Quentin Blake, Art Buy the Inch and The Art of Giving

This morning I heard that Quentin Blake was giving a lecture at the Institute of Education in London about 125 miles away and I decided instantly that I had to be there.

My new friend, Drew Anderson (Millions of Hundred Dollar Ideas) is opening a gallery to sell 1 x 1 inch pieces of art in his hometown of Portland, Oregon (USA). He is pimping his sketchbook (at http://www.buymysketchbook.com/) to raise funds to fit out the gallery. Yesterday I decided to help him by working on my own sketch book and donating it for auction.

So this evening I found myself at the Institute, near Russell Square in London.

At the end of the engaging and educational lecture I humbly joined the que for autographs. I read Quentin Blake’s pictures as a child and read them now with my children – Roly Poly Birds, Vermicious Knids – the whole kit and caboodle. Quentin was wearing very cool white shoes, I was amazed how clean they were and complimented him on them. A real dude!

I didn’t have a book for him to sign (most people had a Roald Dahl one of some form or other) but asked for a doodle for my Moleskine – he was happy for me to offer it to Drew’s cause.

quentin blake zagazoo

Here it is. Its a beautiful picture. One of a kind. And I am giving it away! There are 99 pages left in the book for me to fill and I have a ridiculously high standard to reach. Maybe I will just give it to Drew as it is…

5 thoughts on “Quentin Blake, Art Buy the Inch and The Art of Giving”

  1. This story is so amazing! I’m still thinking it might be something nice for your kids to have when they get old enough to enjoy appreciate it.

    You rock Dan!

  2. Pingback: Quentin Blake
  3. When I was a kid we used to visit my uncle lou and he would give me a one pound note (remember those?) every time. I always, as a reflex refused to take it – an old guy like him needed the money more than a little kid. He was always guaranteed to say ‘No, I insist, take it’.

    I’m sure there is plenty of ink left in Quentins pen for another time!

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