Five Years of Pickle
We’re five years old! How time has flown since we were brainstorming business names in the computer rooms at Loughborough University. We’re feeling all nostalgic so wanted to share a few of our favourite memories…
Shout out to Early Bird Bakery in Kings Heath for a glorious Lemon and Blueberry cake!
Locking Down with 34 Giant Foxes
In amongst the general life confusion of lockdown, we were blessed with a purpose. To paint 34 larger than life size fibre-glass foxes. Our first real public art project and still the most ridiculous to this day. Liv locked down in Lauren’s family home and painted in the soon to be demolished conservatory. We enjoyed snowy trips to get more gas for the heater, all the episodes of Call My Agent and discovering podcasts amongst having to actually paint the beasts.
2. Good Eggs
A bonus to building Pickle has been all the wonderful people we have met along the way. Headless Greg, the best thing to ever come out of Instagram. Luke Tonge, whose first helloooooooo over email encouraged us to take the leap and move to the friendliest city and also setting up Picnic with fellow Birmingham based Illustrators has created the loveliest network of friendly faces and SUPER talented peers.
3. Brum Brum Here we Come
After the warm welcome into the Birmingham community by Luke and Dan from BDF, we now had access to our own studio space! This came with an independence, and a risk of actually having to make a living to pay rent. We love being a part of the creative community in Birmingham and to read more about the events, people and spaces that shape the city you can read our other blog post here.
4. Treehouse Trip
As part of Wild Rumpus’ Spring Installation project, we were invited on a residential trip to the woods where we stayed in a treehouse and learnt about health and safety(random). A wonderful, cold and bizarre experience, we spent three days toasting marshmallows, meeting other creatives and getting inspired by nature. The trip ending in a wonderful restorative cheesecake and a flushing toilet at the Emma Bridgewater Factory on the way home.
5. First Fabrication
Following on from the treehouse trip we completed our first fabricated job alongside fellow Birmingham creatives Bria and Nathan from Groove. The job was a big learning curve for us all with regards to the joys of creating work for outside and the risks when doing so. We had such fun brainstorming with Bria and Nathan, letting all our wildest and ridiculous ideas run free in such a safe creative space (Also a great pair to go on a charity shop mooch with…).
6. Glow in the Dark ceiling Disaster
Whilst Liv was stuck in bed with COVID, Lauren brought her trusty advisor Mother Jefferis out to what hoped would be a simple job at an old heritage site. Turns out glow in the dark pens might in fact soak into centuries old ceilings and leave greasy snail trails where they were meant to be invisible… After a joint call to ‘lets see if it dries after lunch’, which it didn't, we caused the property a full ceiling repaint by specialist painters (6 months to organise) and learnt a lesson on trialling materials fully before using for real!
7. The Road Sweeping Baker
A year down the line and we are now painting utility boxes on a busy dual carriageway in the centre of Shirley, Solihull. One magical moment occurred when a road sweeper offered us a piece of lemon cake in some joyful stormy British weather. Turns out he couldn't enjoy the cake himself (diabetic) but still made them for his team and those in need of a pick me up. It lifted our spirits so much we’d like to say we ploughed on for the rest of the day... But instead we packed up, went home and enjoyed a second slice with a cup of tea.
8. Totoro!
A big pinch me moment occurred when we headed off to The Barbican in London to see a production of My Neighbour Totoro and our work was cited in the foyer. Working with the RSC and Warwickshire Young Carers we designed and built (with the help of Groove) a 3D illustration which showcased the carers' lived experiences.
All of these moments add up to build the most fulfilling 5 years, growing Pickle from an idea into something we can call our full time jobs. Now we are off to celebrate with some cake and plan for the next five….