, Darren Nash, acquired the rights to TERRY PRATCHETT’S DISCWORLD IMAGINARIUM from Rob Wilkins at Dunmanifestin, Ltd, which controls the copyright to all of Sir Terry Pratchett’s works, including his Discworld characters and creations. The 272-page full-colour volume will publish on 23rd November and retail at £35.
But that’s not all! Taken from the Patrician’s private collection by a discerning art dealer* we’ve got a high-class treat for those looking for something a little more distinct: a Special Edition, which will feature a variant cover, a new piece of art produced exclusively for this version and signed by Paul Kidby, metallic page edging, a marker ribbon and a specially-designed slipcase. Also, released on 23rd November, the Special Edition will retail at £75.
Artist Paul Kidby said, ‘I am delighted to present the DISCWORLD IMAGINARIUM: a comprehensive collection of my favourite illustrations painstakingly selected after many weeks spent rummaging through my portfolios. The resulting pages of this book not only look back at works past, they also look forward – with newly created artworks in celebration of the amazing ongoing legacy that Sir Terry Pratchett created for us all.’
*May he rest in peace.
Issued: 25 July 2017
Exclusive Terry Pratchett exhibition at The Salisbury Museum
The Salisbury Museum, the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett and Paul Kidby are delighted to present a new and exclusive exhibition ‘Terry Pratchett: HisWorld’. This will open at The Salisbury Museum on 16 September 2017 and run until 13 January 2018.
In a first for the museum, this major exhibition explores the life of Sir Terry Pratchett and will give a privileged insight into the man who created some of literature’s most enduringly popular fantasy worlds and characters.
Rob Wilkins, manager of Sir Terry’s estate said, ‘The global success of his work and the outpouring of affection for Terry during his life and after his death highlight the importance of this exhibition. Terry left behind so many words, into which this exhibition will provide a tantalizing window into their creator and the private space in which they were created.’
‘Terry relished the opportunity to connect with his readers and we have no doubt that this opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves wholly in his life and work, and to be able view some of his treasured possessions, from his Knightly sword to his Blue Peter badge, would have both delighted and amused him.’
The exhibition will feature artwork by Terry himself, and over 40 stunning original paintings and drawings by Paul Kidby, Terry’s artist of choice. Paul has designed the Discworld book jackets since 2002 and has illustrated many Discworld publications including the 2001 novella The Last Hero and The Art of Discworld.
Paul said, ‘It has been really exciting selecting some of my favourite Discworld paintings for the ‘Terry Pratchett: HisWorld’ exhibition. Many of the artworks are from Terry’s own personal collection and have not been previously exhibited. It is therefore a real honour to be able to show them together for the first time in the galleries of the museum in Salisbury, my home city. Visitors will be able to see many of their favourite Discworld illustrations up close and personal and celebrate the wonderful legacy of a great author who has inspired so many, including me!’.
Paul’s work will also feature in an exhibition ‘Paul Kidby: The Charmed Realm’, which will run alongside the ‘HisWorld’ exhibition, from 2 September 2017 to Saturday 6 January 2018, featuring Paul’s illustrations from the book by Paul and his wife Vanessa.
This image-rich exhibition, will also include an exclusive opportunity to see work by Josh Kirby who first illustrated the Discworld. Terry said, ‘I only invented the Discworld, Josh created it.’ The images created first by Josh Kirby and then by Paul Kidby, have helped bring Terry’s world of fantasy and its characters to life, encouraging readers to pick up the books, tempted by their amazing covers.
Rob Wilkins added, ‘We are delighted with this unique look into Terry’s world. This exhibition builds upon Paul’s definitive and breath-taking vision of Terry’s work, and will give readers old and new an insight into both his creative endeavours, spanning his entire career, as well as his life away from the keyboard.’
The star of the show will be a full-size recreation of Terry’s office – known as The Chapel – quite literally the place where so many of his books began their life. For the visitor, this represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Terry’s world as he worked and the objects in situ with which he chose to surround himself.
