Kathleen Hale

Kathleen Hale

Kathleen Hale was a British artist, illustrator, and children's author. Which is best known for the book Orlando. Orlando The Marmalade Cat 'with eyes like twin gooseberries' was one of the classic children's book characters of the 1940s and 1950s. It’s a story of friendship and family life which was a great hit and won the OBE in 1976.

 



She went to Moved to London to make a life out of art where she worked as a secretary for Augustus John’s whilst working with her friends in the artist community. In the 1920s she earned a living as an illustrator, accepting commissions for book jackets, posters, and illustrations for children's books, as well as selling her own drawings. She also attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts.