CIA Cheltenham illustration awards

This year my work had been shortlisted by the jury of the Cheltenham illustration awards.

It has been exhibited in several exhibitions in the UK and going to be presented at the London Book Fair on April 18-20th! So if you are going to visit the fair, have a look at the exhibition:)

Manka series.

Manka is a name of semolina porridge in Russian.

All my friends had their own association with this porridge from the childhood. Mine are sleepy breakfasts in the kindergarden. This project is about a childhood, inner thoughts of a child and dreams. I felt pretty lonely in my childhood and this is a conversation with my inner child today.

It is a story about childhood and rituals. I love to remember those moments from childhood: how we went fishing with grandfather, how we would let fish swim in a basin at home - this was a ritual. To go to garage and pick old bamboo rod, to go on the tiny river.

Or to collect green sour apples in the garden and read a book late night eating kilos of this apples. Adult would always say that it is impossible to eat them, but I still remember one year when a big branch of the apple tree fall down in July with sour apples and I had a huge basket of green sour apples.

I remember how bright star were above the Moscow when I was little. One winter there was a big comet in the sky for many nights and I would watch it everyday.

My home was my fortress, surrounded by apple trees and lilac bushes, blooming in spring.

Childhood is a very magical time.

I am very touched that my work had been selected for the posters of the exhibitions, there is a home where I grew up on the drawing, and it makes it very special. I like how designers cut out stars to use them in the bottom part of the poster. 

Thank you, CIA!