Flora Mary McDonnell (born 7 November 1963) is an Anglo-Irish artist, illustrator and author.
She won the Mother Goose Award for 1995.
Early life Born in Ireland,"Sheep Sales: the Sheep and Their Farmers", Belfast Telegraph, Friday 29 March 1991, p. 17: "The artist is Flora McDonnell, who was born in Ireland and trained at the City and Guilds of London Art School, graduating with a Diploma in Illustrative Arts." McDonnell is the eldest daughter of Alexander McDonnell, who was Keeper of Conservation at the Tate Gallery, a grand-daughter of the sculptor Angela Sykes, and a niece of another artist, Hector McDonnell.Susan Morris, ed. Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2019 (2019), p. 1554 Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition (1999), volume 1, p. 90 She is a descendant of William the Conqueror.Descendants of William the Conqueror, p. 83, accessed 25 March 2026
She was educated at St Mary's School, Shaftesbury, Gresham's School in Norfolk, and Exeter College, Oxford, which she left after two years in 1984. She then attended City and Guilds of London Art School from 1984 to 1989,Flora McDonnell, sulisfineart.com, accessed 17 August 2021"Flora McDonnell CV", squarespace.com, accessed 25 March 2026 graduating with a Diploma in Illustrative Arts.
Career In August 1989, McDonnell shared an art exhibition in Belfast with her uncle Hector McDonnell, when the News Letter commented "An Antrim artistic family if ever there was one.""History project plan for Omagh", Belfast News-Letter, Monday 21 August 1989, p. 14 She had a solo exhibition at the Kerlin Gallery in Belfast in March 1991, with a theme of sheep farming."Sheep Sales: The Sheep and their Farmers, exhibition of work by Flora McDonnell", Belfast Telegraph, Saturday 2 March 1991, p. 3 This was reported to have been "hugely successful"."Art", Belfast News-Letter, Monday 25 March 1991, p. 7: "Flora McDonnell has a hugely successful exhibition at the Kerlin Gallery in Belfast and it closes on March 30." A solo exhibition in May 1992 with a fishing theme had the title "Trawling for Prawns from Ardglass"."Eager beaver ups the tempo", Belfast News-Letter, Monday 11 May 1992, pp. 6–7 An exhibition in 1993 at One Oxford Street, Belfast, of fifty landscapes and portraits, was called "Familiar Faces 10am to 4pm and Favourite Places"."Familiar faces and places as portrayed by Glenarm artist", Larne Times, Thursday 7 October 1993, p. 17
McDonnell went on to launch her children's book career with I Love Animals (1994), published by Walker Brothers."Flora draws on her love for animals", Larne Times, Thursday 5 May 1994, p. 3 This was followed by I Love Boats (1995)."FOR CHILDREN – I LOVE BOATS, by Flora McDonnell", Liverpool Echo, Saturday 9 December 1995, p. 15 Since then, she has published many children's books and collaborated with authors and poets, including illustrating two new editions of books of verse by Ted Hughes. Her illustrations for the Ted Hughes collection The Cat and the Cuckoo show Nethercott at Iddesleigh in North Devon, a Farm for City Children, near where Hughes lived.Ted Hughes, illus. Flora McDonnell, The Cat and the Cuckoo (Faber and Faber, 2002), dustwrapper
In 2001, McDonnell had a joint exhibition at the Cavehill Gallery, Belfast, with Malcolm Bennett titled "At Times Charming and at Times Childlike". The Belfast Telegraph noted that they were "two very different artists with totally divergent work"."AT TIMES CHARMING AND AT TIMES CHILDLIKE", Belfast Telegraph, Thursday 22 March 2001, p. 17
After a long intermission, McDonnell's Out of a Dark Winter's Night was published by Thames and Hudson in March 2020, when for the book launch the original oil pastels were exhibited at Abbott and Holder's gallery in Museum Street, Bloomsbury."Out of a Dark Winter’s Night", Private View and Book Launch 6-9pm Monday 9th March 2020, Abbott and Holder, accessed 25 March 2026
Personal life McDonnell married Dr Thomas Pennybacker in 2003, and they have one son, born in 2004. As the daughter of an Earl, she has the courtesy title of Lady Flora, but does not use it.Flora McDonnell "About", FloraMcDonnell.com, accessed 26 March 2026 Awards 1995: the Mother Goose Award for a first-time published children's book illustrator"The Mother Goose Award: Flora McDonnell for I Love Animals", The Bookseller, Friday 8 December 1995, p. 35
Publications Children's books I Love Animals (Walker Books, 1994) I Love Boats (Walker Books, 1995) Flora McDonnell's ABC (Walker Books, 1998) Splash! (Candlewick Books, 1999) The Mermaid's Purse [poems by Ted Hughes, illustrated by Flora McDonnell] (Knopf Books, 2000) The Cat and the Cuckoo [by Ted Hughes, illustrated by Flora McDonnell] (Roaring Brook Press, 2003) Sparky (Candlewick Books, 2004) Giddy up! Let's Ride! (New Line Books, 2006) Out of a Dark Winter's Night (Thames and Hudson, 2020)
Other Flora McDonnell, ed., Threads of Hope: Learning to Live with Depression (Short Books, 2003, ), with contributions by Margaret Drabble, Wendy Cope, Andrew Solomon, Virginia Ironside, Lewis Wolpert, Alastair Campbell, Montagu Don, and Kay Redfield Jamison.
Notes
External links Flora McDonnell at walkerbooks.co.uk
Flora McDonnell - About at FloraMcDonnell.com Flora McDonnell - Books at FloraMcDonnell.com