Page 13 - Musker McIntyre

MEET WRITER & ILLUSTRATOR
James Mayhew
I’m a Suffolk boy at heart. Although life and work has taken me to many other parts of the UK, Suffolk has always been calling me back...
When I was a child I always drew, and loved exploring
the Suffolk countryside, sketchbook in hand. I think I got my love of stories from my family, who often retold tales and legends about Bungay.
My grandparents ran The Fleece in Bungay during the 1940s; my mother and her two younger brothers grew up there, and, later, loved to scare me with tales of the mysterious “Grey Lady” who
haunted them, and, of course, “The Black Dog Of Bungay”. They filled my young head with myths and imaginings, so it was, perhaps, inevitable I’d end up writing and illustrating for a career. I’ve been creating picture books for young children for over thirty years now, but it’s still a thrill to see an idea grow into a book, and to send it out into the world. I don’t work digitally, all my illustrations are drawn, painted and created by hand.
It’s often said that the big skies and gentle light are good for artists, and certainly the region is full of them. When I decided to make the move back to East Anglia, Bungay was top of my list.
One of the things I love about living here is the strong sense of community. Writing and illustrating can be a solitary career,
but here I am surrounded by other creatives and good friends; everyone is so friendly and welcoming. It’s one of the reasons why I try to get involved in community projects like the Dog-Eared Children’s Book Festival. Together with illustrator Pam Smy we established this festival last year at the town’s Fisher Theatre. It’s the first children’s book festival in the region, and it’ll be back in June 2023, bigger and even better.
Last year also saw the first ever Black Shuck festival, celebrating the famous legend, which I opened with a new narrative poem retelling the story. It’s hoped this will become an annual festival too, celebrating the folk-lore and stories of the region, and taking place on or around August 4th, the anniversary of the Black Dog visitation in 1577.
My latest book is a collaboration with my Spanish husband Toto, who, when
he’s not cooking his famous tapas for local customers
is an accomplished artist in his own right. The book is an inclusive fairy tale called The Frog’s Kiss, and published on May 11th 2023.
Life here is rich and wonderful - I know I’m very lucky.
Twitter: @mrjamesmayhew Instagram: @mrjamesmayhew Website: www.jamesmayhew.co.uk
Toto’s Tapas: www.facebook.com/TotosTapas/
PAGE 13 | THE MUSKERTEER | JAMES MAYHEW