#Performances
#About the event
Matt Ottley works across the mediums of visual art, music, and literature, and writes scores for his picture books as part of his Sound of Picture Books initiative. His latest offering, The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness, brings together these mediums into one breath-taking experience. In conversation with Sarah Davis, Matt discusses his process for developing his multi-media creations, and how his experiences with mental health are interwoven through his work.
#Series supported by
#Artists
Matt Ottley
Matt Ottley is an acclaimed and multiple award-winning author and illustrator. His most recent picture book, How to make a bird (with Meg McKinlay), was the winner of the CBCA's Picture Book of the Year Award and joint winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Children's Literature.
As a composer, and an Endorsed Yamaha musician, Matt has written scores for many of his picture books, which have been performed by orchestras and musicians across Australia and internationally as part of his Sound of Picture Books initiative.
His new release picture book for adults/young-adults, The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness, is a groundbreaking, large-scale multi-modal project weaving together the worlds of literature, music and visual art in the poignant story of one boy's journey into mental illness and contains a 50-minute symphonic work for full orchestra and 40 voice choir.
Sarah Davis
Sarah Davis is a multiple award-winning illustrator, and associate art director for Walker Books Australia. She won the CBCA Crichton Illustration Award for her first picture book, Mending Lucille, in 2009, and since then has gone on to illustrate over 50 titles, in a range of styles and genres. She has an Honours degree in literature, and her love of language and narrative underpins her illustration work. With each project she experiments with new ways to construct visual narratives, working across a range of media. Sarah has collaborated with many major publishing houses and commercial clients across Australia, New Zealand, the USA and the UK. An experienced presenter with a teaching background, she regularly speaks at schools, festivals and universities throughout Australia and internationally. Sarah is also proud to be an ambassador for Room to Read.
