Olivia Lomenech Gill Wins 2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration | Art San Gallery

We’re delighted to share that Olivia Lomenech Gill, an artist we admire greatly at Art San Gallery, has been awarded the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration. The announcement was made yesterday at the Cambridge Theatre in London, where Olivia was recognized for her exceptional illustrations in Clever Crow, written by Chris Butterworth and published by Walker Books.

Original Endpaper Book Illustration "Clever Crow", Ink and gouache, 51 cm x 74 cm (20.07 in x 29.13 in)

This award is one of the most respected distinctions in children’s literature in the UK. It celebrates not only artistic skill, but also the ability to enrich storytelling through image. In Clever Crow, Olivia brings to life the intelligence and beauty of a bird too often misunderstood. Her layered use of ink, gouache, charcoal, and collage creates a visual language that is at once raw and poetic—alive with movement, texture, and quiet intensity.

We have always been drawn to Olivia’s way of working: intuitive yet deeply researched, sensitive to nature and rooted in traditional materials. Her illustrations do more than accompany the text—they open a space for reflection. In Clever Crow, even the endpapers tell a story, showing 19 species of crow alongside their eggs, drawn to scale with quiet precision.

Original Book Illustration for "Clever Crow", Oil painting by Olivia Lomenech Gill.

Olivia has spoken of her admiration for crows and her desire to shift how we see them—not as dark omens, but as complex, social, and intelligent creatures. That spirit of curiosity and reimagining is something we value deeply in the artists we collaborate with.

In her acceptance speech, she expressed heartfelt gratitude to librarians and shared that she would dedicate her prize to educational and library initiatives in Palestine.

We are honored to share a selection of Olivia Lomenech Gill’s original artworks here at the gallery. All of the original book illustrations for Clever Crow—one-of-a-kind, large-format artworks—are available through Art San Gallery. Collectors and illustration enthusiasts looking for award-winning book art by a Carnegie Medal winner can now explore these exceptional pieces directly through our gallery.

This well-deserved recognition is a joy to witness, and we are truly happy for her.

— Art San Gallery