John Shelley (illustrator)
John Shelley (ジョン・シェリー） is an award-winning British-born illustrator, particularly noted for his work in Japan.Career
John Shelley grew up in Sutton Coldfield before studying illustration at Bournville School of Art and Manchester Polytechnic under Tony Ross. His first children's trade picture book The Secret in the Matchbox published by André Deutsch and Farrar, Straus and Giroux was shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award in the UK and won a Parents' Choice Award in the US in 1989.
From 1987–2008, he lived in Tokyo, rising to prominence following a series of posters for Parco, the fashion retail chain of Seibu Department Stores, and animated TV commercials for Mitsubishi Estate Co. He received a Dentsu Ad Award for a Suntory Whisky newspaper ad in 1991, and a Nikkei Environmental Ad Award in 1993. From 2000–2007, he was Vice Chairman of the International Committee of the Japan Graphic Designers Association.
Children's Books
He has illustrated children's books for all age groups through publishers in the UK, Japan and the US, and has self-authored picture books published in Japan. He is a former Board member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
In 2002 the comic character "Brat" was launched in Japan on apparel, collectors figurines and a web comic.
Shelley returned to the UK in 2008 following the death of his wife, and currently lives in Norfolk.
Sources
FEN Guide November 1991
Mainichi Shimbun Face No.330 2004
September 2004
The Communicator February 2002
