{{about|the children's book author and artist|the historian|Jeannine Baker}} {{BLP sources|date=September 2015}} {{Short description|English-born Australian children's picture book author and artist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use British English|date=March 2011}} {{Infobox writer | name = Jeannie Baker | birth_name = Jeannie Baker | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1950}} | birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[London]], England | nationality = English<br>Australian | occupation = Artist, author, film maker | genre = Collage constructions and children's picture books | period = 1975–present | movement = | spouse = | children = | signature = | website = [http://www.jeanniebaker.com/ www.jeanniebaker.com] | relations = | influences = | influenced = | footnotes = }} '''Jeannie Baker''' is an English-born Australian children's picture book author and artist, known for her collage illustrations and her concern for the natural environment. Her books have won many awards.
==Biography==
Baker was born in London, England<ref name="Dromkeen"/> on 2 November 1950. She studied graphic design at [[Croydon School of Art]] and [[Brighton Polytechnic]], earning honours in art and design, before making her home in Australia in 1975.<ref name="Dromkeen"/> In the early 1980s, she lived in New York on an [[Australia Council for the Arts|Australia Council Visual Arts]] Board residency.<ref name="Dromkeen"/> Her book, ''Home in the Sky'' (1984), was developed there.<ref name="Dromkeen"/>
Baker developed the illustrations for her first book, ''Grandfather,'' during her final year at Brighton College of Art.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McCartney|first=Tania|title=Chatting with Author and Artist Jeannie Baker|url=http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2010/10/chatting-with-author-and-artist-jeannie.html|access-date=2021-04-07}}</ref>
Baker uses a variety of textures in her works. "When I can, I like to use textures from the actual materials portrayed, such as bark, feathers, cracked paint, earth, knitted wool and rusty tin… so that their natural textures become an integral part of the work".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Candlewick Studio - Baker, Jeannie|url=https://www.candlewickstudio.com/creator/baker-jeannie/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Candlewick Studio|language=en-US}}</ref> Baker’s collages illustrate her picture books, but also stand individually as works of art. They are part of many public art collections and have been exhibited in galleries in London, New York and throughout Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=Linda|date=2016-05-30|title=Interview: Children's author Jeannie Baker follows an endangered bird's path|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/interview-childrens-author-jeannie-baker-follows-an-endangered-birds-path-20160510-goqqzy.html|access-date=2021-04-07|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref>
Baker is the author-artist of a number of award-winning picture books. Among them is ''Where The Forest Meets the Sea'' (about the [[Daintree Rainforest]]), a [[Boston Globe-Horn Book Award|Boston Globe-Horn Honour Book]], and the recipient of an [[International Board on Books for Young People|International Board of Books for Young People]] (IBBY) Honour Award and a [[Friends of the Earth]] Award in Great Britain. ''Window'' was shortlisted for the [[Kate Greenaway Medal]] in Great Britain and both ''Window'' and ''Mirror'' won the [[Children’s Book Council of Australia]] Picture Book of the Year Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CBCA|url=https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2011|access-date=2021-04-07|website=www.cbca.org.au|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326175306/https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baker was the [[IBBY Australia|IBBY]] Australian nominee for the prestigious 2018 [[Hans Christian Andersen Award|Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=News - Australian Society of Authors (ASA)|url=https://www.asauthors.org/news/australian-nominees-for-ibby-2018-hans-christian-anderson-awards|access-date=2021-04-07|website=www.asauthors.org|archive-date=20 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020125428/https://www.asauthors.org/news/australian-nominees-for-ibby-2018-hans-christian-anderson-awards|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Her work focuses on a diverse range of issues including: family, society, [[sustainability]], the environment, [[Car-free movement|car-free]] [[urban space]]s, [[urban sprawl]], [[land degradation]], a sense of wonder, [[nature deficit disorder]], [[introduced species|introduced pests]], [[Outback|Australian outback]] and wildlife.
Baker was nominated for the [[Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award]] in 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nominees for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2021|url=https://www.mynewsdesk.com/astridlindgrenmemorialaward/pressreleases/nominees-for-the-astrid-lindgren-memorial-award-2021-3044637|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Mynewsdesk|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and again in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-10-25|title=Australians nominated for 2022 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/10/25/195559/australians-nominated-for-2022-astrid-lindgren-memorial-award/|access-date=2021-10-26|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Works== * ''Polar'' (1975) * ''Grandfather'' (1977) * ''Grandmother'' (1978)<ref name="Dromkeen"/> * ''Millicent'' (1980) * ''One Hungry Spider'' (1982) * ''Home in the Sky'' (1984) * ''Where the Forest Meets the Sea'' (1988)<ref name="Dromkeen">{{cite book |editor1-last=Scobie |editor1-first=Susan |title=The Dromkeen Book of Australian Children's Illustrators |date=1997 |publisher=Scholastic Australia |isbn=1863886958 |pages=22–25}}</ref> (also released in big book format) * ''Window'' (1991)<ref name="Dromkeen"/> (also released in big book format) * ''The Story of Rosy Dock'' (1995)<ref name="Dromkeen"/> * ''The Hidden Forest'' (2000) (also released in big book format) * ''Belonging'' (renamed ''Home'' in the United States) (2004) (also released in big book format) * ''Mirror'' (2010) * ''Circle'' (2016) (also released in big book format) * ''Playing with Collage'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-08-16|title=Award-winning children's book author and collage artist wants kids to stop copying, start experimenting|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-17/jeannie-baker-playing-with-collage-picture-book/11420548|access-date=2021-04-07|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref> * ''Desert Jungle'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jeannie-baker/desert-jungle/ | title=DESERT JUNGLE | Kirkus Reviews }}</ref>
==Exhibitions== * Works are held in permanent collections of The [[Powerhouse Museum]] (Sydney), [[National Library of Australia]] (Canberra), [[Queensland Art Gallery]] (Brisbane), [[State Library of New South Wales]], [[State Library of Victoria]] and [[Art Gallery of Western Australia|Art Gallery Western Australia]] (Perth) * '''Circle''' - A travelling exhibition has been organised by [[Newcastle Museum]] in collaboration with Baker, which will follow the migratory path of the Godwits, visiting museums and galleries across [[Australia]] and the world :: [[Australian National Maritime Museum]] (Sydney) - 19 May – 31 July 2016 :: Newcastle Museum - 6 August – 30 October 2016 :: [[Canberra Museum and Gallery|Canberra Museum & Gallery]] - 26 November – 19 February 2016/17 :: [[Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria|Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria]] (Melbourne) - 15 March – 14 May 2017 :: Botanic Gardens of South Australia (Adelaide) - 5 June – 25 August 2017 :: [[Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery]] (Hobart) - 7 September – 26 November 2017 :: Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens (Brisbane) - 11 December – 25 February 2017/18 :: Bundaberg Art Gallery - 7 March – 6 May 2018 * '''Desert Jungle''' - Another travelling exhibition organised by the Penrith Regional Gallery.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/events/jeannie-baker-desert-jungle/ | title=Jeannie Baker: Desert Jungle - Penrith Regional Gallery }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jeanniebaker.com/exhibitions/ | title=Exhibitions – Jeannie Baker }}</ref> :: Penrith Performing and Visual Arts Gallery - 6 May – 9 July 2023 :: State Library of South Australia (Adelaide) - 15 December 2023 – 18 February 2024 :: Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery (Nowra) - 9 March – 4 May 2024 ::Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney) - 18 May – 29 June 2024
==Film== * ''Where the Forest Meets the Sea'' (10-minute, 35mm animated film, produced by [[Screen Australia]], directed by Baker) * ''The Story of Rosy Dock'' (10-minute, 35mm animated film, produced by Screen Australia, directed by Baker)
==Awards and nominations== * ''Circle'' :: Indie Award Best Children's Book 2017 :: Riverby Award Natural History Writing for Children 2017 :: Young Australians Best Book Award for Picture Books Shortlisted 2017 :: Kids Own Australian Literature Award for Picture Books Shortlisted 2017 :: Wilderness Society Award for Children's Picture Books Shortlisted 2017 :: Australian Book Industry Book of the Year for Younger Children Shortlisted 2017
