Hannah May Firmin, is an illustrator

Illustrator

An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...

 and printmaker. She is most famed for illustrating the book covers of Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...

's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of twelve novels by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective...

series for which she was awarded "Book Cover of the Year" at the British Book Awards 2004.

Biography

Hannah is the second daughter of Peter Firmin

Peter Firmin

Peter Arthur Firmin is an English artist and animator. He was the founder of Smallfilms, along with Oliver Postgate. Between them they created a number of popular children's TV programmes, The Saga of Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers, Bagpuss and Pogles' Wood.-Early life:He trained at...

, co-creator with the late Oliver Postgate

Oliver Postgate

Oliver Postgate was an English animator, puppeteer and writer.He was the creator and writer of some of Britain's most popular children's television programmes...

, of the children's television programmes  Pingwings

Pingwings

Pingwings was an animated black-and-white children's television series of 18 ten-minute episodes broadcast in the UK on ITV in 1961. It first aired on Southern Television. Created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin of Smallfilms, it starred a family of penguin-like creatures who lived at the back...

, Pogles' Wood

Pogles' Wood

Pogles' Wood was an animated British Children's television series produced by Smallfilms between 1966 and 1967 and screened by the BBC between 1966 and 1968 as part of the Watch with Mother series. The Pogles were tiny country folk who lived in a tree...

, Noggin the Nog

Noggin the Nog

Noggin the Nog is a popular British children's character appearing in his own TV series and series of illustrated books, the brainchild of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. The TV series is considered a 'cult classic' from the golden age of British children's television...

, Ivor the Engine

Ivor the Engine

Ivor the Engine is a British children's animation by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin's Smallfilms company. It is a children's television series relating the adventures of a small green locomotive who lived in the "top left-hand corner of Wales" and worked for The Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway...

, Clangers

Clangers

Clangers is a popular British stop-motion animated children's television series of short stories about a family of mouse-like creatures who live on, and in, a small blue planet . They speak in whistles, and eat green soup supplied by the Soup Dragon...

and Bagpuss

Bagpuss

Bagpuss is a 1974 UK children's television series, made by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate through their company Smallfilms. The title character is "an old, saggy cloth cat, baggy, and a bit loose at the seams"...

.

She grew up in Blean, Kent, before moving to London to attend Chelsea College of Art, and then The Royal College of Art in 1981. Since then she has worked as a freelance illustrator for books, magazines, newspapers and for advertising and design companies.

In 2004 Hannah was awarded the award for "best book cover" at the British Book Awards for her work on Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...

's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". She has illustrated the covers for the 10 books in the series, to critical acclaim. With McCall Smith, Hannah Firmin has supported the literacy charity Book Aid International

Book Aid International

Book Aid International is an NGO that exists to encourage literacy and access to books particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East by distributing books to libraries and other locations that increase community access. Book Aid International currently work in 12 countries in sub-Shahran...

, donating an illustrated McCall Smith story for auction.

Hannah Firmin tends to work in the printing media, numbering among her influences the work of both Indian and African relief printers.
http://www.looktothestars.org/news/1392-british-stars-sign-favorite-books-for-africa

Hannah has two children and lives in Buckinghamshire.

External links

• Images of Delight: Hannah Firmin
• Exhibiting at Stewart Linford Luxury in wood High Wycombe http://www.stewartlinford.co.uk/news11.htm