Satoshi Kitamura

"[In] a good book, honest work is the most important ingredient."

   Born in Tokyo in 1956, from a young age Satoshi Kitamura enjoyed reading comics and illustrated novels. Without any formal training, at 19 he started his career working in advertising as an artist, eventually making his way to London.

   Whilst there, Mr. Klaus Flugge from publisher Andersen Press [imprint of Random House] encountered Satoshi's work at an exhibition at Neal Street Gallery in Covent Garden. Taken by his work, Klaus Flugge commissioned Satoshi Kitamura to illustrate Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram. The result? The Mother Goose Award for the Most Exciting Newcomer to Illustration in 1983. Returning from Japan to collect the award, Satoshi has been based in London ever since.

   Having lived in the UK now for over two decades, his illustrations show both Eastern and Western influences. Anyone familiar with Satoshi's books recognises his moody London streetscapes and wide-eyed expressive 'friends'. His work to date includes over 20 of his own books he has written & illustrated and countless more to which he has contributed as illustrator.

   Satoshi Kitamura's output hasn't been confined to children's picture books however. His illustrations can also be found anywhere from award winning signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital, Eureka! Children's museum in Halifax, posters for the Tokyo Underground, poetry anthologies, a Japanese stationery range and more...

Satoshi translates all of his own work in Japanese and had also translated other authors' books for the Japanese market. This includes the famous Elmer the Elephant series by David McKee, short stories by Welsh writer Leslie Norris and the comic work Invasion by Tom Gauld.

   In May 2001, The Illustration Cupboard held a highly successful solo retrospective of Satoshi Kitamura's work in London. In September 2003 a second exhibition followed, this time a joint exhibition with Babette Cole titled Two of a Kind. His original artwork is regularly displayed at the Illustration Cupboard's annual Winter show and is occasionally available for purchase.