For many years Anne Hodgkiss was an art teacher in the UK.  In 1993 she and her husband Brian left for Turin, Italy, where Brian is now a professor at one of the city's universities.  Anne is now a full time illustrator, and as well as collaborating with David on each of his poetry books she has also provided illustrations for several Italian editions of classic English stories and novels.  

Even with this busy creative schedule Anne still finds time to design and make costumes for the annual carnival for the good Italian people of the village north of Turin where she and Brian now live.

David reckons Anne is the ideal illustrator: "...her drawings are brill, they're always done on time and she never grumbles or argues if particular pictures are altered or not used.  Also if she doesn't think much of my poems, she's far to nice to say so!"

From the very beginning Anne and David wanted their work to be shared and equal.  They wanted the pages of each book to look busy and alive with poems and illustrations on almost every page, rather than have the odd picture used because there was space to fill.  This gives the books' designers many headaches but it's a tribute to their skill and patience that while the pages look full they never appear cramped.

Interesting Illustrator Fact:  While David's more than happy to have his photograph slapped all over the covers of his books, Anne insists she will only have drawings of herself included.  True to her art to the last!

Click here to see never before seen illustrations!!