Hannah May Firmin, (born 24 March 1956) is an illustrator and printmaker. She is notable for illustrating the book covers of

Alexander McCall Smith Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE (born 24 August 1948), is a British writer. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law an ...

's ''

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ''The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'' is a series of novels by Alexander McCall Smith set in Botswana and featuring the character Mma Precious Ramotswe. The series is named after the first novel, published in 1998. Twenty-two novels have been p ...

'' series for which she was awarded "Book Cover of the Year" at the British Book Awards 2004.

Biography

Firmin is the second daughter of

Peter Firmin Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

, co-creator with the late

Oliver Postgate Richard Oliver Postgate (12 April 1925 – 8 December 2008), generally known as Oliver Postgate, was an English animator, puppeteer, and writer. He was the creator and writer of some of Britain's most popular children's television progra ...

, of the children's television programmes ''

Pingwings ''Pingwings'' was an animated black-and-white children's television series, comprising 18 ten-minute episodes, broadcast in the United Kingdom on ITV in three series of six programmes each, between 1961 and 1965. It first aired on Southern Telev ...

'', ''

Pogles' Wood ''Pogles' Wood'' (in its first series it was entitled ''The Pogles'') is an animated British children's television show produced by Smallfilms between 1965 and 1967, first broadcast by the BBC between 1965 and 1968 (but repeated regularly until t ...

'', ''

Noggin the Nog ''Noggin the Nog'' is a fictional character appearing in a TV series (of the same name, originally broadcast 1959–1965 and 1982) and a series of illustrated books (published 1965–1977), created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. The TV seri ...

'', ''

Ivor the Engine ''Ivor the Engine'' is a British cutout animation television series created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin's Smallfilms company. It follows the adventures of a small green steam locomotive who lives in the "top left-hand corner of Wales" ...

'', ''

Clangers ''Clangers'' (usually referred to as ''The Clangers'') is a British stop motion, stop-motion children's television series, consisting of short films about a family of mouse, mouse-like creatures who live on, and inside, a small moon-like planet ...

'' and ''

Bagpuss ''Bagpuss'' is a British animated children's television series which was made by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate through their company Smallfilms. The series of thirteen episodes was first broadcast from 12 February to 7 May 1974. The title ch ...

''. She grew up in Blean, Kent, before moving to London to attend

Chelsea College of Art Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London based in London, United Kingdom, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation. It offers further and higher educat ...

, and then

The Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It off ...

in 1981. Since then she has worked as a freelance illustrator for books, magazines, newspapers and for advertising and design companies. In 2004 Firmin was awarded the award for "best book cover" at the British Book Awards for her work on

's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". She has illustrated the covers for the ten books in the series, to critical acclaim. With McCall Smith, Firmin has supported the literacy charity

Book Aid International Book Aid International is a UK registered charity which provides books and supports libraries in Africa and around the world. Every year the charity sends books to public and community libraries as well as libraries in prisons, refugee camps, hospi ...

, donating an illustrated McCall Smith story for auction. She tends to work in the printing media, numbering among her influences the work of both Indian and African relief printers

Firmin has two children and lives in Wales.

External links

*
Exhibiting at Stewart Linford Luxury in wood High Wycombe
English illustrators People from Blean 1956 births Living people Alumni of Chelsea College of Arts Alumni of the Royal College of Art {{UK-illustrator-stub