M
Marianna
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It is with immense sadness that we share the passing of AOI Board Director Deirdre McDermott
Everyone at the Association of Illustrators is shocked and devastated to hear of the untimely passing of our long-serving trustee Deirdre McDermott.
Deirdre has been a board member of the Association of Illustrators for over 8 years, since August 2018. She combined a dynamic combination of uncompromising rigour, with unrivalled experience of picture-book publishing, and an absolute commitment to supporting the illustration community.
We are immensely grateful to Deirdre for generously giving the AOI so much of her time and expertise over the years. Her creativity, tenacity and honesty were invaluable in supporting us through the difficult and changing times in the sector and she will be deeply missed.
Through her long career at Walker Books, Deirdre helped shape and champion some of the most loved picture books of their generation. She had an extraordinary eye for illustration and a deep belief in making books genuinely for children, helping so many discover a love of pictures and stories.
Our thoughts and condolences are with her family, friends and colleagues at this heart-breaking time.
16 September 2026