Monica Walker (illustrator) facts for kids

Monica Walker was a talented writer and artist from the United Kingdom. She was active in the 1940s and 1950s, known for her illustrations and books, especially for children.

Early Life and Education

Monica Walker studied art at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London during the late 1930s. This school was a place where many artists learned their skills.

One of her classmates, Hilary Stebbing, even drew Monica in an illustration called High Street. In this drawing, Monica was shown as a shopkeeper.

Before becoming a full-time artist, Monica also worked for a while as a draughtswoman. This means she drew detailed plans and technical drawings, possibly for an aircraft factory.

Her Creative Work

Monica Walker illustrated many children's books. Some of these books she wrote herself, like The Educated Pig, which was published in 1949 by Oxford University Press.

She also created drawings for books written by other authors. For example, she illustrated Ditties for the Nursery by Iona Opie (1954). She also worked on Trouble for Tembo by Lesley Bourne (1958) and Martin's Holiday by Enid Wiseman (1960). These books were published by Dolphin Books and the University of London Press.

Featured Art

Monica Walker's artwork was even featured on the cover of the 1956 Christmas edition of Radio Times. This was a popular magazine that listed radio and TV programs.

A portrait photograph of Monica Walker was taken in 1947 by the famous photographer John Gay. This photo is now part of the collection at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

John Gay also photographed Monica for an article in The Strand Magazine. The article was called "Eight Young Artists in Search of an Editor." It mentioned that Monica was living with her parents in Surbiton at the time.

Today, the University of the Arts London owns some of Monica Walker's original artworks. This university is the successor to the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where she once studied.