Jim Kay, the artist behind the illustated edition of the Harry Potter books, is stepping down from working on them, his agent Alison Eldred has announced.
Jim Kay has announced that he’s stepping down from working on the Harry Potter series. The fifth book will be published next week and it includes some fabulous work – but after ten years Jim’s mental illness has caught up with him so it’s time to let someone else take over. Many thanks to all the people at Bloomsbury who have been so understanding. Jim will now have some time to himself, take the dog for a walk, and perhaps start gently studying moths.
Jim Kay has worked on the illustrated editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, to be released next Monday October 11th by Bloomsbury and Scholastic. His finished works and sketches were also part of Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The illustrations of Jim Kay.
Jim’s work revitalised Harry Potter and has been one of the most beautiful and fascinating creations for the Wizarding World in recent years. In a world where new releases are often highly criticised by a society that does not accept change, Jim’s illustrations were not only highly popular, but unanimously loved by fans and readers alike.
We will be forever grateful to Jim for his kindness at all times, and our admiration for his work will be eternal for making the most beautiful Harry Potter books. We hope that these days he gets some of the love and good wishes that Potterheads around the world are sending him: there are a lot of us wishing him well.
