Charles van Sandwyk invites you to escape into his gentle world of whimsy and wonder. A writer, poet, illustrator, printmaker, painter of delicate artworks and inventor of tales scribed in exquisite handwriting, he populates his imaginary world with fantasy and minutiae: fairies, gnomes, animals, birds, and insects. He owns two publishing houses—The Fairy Press and CVS Fine Arts—that produce beautiful handmade books filled with his writing and illustrations. Born in South Africa and a habitant of both Vancouver, and Fiji, his love of Canadian wilderness and tropical landscapes create a masterful blend of the familiar, and the exotic. Van Sandwyk draws inspiration from the work of Beatrix Potter, Tolkien and Arthur Rackham. His work is designed, written, and illustrated by him personally – making each piece a unique, thoughtful, and collectible work of art.

Charles van Sandwyk’s first self-published book appeared when he was just 20, and won a national award. Since then his work has been archived by the National Library of Canada and treasured by private collectors across the world. He has produced illustrations for the Folio editions of The Blue Fairy Book, The Wind in the Willows and How to See Fairies (which he both wrote and illustrated). A limited edition of Alice in Wonderland, illustrated by Charles van Sandwyk, was published by The Folio Society to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first edition. We are honoured to be able to offer a wide selection of his books and cards here at Russell Books.