Digby, John, 1938-

British-born poet and collagist John Digby’s productive and multi-faceted career spans nearly five decades, beginning in the 1960s. Best known as a collage artist whose Surrealism-influenced collages have been widely exhibited in England, France, Korea, and the United States, Digby is also a prolific poet whose works have been translated into several languages. In addition, he is an accomplished illustrator, editor, publisher, and printer. His seminal publication, The Collage Handbook , produced with Joan Digby, his wife and frequent collaborator, was the culmination of many years of research into the materials, methods, and techniques of the art of collage and the individuals past and present who practice it. The Collage Handbook (1985) remains an important and influential contribution to the development and history of this distinctive art form.

John Digby was born on January 18, 1938, in London, and spent his early childhood in London during the Blitz in World War II. An avid birdwatcher, he left school at the age of fifteen to work in the Small Bird House at the London Zoo. During his six years at the zoo, Digby encountered many different species of birds and animals, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge of the natural world that later found expression in his creative work.

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