Martin Honeysett | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1943-05-20)20 May 1943 Hereford, England |
| Died | 20 January 2015(2015-01-20) (aged 71) |
| Education | Selhurst Grammar School,Croydon |
| Alma mater | Croydon School of Art |
| Known for | Satirical cartoons; regular contributor toPrivate Eye |
| Spouse(s) | Lolly Honeysett (1970–88); Penny Honeysett (1996 to his death) |
| Website | martinhoneysett |
Martin Honeysett (20 May 1943 – 21 January 2015) was an English cartoonist and illustrator.
Honeysett was born inHereford. When he was two years old, his parents moved to London. He attendedSelhurst Grammar School inCroydon and his art teacher there wasGeoffrey Dickinson, who later became deputy cartoon editor ofPunch.[1] Honeysett went on to study for a year atCroydon School of Art (1960–61).[2] He then worked briefly in a London animation studio, and then spent several years abroad both in New Zealand[3][4] as alumberjack and in Canada before returning to England to work as a bus-driver forLondon Transport.[2]
Honeysett sold his first cartoon to theDaily Mirror in 1969 and his first illustrations began to be published inPunch andPrivate Eye. His success in these popular satirical magazines raised his profile as a cartoonist and he soon began to have his work published in other publications such as theLondon Evening Standard,The Observer,The Sunday Telegraph,Radio Times and, later,The Oldie.[2]
He illustrated several books includingSue Townsend'sThe Queen and I[5] andDick King-Smith'sH. Prince. He collaborated with noted humorous writers and comic artists such asIvor Cutler — providing the illustrations for his poetry booksGruts (1986),Fremsley andLife in a Scotch Sitting Room (1984) — andMonty Python membersTerry Jones andMichael Palin — working onBert Fegg's Nasty Book for Boys and Girls,[6] along with his wife Lolly and illustratorsFrank Bellamy andPaul Buckle.[7]
He also published collections of his own work, includingHoneysett at Home (1976),The Motor Show Book of Humour (1978),The Not Another Book of Old Photographs Book (1981),Microphobia: How to Survive Your Computer and the Technological Revolution (1982),Fit for Nothing (1983),The Joy of Headaches (1984),Animal Nonsense Rhymes (1984) andThe Best of Honeysett (1985).
Honeysett's work was noted for itsblack humour, acerbic wit and sardonic, grotesque portrayal of characters who exemplified the cruelty, greed and stupidity of modern life. Hiscaricatures ranged from "moth-eaten grannies in wrinkled stockings, slippers and curlers, to slobbish youths with multiple piercings, baseball caps askew and falling-down jeans", all drawn in his distinctive "spidery" style of illustration. Honeysett stated that it was his intention to show "venom and anger" in his cartoons.[7]
Honeysett was the recipient of several international awards at cartoon festivals in Europe and Japan, and in 2005 he was made visiting professor of cartooning for two years atKyoto Seika University, Japan, the only university in the world to have a faculty of cartooning. His works have been displayed at various public art galleries and illustrations by Honeysett are held in the collections ofThe Cartoon Museum and theVictoria and Albert Museum in London.[7][8]
Martin Honeysett died at the age of 71 in January 2015.[7]
Whilst living and working in Canada, Honeysett met his first wife, Lolly, whom he married in 1970. Together they had two children, Dominic and Sophie. Martin and Lolly divorced in 1988 before he met his common-law partner Penny in 1996.[1]
Honeysett was known for occasionally anarchic behaviour and practical jokes. At one notorious event during the party thrown forPrivate Eye’s 21st birthday, he reportedly threw a large cake over the head of the cartoonistMichael ffolkes.[1]
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