Nick Sharratt, the man behind the instantly recognisable illustrations for Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker books, is now the subject of a new colourful, humorous and hands-on exhibition – Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants – The Illustrated World of Nick Sharratt.
Exploring Sharratt’s passion for drawing, from childhood to his current status as an internationally renowned illustrator and author, the show features many of the well-known characters that he has illustrated over the years. These include Tracy Beaker, Daisy, Hetty Feather and Pirate Pete, as well as a host of animals, and vast quantities of food and clothing.
Visitors can immerse themselves in Sharatt’s world, find out about his childhood and what inspired him to become an illustrator, and meet a host of the characters that he has created throughout his career.
What’s in the exhibition?
The Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants exhibition includes;
- A recreation of Sharratt’s studio where visitors can have a go at drawing a selection of his characters using a light box;
- A touch screen interactive where you can create your own digital “Sharracter”
- A wipe clean wall is available for everyone to have a go at drawing their own Nick Sharratt inspired picture;
- A dressing up box where young visitors – and those that are young at heart – will enjoy dressing up in a selection of whacky costumes, including a mermaid’s tail, some very fancy pants and a pineapple.
To give an idea of the range of Sharratt’s work, the exhibition also includes a reading area, with specially designed rugs and beanbags, where visitors can sit and enjoy a wealth of the books that Sharratt has written and illustrated, from board books for toddlers to a selection of Jacqueline Wilson novels aimed at older readers.
Tour schedule
You can see where Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants has been and where it is going to go!
| Tour Schedule for Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants – The Illustrated World of Nick Sharratt | ||
| 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe | 25 Oct 2014 to 21 Feb 2015 | 17 weeks |
| Darts, Doncaster | 7 March to 13 June 2015 | 14 weeks |
| The Civic, Barnsley | 27 June to 22 August 2015 | 14 weeks |
| Maritime Museum, Hull | 17 Oct 2015 to 10 January 2016 | 12 weeks |
| The Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough | 23 January to 10 April 2016 | 10 weeks |
| Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk | 16 April to 25 June 2016 | 10 weeks |
| Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum | 9 July to 3 September 2016 | 8 weeks |
| Mansfield Museum | 17 September to 12 November 2016 | 8 weeks |
| Hitchin Museum | 26 November to 21 January 2017 | 8 weeks |
| Kirby Gallery | 4 February to 23 April 2017 | 11 weeks |
| Manchester Central Library | 6 May to 1 July 2017 | 10 weeks |
| Nunington Hall and Rievaux Terrace | 15 July to 9 September 2017 | 8 weeks |
| Exhibition available | 23 September to 18 November 2017 | 8 weeks |
| Exhibition available | 2 December 2017 to 3 February 2018 | 9 weeks |
| The Beacon Museum | 24 February to 14 April 2018 | 8 weeks |
| Exhibition Available | 28 April to 16 June 2018 | 7 weeks |
| River and Rowing Museum | 23 June to 9 September 2018 | 9 weeks |
| Leeds Central Library | 22 September 2018 to 24 November 2018 | 8 weeks |
| Exhibition available | 8 December 2018 to 2 February 2019 | 8 weeks |
| Hannah’s at Seale Haynes | 16 February to 27 April 2019 | 10 weeks |
| Exhibition available | 11 May to 6 July 2019 | 8 weeks |
| Bowes Museum | 20 July to 23 November 2019 | 18 weeks |
| Exhibition available | From 7 December onwards | |
If you are interested in booking the Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants exhibition for your gallery or museum, please contact our Touring Exhibitions Officer, Janine Parrish, on janine.parrish@northlincs.gov.uk or call 01724 297076.
ShowStoppers!
Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants is the first exhibition created as part of the ShowStoppers project.
Funded by Arts Council England, the ShowStoppers project is a collective of three northern galleries:
- 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe
- The Civic, Barnsley
- Darts, Doncaster
This group of galleries work together to create brilliant exhibitions and creative opportunities for children and young people. The ShowStoppers exhibitions will tour around the country, sparking imaginations and bringing fun to galleries and museums.
