Korky Paulwas born in 1951 in Zimbabwe in to a family of seven children.
He enjoyed a wild and privileged childhood in the African bush veldt - and
read a lot of American comic books.
 
He studied Fine Art at Durban Art School, South Africa and started work
as a 'drawer' in an advertising agency in Cape Town, London and Los Angeles.

He fled to Europe and  washed up on the shores of Greece where he met a
mad Scot, James Watt, working for a Greek publisher who commissioned him
to illustrate a series of books teaching  English.

He then went to study Film Animation under Jules Engel at CalArts,
California. He returned to Europe to work in advertising and as freelance
illustrator.

He met Ron Heapy at Oxford University Press who commissioned 'Winnie the
Witch' and won the Children's Book Award.

‘The Rascally Cake’ written by Jeanne Willis (Puffin) also won the Children’s Book Award
For best picture book.

Korky has illustrated many other successful books for Oxford, Penguin and
Random House including several anthologies of poems edited by John Foster
and Michael Rosen.

He has sold more than 3 million books world wide in over 20 languages.
Other awards include European Multi Media Award for the CD-Rom based
on ‘The Fish Who Could Wish’, The Prix Octogenes, The Sheffield Book Award,
The Critici in Erba Prize Bologna, Crayon de porcelaine at the St Just Salon international de la Humour
and short listed three times for The Kate Greenaway Award.

Known only to himself as the 'World's Greatest Portrait Artist',
Korky regularly holds drawing workshops at libraries, schools and
museums to promote and encourage his passion for drawing.

Korky has two children Zoë, studying  Sculpture at
Camberwell Art School, London and Oska at high school.

Korky works and lives in Oxford with his wife, the artist
Susan Moxley.

He now lives in Oxford, with his wife and two children,
but every summer they live it up in Greece.

PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH:
Zimbabwe; 5 December 1951

FAVOURITE BOOK:
StrauPeter

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
Swiss Army Knife

FAVOURITE SONG:
'My Boomerang Won't Come Back'

FAVOURITE FILM:
Armacord by Fellini!

When did you start illustrating?
At High School (secondary school) but started drawing when I was 5-6 years old.

Where do you get your ideas?
From life.

Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful illustrator?
1. Have a passion for drawing.
2. Being left handed
3. Drawing comes before anything else

Favourite memory?
Playing in the bushveld in Africa. And swimming in African rivers - especially the Zambesi!

Favourite place in the world and why?
New York City. I love cities and this is a city that epitomises all things gr...

PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH:
Zimbabwe; 5 December 1951

FAVOURITE BOOK:
StrauPeter

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
Swiss Army Knife

FAVOURITE SONG:
'My Boomerang Won't Come Back'

FAVOURITE FILM:
Armacord by Fellini!

When did you start illustrating?
At High School (secondary school) but started drawing when I was 5-6 years old.

Where do you get your ideas?
From life.

Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful illustrator?
1. Have a passion for drawing.
2. Being left handed
3. Drawing comes before anything else

Favourite memory?
Playing in the bushveld in Africa. And swimming in African rivers - especially the Zambesi!

Favourite place in the world and why?
New York City. I love cities and this is a city that epitomises all things great about cities.

What are your hobbies?
Drawing, swimming, cooking braairleis (barbeques).

If you hadn't been an illustrator, what do you think you would have been?
A jazz musician