Jacqueline Ayer, Untitled (Handmade book for Charli), c. 1954

Jacqueline Ayer (1930–2012) had a career that spanned many creative fields. She began as a fashion illustrator, and later turned her hand to children’s books, textiles and garments, as she worked in New York, Paris, London, Bangkok, Hong Kong and across India.

As a child and throughout her artistic career, Ayer experimented with book layouts, bringing images together in a sequential format as she made gifts for friends and family.