The twist is, though, that he’s transposed Scarry’s anthropomorphic animals onto the music-obsessed Northern Quarter. We spoke to him about what made him take the American illustrator as a starting point and why he’s exhibiting in a bar.Why is the exhibition called Busy Busy Records? | | Jim Medway (by Jim Medway) |
"Busy Busy Records is a kind of tribute to Scarry, and his 'Busy Busy World' book in particular. Surprisingly, despite his huge worldwide success, he never won any children’s book awards as he was considered too popular and commercial. "Also, I was wanting to make something of the fact that the Northern Quarter has the highest concentration of record shops in Europe apparently." What made you pick Scarry? | | One of the paintings on show |
"I've always loved Scarry. I think that parents give these books to teach reading and writing, but I'm aware of first learning to draw from them - not just how to draw, but what to draw." Which was your favourite Scarry character?"I guess Huckle the Cat was my favourite as a child, but now I love the whole cast of characters and the world they inhabit. | "It allowed me freedom to be a bit more fun and silly than would be appropriate in a gallery setting." | | Jim on why he's chosen Common for the exhibition |
"In the comics workshops that I run, I often show Richard Scarry's work, and mention one of his own reasons for using animals – 'If you have a picture of a little girl with long blonde hair, a dark-haired girl won't relate to it as well as to a picture of, say, a young girl bunny rabbit'." You're known for your cartoon-style alley cats. Do they make an appearance in this exhibition?"You'll be able to find a few of my cats on the walls, but I've used this as a chance to have some fun drawing other species, so there's dogs, rabbits, and various types of birds, bears and rodents." What made you decide to exhibit in Common? | | Looking in on Busy Busy Records |
"I was keen to exhibit in the bar partly because of it's great atmosphere and positive arts policy - since opening two years ago they've been showing and supporting artists and illustrators on their walls - but mainly, it’s because it allowed me freedom to be a bit more fun and silly than would be appropriate in a gallery setting." Busy Busy Records: A Jim Medway exhibition is at Common on Edge Street until Friday 27 April. | 
