The Artful Dodger: Images and Reflections

by Nick Bantock

With sales of his Griffin & Sabine Trilogy surpassing three million copies, it's been said that Nick Bantock has created an original literary genre. Now he brings new meaning to the art of autobiography with The Artful Images and Reflections, in which he infuses the tale of his professional and artistic life with warmth and wit. The Artful Dodger surveys the vast and varied territory that Bantock's work from his English art-school days to paperback covers, pure abstract experimentation to pop-up books, Griffin & Sabine to his most recent work. Bantock's own words lend a highly personal, often revealing, always entertaining angle to more than 350 resplendent images. As rich in life as it is in art, The Artful Dodger reveals the creative range of a modern graphic master.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, Graphic Novels, Books About Books, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2000

About the author

Nick was schooled in England and has a BA in Fine Art (painting). He has authored 25 books, 11 of which have appeared on the best seller lists, including 3 books on The New York Times top ten at one time. Griffin & Sabine stayed on that list for over two years. His works have been translated into 13 languages and over 5 million have been sold worldwide. Once named by the classic SF magazine Weird Tales as one of the best 85 storytellers of the century. He has written articles and stories for numerous international newspapers and magazines. His Wasnick blogs are much followed on Facebook and Twitter. His paintings, drawings, sculptures, collages and prints have been exhibited in shows in UK, France and North America. In 2010 Nick's major retrospective exhibition opened at the MOA in Denver. His works are in private collections throughout the world. Nick has a lifetime BAFTA (British Oscar) for the CD-ROM game Ceremony of Innocence, created with Peter Gabriel's Real World, featuring Isabella Rossolini and Ben Kingsley. He has two iPad apps, Sage and The Venetian and is working on a third. Three of his books have been optioned for film and his stage play based on the Griffin & Sabine double trilogy premiered in Vancouver in 2006.

Produced artwork for more than 300 book covers (including works by Roth and Updike), illustrated Viking Penguin's new translation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He's designed theater posters for the London plays of Tom Stoppard and Alec Guinness.

For 20 years Bantock has spoken and read to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Given keynote and motivational speeches to corporations and teachers state conferences. He's given dramatic readings on the radio and the stage and has been interviewed (way too many times) for TV, radio and print.

Bantock has worked in a betting shop in the East End of London, trained as a psychotherapist, designed and built a house that combined an Indonesian temple and a Russian orthodox church with an English cricket pavilion and a New Orleans bordello. Between 2007 and 2010 was one of the twelve committee members responsible for selecting Canada's postage stamps.

Among the things Bantock can't do: Can't swim, never ridden a horse, his spelling is dreadful and his singing voice is flat as a pancake.

Source: Nick Bantock - profile

Reviews

[Justwinter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Bantock. Well, I won't be able to say anything about this artist/writer that will do him any justice.

He could publish the phone book and I'd buy it. He could type up a medicine label, I'd buy it. He could tell me the Brooklyn Bridge's for sale, I'd buy it.

The Artful Dodger is a wonderful collection of both his illustrative, sculptural and multi-media work.

It's incredible.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a man who thinks through images...an ability he feels is almost lost to us in this age of words. He suspects this is the cause of a sense of separation/dislocation in which we "drag our dreams behind us like dead weight."

The images he has created throughout his works (he is the author of Griffin and Sabine) are startling, complex, and archtypal. Cultures and time, humor and affront integrate in lush color and detail.

[Jami M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the biography I wanted, but the biography he wanted to give. I wasn’t expecting such fanciful writing but he is essentially a storyteller. This is the last book in my Nick Bantok binge. In some ways it was good to read all his books but in another way it destroyed the memory of my love affair with the Griffin and Sabine books. I think I will always be fond of his work and remember it as something I loved before I knew too much, read too much and studied too much. He has had a wonderful career of creating.

[Rene Low · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Nick takes us through his journey he discusses some of what inspires him and how these pushed him to create. He also points to threads that you can follow in your own life to find ideas and inspiration. Follow this absurd guide and you will likely end up with something surprising growing in your mind.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book from the author of the Griffin & Sabine Trilogy, which is great btw, on my coffee table for a long time. I would flip through it and look at the incredible artwork. Today I sat down and read it through. So interesting. Gives the background of the artist and how many of his published works came to be.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An art book melded with an autobiography. It's really a bit of reflection of his life, a little on Bantock's process, and what inspires him personally.

I got it from the library, and ultimately a work for his hardcover fans.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was way more than I wanted to know about Nick Bantock—interesting to a point, but it ran out of steam midway.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful exploration of his art evolution and process. Would like more about his life, too.

[Hannah Curnow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring! An incredible artist!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't know Bantock's art, this is a great way to learn... and if you do know his work, it's a wonderful celebration of what he's done. I had no idea he'd done cover art, or the pop-up books (and now I'm adding those to my To Be Bought list). His explanation of the thought and art process that went into the Griffin & Sabine books as well as his other work is just fascinating, and seeing some of the art again made me think about re-reading and re-viewing what I've read before.

A must buy/must read for the art lover in all of us.

[Sherry (sethurner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this book is more of an autobiography or more of a promotional tool for the prolific Bantock. Whichever it is, I was interested and entertained by his descriptions of his early life, and how he became involved in illustration, graphic design, and collage. The Artful Dodger is a good overview of his career, and provides some insight into the processes he has developed to create his mysterious and beautiful art.

[Violetmyst17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

an illustrated autobiography...Bantock weaves his way thru his life's path of how he came to create his unusual style of 3-D storytelling, and explores his creative process on each of the books he has published thus far. I have no desire to rush through this book...i relish learning about his creative process as well as reading his descriptions of his own work throughout the book.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

So inspiring. Makes me want to start playing with arting immediately. I will be looking for maps, stamps, and papers and paint for collage. A must read for anyone who has read other Nick Bantock books. A visual feast for the imagination.

[Kira Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but somehow, I was hoping for more fun, or more stories. This seemed stuffy, and I was expecting an experience more like The Forgetting Room.
This runs more like a museum catalog or college lecture, and I wish Bantock could have given us some of his mystical side, too.

[Amber the Human · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bantock wrote this after several of his books, but before he returned to the Griffin and Sabine story line. Answers some questions about why the library doesn't have all his books (as some of his publications listed on Amazon are actually card sets).

[Madelyn]

Who knows when I started this book. I'm always afraid to finish important books...

[Admira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaaaawwgeous...!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful retrospective of Nick Bantock's fascinating visual art. Inspired by dreams and intersections with cultural detritus, his collages create a visual world all their own.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Duende [the spirit of creativity] is a sweet bliss that will infiltrate the blood stream like toxin."

[K8e · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great biography of a great artist.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is autobiographical, and explores his inspirations, his art, his life.

[Moira · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, unique memoir, told as much in beautiful drawings and paintings as words.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book to add to your art library, especially if you enjoy collage and works in that style...

[Aneel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An autobiography with lots of art. It was entertaining to see someone who leans on serendipity as much as I do. I'm glad he's made such good use of the coincidences.

[Jo-Anne McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to look at it because of the upcoming workshop. Lovely to look at.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: goodreads won't recognize the hardcover edition of this book, which is what I have.

[Tycelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book of Nick Bantock's artistic journey, richly illustrated and inspirational.

[Russell Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only for the Bantock fan. Very interesting to see his thought process as he wrote/drew/created his books.

[Aaron Mcilhenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This like held my interest for a while, but I didn't really Like it. I want to read his actual books though

[Degan Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting series of exercises and ideas. I think I would like to own this one.