Piers Rawson

Piers Rawson: Artist/Illustrator/Writer living in France

Piers Rawson studied Classical period iconographic transmission, and became a freelance artist and photographer – taking in stage design, youth theatre work, artist residencies in schools, and writing about art along the way. He holds a PhD in the history of art. Besides writing and editing for the arts, he published Kevin’s Bogey in 2017, an illustrated story written to engage reluctant readers aged 8+.

Piers says: "The qualities that really interest me in the children’s books I love (and motivate my own writing) are:– daringness of approach in exploring children’s world view; quirky and original plotting that defies conventional expectation, without abandoning a coherent vision; lively wordplay; (sometimes dark) humour; a love of nature; and a sense of anger at injustice.

My childhood was spent in a decaying farmhouse near Oxford. It was not until I was seven that electricity and an indoor loo appeared in my life – but my home was full of love, cats and poltergeists. Later I studied Roman mythology and art, and became a freelance artist and photographer – taking in stage design, youth theatre work, writing about art, and artists’ residencies in schools along the way.