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GILLAN "GILLIAN" NOEL (1950-2001)





Gillian Noel, known as 'Gillian' to her friends and colleagues, who died in September 2001, was a wonderful and loyal friend and colleague of seventeen years.

I first met her in 1984, at Amnesty International, International Secretariat, when she commissioned me to design a poster for the 25th Anniversary of Amnesty International. Together we worked on the UN Convention Against Torture campaign of 1985, the 25th Anniversary of Amnesty International (1986) and much later on the Universality of Human Rights campaign (1998) and finally in 2000, on the second UN Convention Against Torture campaign, which was by far the most successful of our collaborations.

Gillian art directed the publications for the International Secretariat with great enthusiasm and creative flair. She always provided constructive political perspectives on the work I did for her - she was a great client to work for.

Known by all who knew her as an extraordinary, engaging and delightful person. She had a charming and joyful presence at many a party. She will be always be cherished in memory - and so sadly missed.

July 2007

Her great gift, and quite a special gift too, was that she could make each one of her friends feel as though they were her only and best one. She never missed a birthday or seasonal greeting and when she found something special and nice would have the ideal person in mind to receive it. I've got one or two - and lots of her other dear friends also have one or two too! Lovely memories always!

The image on the left, "The Universality of Human Rights", is based upon some submissions for a cover design for the Amnesty International Annual Report of 1999 which Gillian commissioned me to design. My design was deemed somewhat too conceptual and so was rejected. Gillian did keep the original sketches though, which was nice.

I later produced the painting (lower left) in acrylic, for my one person exhibition in the Beldam Gallery. Later, the staff at Amnesty purchased it as a rememberance for Gillian. It now hangs in the newly refurbished Amnesty International Secretariat offices in London.

For Gillian.