Writer and illustrator Ian Woodward Falconer, recognised for his “Olivia” e book collection for children, has died.
Falconer’s law firm and agent Conrad M. Rippy said Falconer died Tuesday of natural will cause while with spouse and children in Norwalk, Connecticut. He was 63.
Falconer’s “Olivia” textbooks featured a clever piglet with a terrific creativity named Olivia, a character he designed for his youthful niece in 1996. Loved ones customers and good friends inspired him to hold doing work on the character.
He turned down publishers who preferred the text be prepared by an exterior creator. “I am fearful my self-importance wouldn’t allow for me to relegate myself to ‘illustrated by,’” he reported. “I also imagined my instincts about the story ended up, if unpolished, correct, and had happened organically with the pictures.”
The first book in the collection, known as “Olivia,” was revealed in 2000. It stayed on the New York Situations bestseller record for more than a yr, was awarded the Caldecott Honor and has bought above 10 million copies.
He wrote and illustrated seven sequels, the very last of which was “Olivia the Spy” in 2017.
In 2022, he printed a new ebook for young children named “Two Dogs.” He told National General public Radio last 12 months the figures, a pair of dachshunds named Perry and Augie, were being inspired by his nephews.
Falconer was also a designer of sets and costumes for ballet and opera corporations close to the earth which includes quite a few productions by the New York Metropolis Ballet. He also designed 30 journal handles for The New Yorker.
Falconer was born Aug. 25, 1959, in Ridgefield, Connecticut, examined artwork record at New York College for two decades and then enrolled as a painter at the Parsons College of Layout. He transferred to the Otis Artwork Institute in Los Angeles and commenced functioning with artist David Hockney, aiding him in his stage opera patterns.
Falconer is survived by his mother Sandy and sisters Tonia and Tory, as nicely as nieces and nephews Olivia, Ian, August, Perry and Will.
