GOOD NEWS BIBLE

Anne Marie Vallotton (1915-2013) was a Swiss and French artist best known for her illustrations in the Good News Bible. According to Harper Collins, Vallotton is the bestselling artist of all time, thanks to worldwide sales of the Good News Bible in excess of 225 million. (Wikipedia)

‘Coming from a heritage of theologians, pastors and artists, her early adulthood was spent as part of the World War II Resistance in Europe, ferrying mail across Switzerland on behalf of those withstanding the Nazis. Perhaps most striking was Vallotton’s deeply personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and her desire to make him known through the gifting she had been given. A lesson from Anne Marie Vallotton is implicit: that humility can be (and normally is) the best route to growth. The 500 drawings originally produced for the Good News Bible entailed some being redrawn up to 90 times each before Vallotton felt that they captured what she was looking for.’

Vallotton’s distinctive style uses simple lines and shading to convey character and emotion: “I wanted to simplify them the most I could. I wanted to get to the truth… the most important thing!”

I will never forget the first time I saw this version in the 1970’s and at first was put off by it. But the little drawings and easy verse soon won me over. What a sister… Anne Marie Vallotton. What a translation… what Good News.

“I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other places too, for that is why I was sent.” Jesus