Ronda and David Armitage
If you have ever read the beautiful children’s book The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch you will know about Ronda and David Armitage.
At this Villa Events evening they will tell us how they created this first story, designed the artwork and started a publishing success.
Antony Penrose, our last Villa Events speaker, says this will be an evening to be treasured, as they are both great story tellers.
This is how Ronda Armitage describes the starting point:
‘One fine day in that sizzling summer of 1976 David and I, with three year old Kate and five year old Joss, stood at the top of Beachy Head. Far below, unreachable then by land, was the Beachy Head lighthouse. We were there to show the children this romantic vision, this life saver in red and white.It was Joss who noticed the cable from the cliff to the lighthouse.
‘What’s the wire for Dad?’ he asked. And the rest, as they say, is history.’
Ronda has loved picture books ever since she sat in her cot reading ‘Coles Book Arcade’, possibly upside – down. But this developed into a passion when she was teaching, mostly in infant classes. It certainly didn’t occur to her that she might ever be part of it all. Then she married David, who trained as an illustrator as well as a painter. After their children, Joss and Kate were born, they came to England on a working holiday. That was in 1974 and except for wonderful holidays they have never quite gotten round to returning home to New Zealand. It was David who started it all. He took some illustrations to a publisher who said “I like these, do you know anyone who might write a story.” When David suggested this to Ronda she burst out laughing. She says, “ I still don’t really think of myself as an author. I love writing but it’s only in the last six years that I haven’t had another job as well.”
- The Lighthouse Keepers lunch
The original homes for Ronda and David were New Zealand and Tasmania respectively.
For Ronda, growing up on farms in the backblocks of NZ, books provided the companionship that wasn’t available once school was over – and were certainly more interesting than sheep! David’s earliest recollections are Grimms Fairy Tales. He still recalls that tingle of fear upon hearing ‘Hansel and Gretel’ for
the first time. David can’t remember a time when he didn’t draw or paint though he is still hopeless at ballet dancers and horses. According to his mother he was seven years old when he announced he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. His parents spent years trying to dissuade him but failed miserably.
In 1977 their first joint picture book, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’ was published. It was a visit with the children to view the Beachy Head lighthouse near Eastbourne that gave them the idea.
Since then Ronda and David have jointly published 25 picture books, nine of which have a lighthouse keeper. If someone was writing their school report it would probably say, ‘should work harder.’
They usually work and argue together, but David has illustrated stories for other authors and written his own books and Ronda now writes with other illustrators and has occasionally written non-fiction books for older children. David continues to paint both large and small abstract paintings and exhibits in the UK and other countries.
Donations of £10 to Amnesty International
Wine and nibbles will be provided.
7.00 for 7.15 start
