Jim Butler

Jim Butler is a Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), affiliated with the Cambridge School of Art within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences. His practice as an artist and educator spans illustration, drawing, printmaking, and artist’s books. He has exhibited globally, with works in collections like Tate and the Art Institute of Chicago. Key research interests include visual language structures, the tactile experience of artists’ books, and the relationship between observer and subject in reportage drawing.

Education:

• BE (Hons) Electrical Engineering, University College Dublin
• BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation, Manchester Metropolitan University
• MA Communication Design, Manchester Metropolitan University
• PG Cert Learning & Teaching (Higher Education), Anglia Ruskin University

Research Highlights: Jim’s work explores themes such as the palimpsest in urban environments (evident in his Blackrock Sequence award-winning book) and visual language through large-scale series. His artist’s books, including Open Ended and Blackrock Sequence, are held by major institutions like Tate. Collaborations with notable illustrators like Quentin Blake and a poet underscore his interdisciplinary approach.

Awards:

• 2018 World Illustration Awards (Professional Books Category)

Teaching & Grants: Jim teaches BA (Hons) and MA Illustration programs. While no specific grants are noted, his practice-based research is inherently funded through institutional and exhibition platforms.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with poets and institutions on artist’s books, exemplified by his partnership on Blackrock Sequence.