Oliver Jeffers was born in Australia in 1977, but moved to Belfast in Northern Ireland, where he grew up.
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Oliver used to like playing the spoons when he was a teenager. He really wanted to form a band but couldn’t find anyone who wanted to play with him.
After failing to be a musician, Oliver started painting and drawing the people in the pubs he visited.
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It wasn’t until Oliver entered and became runner up in an amateur art competition in 1995, that he thought about using his artistic skills to earn a living.
After winning an art competition, Oliver began to display his art work in exhibitions in Belfast. He also started to illustrate book covers for a local publishing company.
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Oliver has always enjoyed travelling so he took a year off university to travel across America and Australia.
When Oliver stayed in Australia, a coffee company asked him to illustrate their Christmas cards. They also let him exhibit his work at oneof their festivals.
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Eventually in 2000, Oliver returned to university and completed his degree in Visual Communication at the University of Ulster.
At university, Oliver put on a large exhibition. It was called ‘Boys at the bar’ and showed people at different times of day in the pubs of Belfast.
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Oliver’s art work is very bold and he uses lots of different materials. He has illustrated posters, artwork for London bars and album covers.
Oliver’s first children’s book ‘How to Catch a Star’ was based on a memory he had of sitting on a jetty in Australia, watching the stars in the sky.
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‘How to Catch a Star’ went on to be shortlisted for the Booktrust Early Years Award for Best New Illustrator in 2004.
Oliver’s book ‘Lost and Found’ sold in huge numbers and won the Gold Award at the Nestle Children’s Book Prize in 2005.
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Oliver still exhibits his artwork all over the world and he has been asked to produce illustrations for Starbucks!
Oliver likes plastic food, suitcase handles and Elvis.
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Oliver likes to make endless lists and is determined to travel as much as possible to see the world.
Oliver’s paintings have been displayed in the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Brooklyn Museum.
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Oliver’s children’s books have been translated into over 30 different languages.
‘Lost and Found’ was developed into a short animated film by Studio AKA. This animation has received over sixty awards including a BAFTA for Best Animated Short Film.
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Oliver’s Picture Book awards include the The New York Times Best Illustrated Books, Smarties Award, Irish Book of the Year and The Blue Peter Book of the Year.
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