Lynne Russell

Lynne graduated with a Fine Art degree from Wimbledon School of Art, tutored by Magi Hambling. In her final year, she won Winsor & Newton prize for painting in the 'New Contemporaries' exhibition at the ICA.

After a few years of painting, exhibiting, teaching and working as a mural artist, she undertook a Post-Grad Illustration diploma at St. Martins School of Art.

The first children's book she illustrated became a global bestseller. Entitled 'One Smiling Grandma' (pub. Heinemann UK/Penguin USA), it was nominated for the Kate Greenaway award, on the SATs list for 2 consecutive years and included in the Society of Illustrators 'Best of Children's Picture Book Illustration' exhibition in New York City.

Lynne went on to illustrate many more picture books published by various international publishers including Penguin, Francis Lincoln, Dorling Kindersley and Heinemann International. Editorial clients included Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, IPC Magazines, The Mail on Sunday and the World Wildlife Fund. She also illustrated a nationwide advertising campaign for Royal Caribbean Cruise Holidays and one for British Airways.

After a few years working as an illustrator Lynne took up a long held ambition to live and paint in San Cristobel de las Casas Chiapas, Mexico, as an artist in residence for Na Bolom cultural museum. Here she painted the indigenous population of Oaxaca and Chiapas. She has exhibited her work in Mexico, in Miami during Art Basel and in various places in London including Mayfair for the Venice-in-Peril exhibition. Alongside exhibiting, she has undertaken many portrait commissions in both the UK and the USA.

More recently Lynne wrote her first two illustrated children's books. She developed a literacy and art based workshop to run alongside these books which she has now taught in many Primary Schools.

Lynne had surgery to remove a brain tumour nine years ago. Last year she helped advise the Brain Tumour Charity on developing their inaugural exhibition at Islington Design Centre and exhibited paintings created for the show depicting her experience.

Travel has always been a source of inspiration in Lynne's work, in particular Fiestas. This year she plans to travel to Mexico and complete a series of paintings of The Day of The Dead fiesta with an exhibition in the pipeline of this and her Venice Carnival paintings.