There will be many firsts:
The chance to see Terry’s first published short story – The Hades Business – prepared as a piece of homework but typed up by his aunt and submitted to Science Fantasy magazine. The story yielded the princely sum of £14, which Terry used to buy his first typewriter, an Imperial 58. This typewriter will be on public display for the first time.
A new commission from Paul Kidby
The first chance to see Paul Kidby’s design for a statue of Terry, which will go on display in Salisbury
The first opportunity to see Paul Kidby’s ‘Great A’Tuin’ owned by Terry, which has never been on display before
To be able to hold this exhibition at Salisbury Museum is very relevant to Terry’s story. Terry moved to what he described as a ‘Domesday manorette’ near Salisbury in 1993. His affinity with the Chalke Valley is reflected in the books he wrote. He drew on his personal experiences and fascination with the chalk downland when creating his characters and stories, especially the Tiffany Aching novels. Terry was also a patron of a number of local causes and was actively involved with local communities.
I am delighted to announce that a collection of my Charmed Realm illustrations featuring faerie folk and mythical creatures will be exhibited at Salisbury Museum.
Please note: This will run alongside the Terry Pratchett Hisworld Exhibition but will open two weeks earlier.
Southampton City Art Gallery is putting on the first ever large-scale exhibition on the subject of British castles showcasing historic and contemporary castle artists including loans from the Tate, British Museum, V&A and the Government Art Collection.
I am delighted and honoured be included in such a prestigious collection with my pencil Discworld illustrations of Lancre Castle & The Tower of Art.
This year I have been busy with my pencils drawing new covers for Terry Pratchett’s ‘Tiffany Aching’ series of novels.
The publishers Penguin Random House have now revealed all five covers.
The Wee Free Men will be available April 27th and the remaining four books will be out May 25th.
The books also have an especially commissioned Map of the Chalk on the end pages and new NacMac Feegle illustrations on the back covers.
Bronze Bust of Sir Terry Pratchett Revealed
The Terry Pratchett Estate and myself have unveiled the finished bronze bust of author Sir Terry Pratchett. The bust will serve as the basis for a life-size sculpture of the world-famous author to be displayed in his home city of Salisbury.
Rob Wilkins, Managing Director of the author’s estate said, “It’s immensely gratifying to see Terry so beautifully immortalised by his artist of choice, Paul Kidby.”
The bust was sculpted by myself from a hard oil-based clay called Chavant. It was then cast at Sculpture Castings, in Basingstoke, by skilled foundry artisans using the lost wax process.
I began sculpting in August 2016. I had the basic design in my head before I started and had looked at lots of historical busts for inspiration. The sculpting process took me three months, from the loose blocking-in stage through to the finishing details. I wanted to make sure I was happy that I had captured his likeness before I added the final elements such as his glasses (which were very fiddly to make) and trademark hat.
I would like to think Terry would be happy with the idea of having a bronze bust made of himself. I hope it would have amused him and been a useful bookend in his office.
The bust also serves as a detailed study to allow me to prepare to undertake a full-sized sculpture of him, a maquette of which, will be one of my next projects.
Plans for the statue were greenlit by Salisbury City Council last year, following an online petition for a memorial of the author, set up by fan Emily Brand, which garnered nearly 10,000 signatures.
Rob Wilkins added, “Terry never wanted to be the centre of attention, but often joked that a statue in his memory would at least offer pigeons somewhere comfortable to sit.”
Wee Free Men Gift Edition
I was delighted to be asked by Penguin Random House to create new cover artwork for a special hardback gift edition of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. The dauntless young witch Tiffany Aching is one of my favourite Discworld characters so it was a real joy to revisit this story.
I have also illustrated exclusive new endpages for this book and a new rendition of Nac Mac Feegle Rob Anybody for the back cover, in addition to my original chapter headings.
