self portrait by Louise Pomeroy
We've dropped hints about her before. Amongst other things, The xx commissioned her to draw portraits of them, remember? And now, with our newest background, and the latest addition to our esteemed alumni of artists who have contributed to this website's appearance is the superbly talented Louise Pomeroy!
What I love most about London based Louise's incredibly graphic work is that it reminds me of Roald Dahl's eerily twisted tales: they're a little bit disturbing because they unflinchingly explose/explore/exploit the foibles and feebles of people rendered in razor sharp wit. They cause you to laugh aloud until you kind of stop short when you realise they cut fairly close to the bone. Brilliant.
Louise is a Kingston University graduate where already she won the D&AD Newblood award for her book of ilustrated short stories entitled 'I Married A Toyboy Convict'. After that, it was onto doing a huge vintage Suzuki motorbike piece for the Suzuki showroom in London. And from there it was history. Louise works on lots of magazine editorial illustration but also unleashing her skillz on walls, galleries, shops and showroom spaces.
Let's take a closer look at Louise and her work, shall we?
How and when did you know you were going to be an illustrator?
At school I was known for being good at two things, drawing and running. By the age of 13 I'd given up running in favor of Playstation but drawing is something I will always love and be excited by.
What have been/are your biggest influences?
Probably comics although to be honest 90% of what I see in shops I don't really like. I read The Beano obsessively when I was a kid and then when I got older got more into alternative/underground. Notably stuff by Jason Lutes, Phoebe Gloeckner, Robert Crumb, the Hernandez Brothers. I also really love Shary Boyle who does drawings but also amazing twisted ceramic figures.
18th and 19th century anatomical/medical illustration has been a big influence. Back then it was factual but also quite surreal in that you would have the body lifting its skin up and smiling whilst showing the viewer its organs.
Who would love to work for or collaborate with?
I'm just started on an animation with a couple of film makers called The Double, Moving image is something I'd really like to get involved with. I'm starting to do screen printing again as well, making a book or magazine of printed work with some other illustrators would be interesting.
What did you dream about last night?
I can't remember, all I remember is being awake with crippling period pains! Recently I've had quite a lot of dreams about people breaking into my house after someone tried to break in last month whilst I was in. Not fun.
Favourite medium?
Black ink and a fine paintbrush. And 0.05 pens.
Keep up with Louise over at her BLOG. She's also got a new tshirt coming out for the collection at SuperSuperficial, an independent company based in London who work with illustrators, screen printing runs of their designs, so watch out for that.
