Graham Howells - Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

Meet the Author
My story begins a long time ago, in a land far, far away – a land
of mystery and enchantment called Belgium. It was there, in
Antwerp, that I was born, but the whole world waited to be
explored, and it was not long before I set out on my adventures.
From Antwerp I made my way to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf,
then Malaysia, Singapore, a small town in Warwickshire,
and Berlin in Germany, before eventually making my way to
Pembroke Dock. My travels had lasted ten years but it was time
to settle down and go to secondary school.
In all my years of travelling I had been drawing constantly, and
in school in Pembroke that didn’t change. Over the next few
years I experienced ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’, I saw
the planet Tatooine for the first time, and I followed two hobbits
to Mordor. After that, nothing was the same.
I soon discovered that Pembrokeshire was magical; fairies were
said to live on an
island just off the
coast and accounts
of miracles were
everywhere. When I
went to Art College
I found I could take
the magic with me,
and over the next few
years I tried to share
it through my work.
Since college I have
made my way in
the world through
painting pictures. It
has kept me busy
but I did find time
to get married. We
have two sons, a fat
goldfish and a very
nasty hamster.
gwales.com
LLYFRAU AR-LEIN BOOKS ON-LINE
2009
Graham Howells
Meet the Author Questionnaire
Graham Howells
Where were you born and brought up?
I was born in Antwerp, Belgium. My dad
was in the army and we moved around
the world with him. I lived in Singapore,
Malaysia, Germany and a few other
places in between. When I was 10 we
moved to Pembroke Dock.
Where did you go to school? I went
to Bush Comprehensive School in
Pembroke.
What did you particularly like and
dislike about school? I liked Art mostly,
and English. I didn’t like Games much
because we had to play rugby and the
pitch was either really muddy or frozen
rock-hard (and I wasn’t any good at it).
What makes you happy? Doing any of
my hobbies, seeing my children enjoying
themselves, and working on any book
with magic in it.
What makes you angry? I get angry
when people are cruel to each other, or
to animals, and when they don’t show
respect for the environment.
When did you start to illustrate books?
In school I made up my own stories and
I illustrated them. When I was in college
I started to illustrate ‘real’ books that you
could find in a book-shop.
Do you find it easy to illustrate books
for children? If it’s fun then it’s easy, and
illustrating children’s books is great fun.
What did you want to be, as a child?
I wanted to be Rolf Harris (when I was
young I thought he was the best artist in
the world), or an astronaut.
From where do you get your ideas?
Places give me ideas, and their stories
and legends. I get a lot of ideas when
I’m walking in the countryside.
What was your favourite book as a
child? The book was a collection of fairy
tales which had really lovely illustrations
in it. Later I read The Lord of the Rings.
Middle-Earth seemed like Pembrokeshire
and that made me go out walking in the
countryside looking for magic.
Are there any themes/subjects that
appeal to you especially? I especially
like the themes of myth and magic. I’ve
spent a lot of time painting all sorts of
magical creatures.
Do you have any hobbies? Cycling,
reading, watching films, walking along
the Pembrokeshire coast, drawing in my
sketchbook, travelling abroad, eating
tasty vegetarian food.
If someone else likes what you do,
then that’s a bonus. Drawing from
imagination is great fun, but also draw
things you see around you because that
will improve your drawing skills.
Is there something you would like to
change about yourself? It would be
nice to be able to fly and to breathe
under water.
What is your favourite food? Vegetable
curry (not too hot).
What makes you laugh? Being tickled,
and programmes like You’ve Been Framed
where people fall over a lot (as long as
they don’t get hurt).
Are there any secrets that you’d like
to share with the children of Wales?
The most common dragon in Wales was
called a Gwiber and it had no legs.
Books written and illustrated by
Graham Howells (all the following books
are available in both English and Welsh):
Merlin’s Magical Creatures (Pont Books)
£8.99 Winner of the 2009 Tir na-nOg award
Creaduriaid Hud Myrddin Ddewin
(Gwasg Gomer) £8.99
Merlin Awakes (Pont Books) £4.99
Diwrnod i’r Dewin (Gwasg Gomer) £4.99
Here are some of the many books
illustrated by Graham Howells:
Stories of Welsh Life:
Rebecca’s Daughter
Captain Dan and the Ruby Ann
Straeon Bywyd Cymru:
Capten Dan a’r Ruby Ann
Merch Beca
Tales from Wales:
Stories of the Stones
Fairy Tales from Wales
Straeon Plant Cymru:
Meini Mawr Cymru
Straeon y Tylwyth Teg
(Gwasg Carreg Gwalch) all at £4.50
Llyfrau Hwyl Dwli/Dwli’s Fun Books:
Concro’r Byd/Around the World
Ar Daith/On the Move
Anifeiliaid/Animals
Cymru Gyfan/Wales All Over
(Gwasg Gomer) all at £3.50
Spellmakers (Pont Books) £4.99
Swynion (Gwasg Gomer) £2.25
Have you won any awards or
accolades? The Tir na n-Og award for
Merlin’s Magical Creatures in 2009.
Hiding Hopcyn (Pont Books) £3.50
Melangell (Gwasg Gomer) £3.50
What advice would you give someone
who is starting to illustrate? Firstly, do
it because you enjoy it.
Fabulous Celtic Beasts (Pont Books) £4.99
Creaduriaid Rhyfeddol (Gwasg Gomer)
£2.25