Wednesday 9 December 2009



Here's something that I couldn't shake from my head, so I put it on paper... and then into my mac...
ELMCROFT ON RHYS

Whilst I was very impressed by his illustration prowess and sense of humour and ignoring his cavalier approach to home security and personal hygiene, I have to say that it was when I observed him flying like a daddy-long-legs that I knew I'd found a kindred spirit in Rhys.

Upon examining my feet, a bed-ridden gypsy had once suggested that such an encounter would come to pass. I dismissed it at the time as fanciful gibberish and demanded my money back to which she/he responded by cursing my chin. To this day I am only able to grow stubble on one side, but this, of course, is how we learn our lessons in life, is it not?

Be it serendipity, fate or just pure chance it seems to me that our meeting was meant to be and although he rarely offers me the last piece of chocolate I have few complaints.


RHYS ON ELMCROFT

When Elmcroft first approached me to illustrate his books I was at once flattered, excited and terrified. Flattered because I find his writing to be almost simultaneously wonderful, profound, insightful, moving, imaginative and nauseating, excited because I could see the potential for my career to blossom with such a collaboration and terrified because I happened to be in the bath at the time and under the impression that I'd locked all appropriate doors and windows.

Working with him has become something of a nightmarish/joyful habit and at times I find it quite hard to remember life without him whilst at others I'd be more than happy to return to to those halcyon, cuckoo clock days.

I feel as though I've known him all my life, and perhaps I have, but whilst we have our ups and downs, overall I'm glad he disturbed my ablutions all those years ago.