James Jarvis (born London, 1970) is a British

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...

and

toy A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...

designer A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans. In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exp ...

, a pioneer of the soft vinyl designer toy revolution. Beginning as a designer for the fashion company Silas, Jarvis now creates characters at his own company, Amos Toys, each character with its own personality and background world.

Education

Jarvis was educated at

Dulwich College Dulwich College is a 2–19 independent, day and boarding school for boys in Dulwich, London, England. As a public school, it began as the College of God's Gift, founded in 1619 by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, with the original purpose of ...

, London. After a

foundation course A foundation course is a preparatory course for university-level art and design education, used particularly in the United Kingdom. Description A foundation course is a one or two-year preparatory course for school-leavers who want to qualify for ...

Chelsea College of Arts 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 educati ...

he went on to study illustration at the

University of Brighton The University of Brighton is a public university based on four campuses in Brighton and Eastbourne on the south coast of England. Its roots can be traced back to 1858 when the Brighton School of Art was opened in the Royal Pavilion. It achieve ...

(1990–1993) and took a master's degree in illustration at 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 offe ...

(1993–1995).

Career

*1994: freelance illustrator *1998: begins collaboration with London fashion company Silas, designing a moulded plastic toy, Martin *1999: more Silas toys, Evil Martin and Bubba Silas *2000: exhibition at PARCO Gallery, Tokyo, later at

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...

, of 'World of Pain', an imaginary environment invented for Silas *2000: ''World of Pain'' comic launched *2000: new toy Tattoo-Me Keith, for Silas *2001: Lars World of Pain, for Silas *2002: Juvenile Delinquents characters for Sony Capsule Toy *2002: book ''James Jarvis Drawings'' published *2002: With Sofia Prantera and Russell Waterman (directors of Silas), sets up Amos Toys *2003: three sets of ''In-Crowd'' toys for Amos: Forever Sensible Motorcycle Club, Ages of Metal and Zombies *2003-2007: King Ken (ape icon), Vortigern's Machine, the Great Sage of Wisdom, Tales From Green Fuzz, Rusty, Wiggs, Yod's Micro Theatre of Dreams *August 2006: with Liberty of London, creates Vortigern's Machine and The Great Sage of Wisdom displays in the menswear department of Liberty's Regent Street, London, store *January 2007: exhibition at ''Festival International de la Bande Dessinee'',

Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a communes of France, commune, the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Charente Departments of France, department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern Franc ...

, France *March 2007: launches blogspot at jamesjarvis.blogspot.com: "An insight into artistic genius, or the rantings of a madman on the road to oblivion? You decide!" *April 2007: runs in

Zürich Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

*April 2011: Collaborated with Coca-Cola for their 125th Anniversary *February 2012: 'Fifty-Two Spheres' - solo Exhibition at Beach London Gallery, Shoreditch *June 2013: 'Objects in Space' - solo Exhibition at Beach London Gallery, Shoreditch *''James Jarvis Drawings'' (Relax Book, Tokyo, 2002) *''Vortigern's Machine and the Great Sage of Wisdom'' (Amos Novelties Ltd, 2006) *'' Yodzine'' (Amos Novelties Ltd, 2007) *''Selected Drawings'' (Amos Novelties Ltd, 2008)

References

1970 births Living people People educated at Dulwich College Alumni of the University of Brighton Alumni of the Royal College of Art British illustrators {{illustrator-stub