Review: Pick Me Up 2011 at Somerset House

Last Sunday I went to Pick Me Up, Somerset House’s contemporary graphic art fair, now in it’s second year after 2010 being so successful (read last year’s post here). I went with fellow Crayonette Rachel Price and met up with some awesome illustrators, including the lovely Jo Cheung, Emma Block, Emma Cowley and June Chanpoomidole among others. Was really lovely getting to know these guys and we had a nice Nando’s after hehe.

The variety and quality of work on show was astounding. We all came out feeling very inspired (and a bit jealous!)

McBess:

Kate Moross.

Always prolific, always amazing.

Seiko Kato -

We all loved this work, extremely intricate collages, layered on top of each other… really amazing.

Jules Julien:

Really crisp and surreal looking. I like the black on coloured paper, feels quite fresh.

Jessica Hische:

I’ve long been a fan, her typography work is stunning.

R for Rachel…

T & C for… Tea & Crayons!

Clara Terne:

Really love her crazy geometric abstract prints, and the stationery theme ones too.

A selection of some of the specially commissioned prints on sale:

This was my favourite, by Stefanie Posavec who does amazing infographics.

Revenge is Sweet:

I love this, the style is so bold. What a great name for a collective too.

Paul Blow:

Takeru Toyokura:

I loved this work. Made with what looked like fuzzy felt (remember that), they at first appear to be idyllic children’s imagery, but hold things a lot more strange and surreal.

Sarah Arnett:

Polly Becker:

These were very fantastical and strange. A mix of flat imagery and photographs, they were really unique. Pretty.

Stefanie Posavec

This work is so amazingly detailed and beautiful. You need hours just to stare at it.

Rachel looking intently at the It’s Nice That books…

And here’s fellow Crayonette Abby featured in Amelia’s Compendium of fashion illustration! We were so proud…

Overall, the show is brilliant. However, I would have liked to have seen more undiscovered talent there… the likes of Tom Gauld, Jessica Hische, Zara Wood, and Kate Moross being heavyweights in the illustration world, and are doing so well already. I liked the downstairs bit with It’s Nice That and Themlot, but perhaps the upstairs felt quite crowded; it was hard to take verything in, there was just so much there. That’s not exactly a criticism, and I do love Somerset House, but I feel the show is getting so big now, it perhaps needs more room?