From figurative painting and installation to illustration and picture-book making, Oliver Jeffers' work takes many forms. His distinctive paintings have been exhibited in multiple cities, including Lazaride Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Brooklyn Museum and Spring Break Fair (Armory Week) in New York, and Gestalten Space in Berlin.
Oliver has sold over 10 million picture books — including Here We Are, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, This Moose Belongs to Me, The Day Crayons Quit and its sequel The Day The Crayons Came Home (both #1 NYTimes Bestsellers) and Once Upon an Alphabet — have been translated into over 30 languages. Working in collaboration with Studio AKA, Oliver's second book Lost and Found was developed into an animated short film that has received over sixty awards, including a BAFTA for Best Animated Short Film. Picture book awards include the The Ragazzi Award for Fiction, The New York Times Best Illustrated Books, Smarties Award, Irish Book of the Year, The Red House Book Award, British Book Design Award, and The Blue Peter Book of the Year. Oliver won a NY Emmy in 2010 for his collaborative work with the artist and director Mac Premo. In 2013 Oliver co-directed with Mac Premo the video for Ordinary Love by U2, and more recently made art for, and helped art direct, U2's Innocence and Experience World Tour.
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Born in Belfast, 1977
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
For All We Know, Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York, NY
50 Observations on Modern Life, LAZ inc., London, UK
2018
Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books, National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, Abilene, TX
2016
Once There Was... The Wonderful World of Oliver Jeffers, Storybarn Literature Centre, Liverpool, UK
2015
Measuring Land and Sea, Lazarides Rathbone, London, UK
Once There Was... The Wonderful World of Oliver Jeffers, Cornwall College Camborne, Redruth, UK
10 Years of Lost and Found, The Illustration Cupboard, London, UK
2014
Once There Was... The Wonderful World of Oliver Jeffers, Discover Children's Story Centre, Stratford, UK
How to Catch a Star Original Art, Southbank Center, London, UK
Illuminations, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
2013
Nothing to See Here, Lazarides Rathbone, London, UK
2012
Here or There, Gestalten Space, Berlin, Germany
2010
The Art of Oliver Jeffers, Plop Galleria, Santiago, Chile
2006
Additional Information, 52 Hill Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2005
Lost and Found, No 1 Drawing Office, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Building (with OAR), The Switch Room, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Book (with OAR), 15 Nassau Street, New York, NY
2004
How to Catch a Star, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Book (with OAR), Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Lagan Weir, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2003
The Session, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2000
Boys at the Bar, The John Hewitt, Belfast, Northern Ireland
1999
A World With Coffer, Rocks Festival, Sydney, Australia
Opposites, Manley Gallery, Sydney, Australia
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018
Drawing (for) Europe, Institut Francais, London, UK
2017
99/1, Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center, Chicago, IL
2016
Wonderland, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY
The Original Art, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
Mind Storm, Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York, NY
A Decade of Lazarides, Lazarides Rathbone, London, UK
2015
The Drawing Hand Chapter 4, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris, France
Exhibition, Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra, CA
Spring Break Art Show, Skylight Moynihan, New York, NY
2014
Hive, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY
Pulp, The Outsiders Newcastle, Newcastle, UK
The Art of Elysium: Pieces of Heaven, Siren Studios, Los Angeles, CA
2013
The Exploded Mind of Mulholland Hwang, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY
2012
GO Brooklyn, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
The Original Art 2012, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
2011
Work/Space, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY
The Illustrators, The Gallery at Munro House, Leeds, UK
2010
If You Could Collaborate, A Foundation Gallery at Rochelle School, London, UK
Surrealism, David Turner Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Visions of the Future, Gallery Hanahou, New York, NY
2008
Panorama Project 3, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, London, UK
BP National Portrait Awards, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
2007
Building (with OAR), Project 4, Smithsonian Folk-Life Fest, Washington, D.C
2006
American Association of Illustrators Exhibition, Guild Hall, New York, NY
RUA Annual Exhibition, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2005
50x50, Habitat, Dublin, Ireland
2004
Change, Pixel Alliance, Church Lane Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland
12:12, Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
AWARDS
2017
British Council Alumni Award
Bologna Book Fair Bolognaragazzi Award
Academy of British Cover Design Best Children's Book Cover
2016
Star of the North Award
CBI Book of the Year Shortlist
Parents' Choice Gold Medal Award
Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award
California Yound Reader Medal
2015
Irish Book of the Year Award
CBI Book of the Year Award
CBI Book of the Year Awards Children's Choice Award
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
Red House Children's Book Award
UKLA Book Award
Texas Bluebonnet Award
2014
E.B. White Read Aloud Award
AIR Serenenbe, Artist in Residence, Serenebe, GA
Katie Grennaway Medal (shortlist)
CBI Book of the Year Children's Choice Award
CBI Book of the Year Award (shortlist)
ALA Notable Book Award
Children's Book Council Children's Choice Book Awards
The Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts Inaugural Hay Medal for an Outstanding Body of Work
2013
Orbil Prize Best Illustrated Book
CBI Book of the Year Awards Honour Award for Illustration
2012
CBI Book of the Year Awards
Honour Award for Illustration Irish Book Awards
Junior Children's Book of the Year
The New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Books
2011
V&A 2011 Book Illustration Award
Kate Greenaway Medal (shortlist)
2010
New York Emmy Award, Commercial: Single Spot New York Emmy Award, Graphics
British Book Design and Production Awards
Kate Greenaway Medal (shortlist)
2007
Irish Children's Book of the Year
British Book of the Year (shortlist)
Redhouse Award (shortlist)
BBC Blue Peter Book of The Year Award
BBC Blue Peter Best Book to Read Aloud
Kate Greenaway Award (shortlist)
Nestle Gold Medal Award for Lost and Found
CBI Bisto Award