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Olivier is the resident
author/illustrator at Henwoodie. His first book, Eddy B, Pigboy was published in 1983 by Atheneum. Most of his inspiration comes from his love of animals (especially chickens and
pigs), archaeology and ancient architecture, his southern childhood, and
most strongly,
his mythical island world of Moel Eyris. Books such as Ravena, Mogwaogs
on the March, The Trow-Wifes, Treasure and Bear Noel show glimpses of Moel Eyris and its wonderful, eccentric
characters. |
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As a
painter and illustrator Olivier works in gouache - an opaque watercolor
medium. He puts the paint on the paper in layers, building up
texture and details. He works on handmade or mouldmade colored papers from France, Belgium, and Italy. As a watercolorist,
Olivier’s style is soft and detailed, painted on either hot press or cold press
watercolor paper.
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T
ips on Writing
As a writer it is important to
write about the things and people you care about. Write from the heart. Pay close attention to the details---both in your
writing and your illustrating. The most common mistake young writers tend to make is
leaving out all the exciting details. It is important to reread what has been written
closely and carefully. Make changes, edit yourself, and rewrite some more. The best
writing tip I can give to anyone who wants to be a good writer is: Listen to your words.
Let your ear tell you when something doesnt’t sound right. Read your writing aloud to
yourself, make a tape recording and let that be your rough draft if necessary. I have
learned the most about my own writing by reading what I have written aloud and listening
carefully to the rhythm and flow of my words and story. I trust my ear to tell me when a
word does not sound right, needs to be changed. I don’t worry about the technical
aspects of writing, that can always come later with editing and copy editing. I listen to
my words and want to hear if the words tell my story the way I want my story
told
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December 3, 2000 New
York Times Book Review
Peace Among the Animals |
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by Karen Leggett
Here
is ''Bear Noel,'' written and illustrated by Olivier Dunrea, a calming
book for a season that is anything but calm. A huge and jovial Bear
Noel tromps through the north woods, bringing Christmas to the animals
-- Hare and Wolf, Fox and Boar, Hedgehog and Possum. A refrain,
repeated on each page as each new animal is alerted, is perfect for
read-aloud merriment: ''He is getting nearer. . . . He is laughing. .
. . He is coming (whispered). . . . Who is coming? . . . Bear Noel!''
(shouted). The full beauty of Olivier Dunrea's book, however, is in
the details. Snow falls from the top of every page into the oblivion
of the snow-white bottom, sometimes gently yet other times so briskly
we can see the eyes and face of Fox braced against the cold. The snow
is thick and seemingly untouched, covering every branch and rock, but
there is still a hint of green moss on the side of a tree and
evergreens darkly etched against the night sky. The snow ''shimmers
and sparkles'' on the trees but lies ''hushed and silent'' on the
frozen ground. Dunrea matches word to image as each sensuous
illustration expands across the page. For a brief moment, the snow
stops as the animals feast at the small tree Bear Noel has decorated
with berries and nuts and seed balls. For a brief moment, says Bear
Noel, ''All creatures may come together without fear.'' It is
Christmas Eve. Hare stands on the back of Wolf. Fox protects Hedgehog.
Bear Noel jingles his bells. Here is the message of peace the season
is meant to convey. On the last page, we see only Bear Noel silently
disappearing into the snow. Does the peace among the animals last?
Could it? There is an unspoken invitation for the child to wonder.
Bear Noel is as simple, complex and elegant a story as each single
snowflake.
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The Trow-Wife's Treasure is Olivier’s book published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in March 1998. Currently, Olivier has done illustrations for two books which he did not
write: The Boy Who Loved to Draw by Barbara Brenner [Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston] and The
Rusty Trusty Tractor by Joy Cowley [Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale]. His next book project
that he has both written and illustrated is Bear Noel [Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York |
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The
Trow-Wife's Treasure [reviewed in Publisher’s Weekly, February 9, 1998]
Meticulously
yet unassumingly wrought in both text and art, this fairy tale possesses a distinct and
ancient flavor. Bracken van Eyck is more than content to tend his small farm and enjoy the
companionship of his loyal dog, Caleb, on a mythical European island. On a typical day,
"he worked in the fields. He played with Caleb and read his books. He helped his
neighbors if they needed him." And when a distraught trow-wife (a troll-like
creature) appears and asks Bracken’s help in finding her baby, who has been whisked
away by the wind, Bracken calmly assists her. The trow-wife thanks Bracken for his trouble
by presenting him with an unusual hen---one that will deliver a special treasure after a
year and a day. Dunrea’s (The Painter Who Loved Chickens) spare sentences
skillfully convey a colorful adventure, while the trow-wife’s dialect (Can thoo no
help me find me bairn?) signals her otherworldly spirit. Bracken’s good nature is the
star here; the man himself appears almost stoic, his facial features obscured by a
wide-brimmed brown hat and a bushy black beard. Precise gouache paintings of realistic
livestock, rocky landscapes and barnyard buildings of gray stone vividly depict the
isolated islander’s world. An exceptional page design sets words and pictures on
blue-gray ground, then frames both with slim red lines; these subtle elements suggest the
formality of a traditional tale. The trow-wife’s treasure becomes not just
Bracken’s, but the readers’. |
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You can read an interview with Olivier and
find his books online at Amazon.com.
Olivier's books are also available at Barnes
and Noble.com and Borders.com
Unfortunately (well, fortunately for us, anyway) Bear Noel has
sold out it's 1st and 2nd printings and the 3rd printing is available
only from Barnes and Noble at this point! Follow the link if you
are looking for a copy!
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