* ''Mirror'' :: Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award Joint Winner 2011 :: Children’s Book Council of Australia Junior Judges Award - Picture Book of the Year Award Honour Book 2011 :: Indies (Independent Booksellers Association Awards) Children’s Book of the Year Winner 2011 :: NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature Shortlisted 2011<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-04-01|title=Shortlist for the 2011 NSW Premier's Literacy Awards|url=https://www.copyright.com.au/2011/04/shortlist-for-the-2011-nsw-premiers-literacy-awards/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Copyright Agency|language=en-US}}</ref> :: International Youth Library White Ravens Award 2011 :: Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards Children’s Book Category Shortlist 2011 :: British Book Design and Production Awards, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education Category Winner 2011 :: CJ Picture Book Awards, CJ Culture Foundation, Korea New Publications Category Finalist 2011 :: International School Libraries Network Singapore Red Dot Book Awards Shortlisted 2010-11
* ''Belonging'' :: The Wilderness Society Fiction Award for Children’s Books 2005 :: ALA Notable Book USA 2005 :: Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture book of the Year Honour Book 2005
* ''The Hidden Forest'' :: Australian Wilderness Society Fiction Award for Children’s Books 2001 :: Govern Award for Children’s Science Picture Books, USA Winner 2003
* ''The story of Rosy Dock'' :: Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture book of the Year Honour Book Award 1990 :: The Australian Wilderness Society Fiction Award for Children’s books 1996 :: The American Library Association Notable Book 1996 :: Australian Film Industry Award for Best Australian animated Film Finalist 1995 :: Gold medal for animation Palma international Film Festival 1995
* ''Window'' :: Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award 1992<ref name="Dromkeen"/> :: Young Australian’s Best Book Award Picture Books 1992 :: Kate Greenaway medal UK Shortlisted 1992 :: Notable Book in the Field of Social Science USA 1992
* ''Where the Forest Meets the Sea'' :: Australian Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year Honour Book 1988<ref name="Dromkeen"/> :: Young Australian’s Best Book Award Picture Books 1988 :: Earthworm Book Award [[Friends of the Earth Europe|Friends of the Earth]] UK 1988 :: Boston Globe Horn Book Magazine Honour Book Award 1990 :: International Board of Books for Young people Honour Book Award 1990 :: Austrian Children’s Book Council Honour Book award 1996 :: [[Australian Film Institute]] award for Best Australian Animated Film 1988 :: Greater Union Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian Animated Film 1988
* ''Home in the Sky'' :: The [[American Library Association]] Notable Book 1984 :: [[Kate Greenaway Medal]] UK shortlisted 1985 :: Children’s book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award Commended 1985 :: Young Australian’s Best Book Award Shortlisted 1986.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.jeanniebaker.com/ Jeannie Baker's official website]
{{Authority control}} {{Portal bar|Children's literature|Visual arts|Animation|Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Jeannie}} [[Category:1950 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of Croydon College]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton]] [[Category:English children's writers]] [[Category:Australian children's writers]] [[Category:British women children's writers]] [[Category:20th-century British women writers]] [[Category:21st-century British women writers]] [[Category:Children's non-fiction writers]] [[Category:Writers from New South Wales]] [[Category:20th-century English women artists]] [[Category:20th-century Australian women artists]] [[Category:21st-century English women artists]] [[Category:21st-century Australian women artists]] [[Category:British collage artists]] [[Category:Australian collage artists]] [[Category:British women collage artists]] [[Category:Australian women collage artists]] [[Category:Australian children's book illustrators]] [[Category:British children's book illustrators]] [[Category:Australian women children's book illustrators]] [[Category:British women children's book illustrators]] [[Category:Australian conservationists]] [[Category:English expatriates in Australia]] [[Category:Australian animators]] [[Category:Australian women animators]]