Rest in Peace Dave Hopkins, Phosphor
One of Phosphor's last SAA news stories sung the praises of award-winning veteran artist Dave Hopkins and invited more commissions for him. We are heartbroken to announce that Dave lost his battle with cancer on 13th August. It was so typical of Dave's professionalism, that even though he was very poorly and undergoing debilitating treatment, he was still keen to be drawing in his truly inimitable way. To the end, he maintained his proud career record of never missing a deadline or having an illustration rejected.
We were privileged to represent Dave from the time he worked in-house at our Soho studio back in the 1980s.
Over four decades, he took infinite care with every one of his creations, always managing to find ways to bring even uninspiring briefs to life.
Dave's genius as an editorial illustrator was in featuring the subject in exactly the right way and also deciding what else to include to enhance the story. For years, Dave illustrated the Boat International magazine column written by the entrepreneur Eddie Jordan. Eddie was in awe of Dave's technical brilliance as well as his innate ability to perfectly reflect the content of the column in a single illustration that was always fun.
Once, at a party where lots of illustrators were present, a waitress who was studying illustration at Camberwell asked if she could meet Dave Hopkins, because he was one of her heroes. At first, Dave thought he was being wound up, but when he was convinced he really was an illustration student's hero, he went over and unassumingly – but with a quiet pride – chatted to her.
Dave was a private man, devoted to his sons Pierre and Stéphane. We send our condolences to them and their families. And we invite you to take another look at Dave's work and reflect on a unique talent. We shall miss him.