David Esslemont

David Esslemont is an artist who makes books, by hand. His current passion for food and cooking have lead to a string of “food” books – visual narratives that include Pizza from Scratch, Taxi Driver Curry and his prize-winning Chili: a recipe.

Esslemont was born in Northumberland, England in 1953 and studied Fine Art (painting) at the Central School of Art and Design in London (now The University of the Arts). He was Artistic Director of the University of Wales Gregynog Press from 1985–97 and has won many book design awards including the Felice Feliciano International Award for Book Design in 1991.

His work can be found in both private and public collections worldwide, (his archive to 2005 is held at the University of Iowa.) He now lives in northeast Iowa.