Harrogate show by famous Posy Simmonds launched

Harrogate's Mercer Gallery is presenting an artistic coup this weekend with the sort of name usually associated with bigger city galleries.

Renowned graphic artist – and creator of Tamara Drewe – Posy Simmonds is the subject of a brand new exhibition at this public gallery from today, Saturday.

Posy Simmonds: Original Artwork and Unseen Sketches includes work ranging from Posy’s schoolgirl cartoon portfolio, including a design for her own magazine Gurls. Mischievous to the point of wicked in her drawings, teenage Posy was often in trouble at school for such artistic ventures as a page of drawings headed How To Make Love.

The new show at the Mercer also features original drawings created for The Guardian.

One strip follows the adventures of the Silent Three of St Botolph’s School for Girls – Trish, Jo and Wendy – who continue the secret society they set up at school into married life.

The story of the exploding Sandringham Tartlets is just one of the mysteries they set out to solve.

The exhibition runs from June 16 to September 9.