Shelagh Armstrong

Shelagh Armstrong (born 1961 in Owen Sound, Ontario) is a Canadian illustrator, and was the recipient of the 1985 Will Davies award for excellence in illustration. http://www.mint.ca/RoyalCanadianMintPublic/en-CA/Vancouver2010/Collect/Artists/default.htm - 12k ]

Armstrong is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Ontario College of Art. She holds degrees in Fine Arts and Communications and Design and is an Ontario Scholar.

Launching her illustration career in the Canadian book industry, and working with publishing houses such as McClelland and Steward and McGraw-Hill, Armstrong’s diverse artistic accomplishments also include book cover illustration for acclaimed authors as Alberto Manguel, Dionne Brand, Lillian Nattel and Shauna Singh Baldwin. [http://www.shelagharmstrong.com/ Shelagh Armstrong ] ]

With her versatile artistic style, Armstrong’s explored work as a courtroom illustrator, excelled at projects with retail fashion giants, and savoured engagements with top Canadian design firms. During her celebrated career, Armstrong’s been commissioned for private portraits and proudly exhibits her work in private and university galleries, group and solo exhibits.

She has received commissions from Canada Post for two Canadian stamps - "Royal Agricultural Winter Fair" and "Canada's International Year of the Older Persons". She was also commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mint to create various coins. Her first coin was the 1999 Special Edition Proof Silver Dollar for the International Year of the Older Persons. Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Edition, p. 313 ] The coin supported Canada's concept of "A Society for All Ages". Recently, she created a coin for the XXI Olympic Winter Games to be held in Vancouver in 2010. She created a design named Athletes’ Pride, struck on both a 2007 $25 Sterling Silver Hologram Coin and a 2007 $75 Gold Coloured Coin.

Armstrong currently resides in Toronto [ [http://www.kidscanpress.com/kidscanpress/KidsCanPress_3/KCP/creators/creators_detail.htm?id=262 KCP Creator Detail 1 ] ] and gave birth to a son named Caden in April 2000.

Commercial portfolio

* Bicks Relish "Packaging Illustration"
* Body Shop Christmas Packaging "Packaging Illustration"
* Dairyland Plus "Packaging Illustration"
* Humber River Regional Hospital "Nursing Campaign"
* Kleenex Tissue Packaging "Packaging Illustration"
* Our Compliments Shredded Cheese "Packaging Illustration"
* Royal Winter Fair & Garden Show "Advertising and Stamp Illustrations"
* Santa Fe Flat Bread "Packaging Illustration"
* Sugar Twin Sweeteners "Packaging Illustration"
* Toronto Hydro Corporation "Figure Illustration"
* Weston Artisan Style Bread "Packaging Illustration"

Armstrong provided the art for a book written by David J. Smith titled "If the World were a village: A book about the World's People" (ISBN 1550747797). [http://www.mapping.com/village.html If The World Were A Village ] ] The book was published in February, 2002 by Kids Can Press. This was Smith's first children's book. It went into paperback in 2003 and won various awards including:

* Premio H.C.Andersen Award in 2003 for the Italian Edition.
* International Reading Association Children's Book Award 2003
* IRA and Children's Book Council Children's Choice Book for 2003
* International Reading Association Teachers' Choice Book
* National Parenting Publications Awards -- Gold Award Winner 2003
* Smithsonian Magazine "Notable Book of the Year"

Coin designs

Armstrong's first coin for the Royal Canadian Mint was in 1999. The artwork that she produced in 2007 was used for two Canadian Olympic coins.

ee also

* Royal Canadian Mint Olympic Coins

References