Moving Swiftly Onwards.

General news from the kiosk, with a vaguely sustainable flavour.

Welcome!

What can I do for you today? We’ve had some nice chats recently, haven’t we? So, I thought I give you a bit of a break, and a few things to look at instead. The kiosk serves a plethora of treats, but it’s also a newsstand, so here’s all that’s been happening in my small world of illustration recently.

The Hard Switch.

My biggest news is that my upcoming book The Hard Switch had its cover reveal since we last spoke. I’ve been working on it for quite a while now, whilst trying to juggle my other work commitments, but I’m very happy that it will finally be in the world, and this announcement brings it one step closer.

Lots more to say on this down the line, but it’s a science fiction adventure, about a small crew preparing for an approaching seismic societal shift, caused by dwindling transport resources. It’s something of a departure for me, but I hope it’ll be a lot of fun and that you’ll all come along for the ride too.

It will be published by Avery Hill Publishing, and should be out in October 2023.

Electric Hogs.

Continuing the theme of sustainable travel, here’s a suite of isometric dioramas I was commissioned to do recently for LiveWire electric motorcycles, working with the lovely team at Manual Creative.

Sail Freight.

Staying profoundly on topic, I did this piece for The New Yorker, accompanying an article about sail cargo and sustainability in ocean shipping. They made a nice little GIF out of it too, so you can imagine a future where freight is carried around the globe by the wind, much like it used to be.

Is there anything else I can crowbar under the same thematic heading? Probably, let’s see. The weather has made being out on the bike so much more enjoyable the last couple of weeks. Still getting caught in the odd shower, sure, but it’s so nice to reengage with the city on two wheels. Even though London does its best to make you feel unwelcome as a cyclist, it’s hard to feel down for too long when the sun is shining.

There was actually an interesting episode of 99% Invisible recently about different cultural responses to cycling, in particular the much praised Dutch approach, and how it came about. Definitely worth a listen if that’s of interest.

Tool of the Trade.

It would make sense that my tool of the trade this week would be my Brompton bike, so here it is. Again, these are not adverts or endorsements, just things that I like, and I have very much enjoyed mine since I bought back in the pandemic.

At the time it served as a bit of a lifeline, but within a couple of weeks, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t bought it years ago. I now use it for everything from small city errands to multiday bike-packing adventures, of which I plan to do many more this summer. And yes, I did put the orange tires on.

Right to Roam Print.

As well as cycling, I’m a big fan of walking, which some might call the OG of sustainable transport. But sadly, in England, the enjoyment of exploring the outdoors is heavily restricted, and to learn more about the myriad of reasons why informed public access is important (just ask Scotland, who’ve had it for the last 20 years!), check out the Right to Roam campaign website.

I have also made a print of my countryside hiking illustration, with £5 from each one purchased going to help the cause. Thank you so much if you’ve bought one already, (the first print run of 50 sold out super fast) and if would like one for yourself or an outdoorsy friend, you can get one HERE.

Anyway, I promised you very little reading this time, so I’ll let you get on now. Why not go for a walk? Or maybe swing by the kiosk on your bike next time? You’ll be pleased to know I have ample cycle parking provision and I’ll even keep an eye on it while you enjoy your coffee and book in the sun.

Until next time, enjoy the ride.

Owen D. Pomery