Cathy's Art Diary

Annual exhibition at Somerset House of the shortlisted entries in this year’s World Illustration Awards. I always find this show interesting as it shows all the different ways illustration is used and it’s not just the book illustration you expect.   Entries which stood out this year included Paul Thurley’s National Treasures windows for John Lewis and and Boo Paterson’s take on East Coat railways posters to highlight refugee issues. My favourite piece was Josie Shenay’s “The Buildings That Made London” for National Archives which showed a circle of London buildings.   Closed on 20 June 2018

Interesting exhibition at Somerset House presenting the prize winners in the World Illustration Awards organised by the Association of Illustrators. I have been to the show before and am always amazed by the range of work on show through books, posters, information boards, stamps and wine labels. The works are arranged in the eight categories of the competition. I liked the way the exhibition showed the illustrations and then showed how they had been used in cases in the centre of the rooms. I loved a picture by Lisk Feng of a woman in a boat wearing a big hat pictured from above and Neil Webb’s design for Agatha Christie stamps. I was integrated by Joast Swarte’s pictures for a children’s book on artists related to the De Stiyl movement which seemed an odd idea. My favourite was Peter Greenwood’s poster for the Great Western Railway V150 train with its carriages made up of London landmarks. Closes on 28 August 2017