- Sir Raymond, you were at Wimbledon early on its history from my point of view
- In 1949 to 1953 - That's right
- Who were the characters that you remember most that were teaching at that time?
- Oh well, the principal was Gerald Cooper, who was a very fierce bloke with a beard.
I applied when I was only 15, and he said “tell me why you want to come to my art school?”
and I said “well sir, I want to learn to draw in order to learn how to become a cartoonist.”
And I thought he was going to explode, and he said “Good God, boy, is that all you want to do?”
and I said “well… [laughing] what’s wrong with that?”
But it was the ideal training for someone like me.
- Was there a focus on drawing in the painting class?
- Oh yes, in the painting class you did two days a week composition,
two days a week life drawing painting
and one day a week still life.
Well that was a smashing training for someone who was going to be an illustrator, and several people from Wimbledon did become illustrators.
- This was a moment in British art just prior to where it exploded into pop art, wasn’t it?
It was a sort of regurgitation of old art rather than current art.
- Yes, absolutely.
- Tell me a little bit about how you got into your work being published... how that process worked for you?
- Well I was always dead worried at art school, how I was going to earn a living.
I didn’t start work until I was 23 and you thought
'For God's sake, if I don’t learn a living now, I’m going to look the biggest wolly there ever was!'
So I tried doing everything.
The three main fields are...
well, first of all, advertising pays the most
newspapers and magazines are second field, and then third field is books.
And then, to my horror, I discovered that book illustration meant children books, for God’s sake
because obviously adult books are not illustrated anymore.
- Now I’ve got to ask you about the snowman, because it was a phenomena in this country for sure.
Was it equally as big in the States?
- Yes it was pretty big everywhere, really.
- Did you enjoy the way your book was transferred to the screen?
- Oh yes it was terrifically done. Oh yes superb, absolutely superb.
Marvelous film, marvelous music, Howard Blake and everything.
It hasbecome a huge commercial phenomenon.
- Do you ever think about the affect that story has had on virtually the entire world?
- Oh yes, it is extraordinary. I do think it is odd.
It’s not all due to me, it’s due to the film of course.
- Given the fact that you are this absolute ideal Wimbledon ex-student from my point of view,
is there anything, any offer, any advice you would give to our students on leaving Wimbledon now, on graduating?
- Oh, God. Keep on bashing on, don’t take any notice on what the teachers say.
[laughing]
- That’s dangerous, Raymond, that’s dangerous.
You display all the sort of qualities I hope our students have, a perceptiveness of critical reflection,
of being able to sort the wheat out from the chaff and think for yourself.
So, I am very pleased to have had this sort of conversation, because it confirms the value of that art school education.
How did you feel when you were first notified or asked about this honorary fellowship?
- I was flabbergasted, I just think it’s weird.
It’s like all these things when... well, I’ve not had things similar to that,
but I mean when that kind of thing happens to you, you just think 'it’s not really me'.
You know, you feel... ''Who is this person they are talking about?''.
But it is tremendous and exciting and a great honour to have this.
Such a prestigious thing, it’s rather breathtaking really.
But I’m very grateful.
Thank you very much, folks!