Nick Bantock

Nick Bantock is a British artist and author renowned for his imaginative and visually captivating work, particularly the *Griffin and Sabine* series. Born in the northeast suburbs of London, Bantock studied at an art college in Maidstone, Kent, before embarking on a successful career as a freelance artist. Over 16 years, he created over 300 book covers, establishing himself as a versatile and skilled designer. In 1988, he moved to Vancouver, Canada, and later to Bowen Island, where he conceived the *Griffin and Sabine* series, a groundbreaking work that combines narrative with elaborate visual elements.

Bantock’s *Griffin and Sabine* trilogy, first published in the early 1990s, is celebrated for its intricate design, featuring faux postage stamps, handwritten documents, postcards, and other ephemera. The trilogy gained significant acclaim, including the Bill Duthie Bookseller’s Choice Award in 1993 for *Sabine’s Notebook*. His innovative approach to storytelling through tactile and visual elements has set his work apart, captivating readers and critics alike.

In 2006, Bantock adapted his trilogy into a stage play, which premiered at Vancouver’s Granville Island Stage. This adaptation brought his unique artistic vision to the theater, expanding the reach of his beloved characters. After this foray into theater, Bantock returned to painting full-time, establishing a studio-gallery called ‘The Forgetting Room’ on Saltspring Island in 2007.

From 2007 to 2010, Bantock served on a committee responsible for selecting Canada’s postage stamps, further showcasing his expertise in design. His recent works include *Dubious Documents* (2018) and *The River: Sailing the Stream of Consciousness Cards* (2023), along with a series of pop-up books that reflect his continued innovation in interactive art and storytelling.