Design: Quartet Graduate Show
Friends! Petals! Sugar snap peas! It’s been a minute. How ya holding up? It seems as though spring has officially sprung here in the UK. Last week I met a friend for sushi and iced coffee and sitting in the sun with the rustle of trees, it definitely felt like the winter cobwebs were being swept away!
Whether you know me personally, or have followed me for a while, you’ll probably know that I left university during lockdown, which meant our 2020 graduate show was cancelled. I wrote a whole post on my thoughts at the time, so if you haven’t read it yet you can do here. Two years later and we finally got to exhibit as a year group at the Holden Gallery this April. It was lovely to see some familiar faces again, and finally close the door on that chapter of my life.
As we could only exhibit one piece from our portfolio, I chose my illustration of the BFG. I find as a picture book illustrator my work isn’t necessarily suited to a large gallery wall, but I was proud of that piece as it was one of the first illustrations I made independent from my degree. The illustration came together through several experiments, finger blisters, moments of enjoyment, and a whole lot of blue pastel smeared over my desk! It was also the first piece that truly felt like me. Throughout university you’re taught to switch from what’s comfortable and try new things, which is an approach that has it’s up sides, but it also perpetuated feelings of doubt, as I often felt like I couldn’t bring my own ideas to fruition completely.
As a prelude to the exhibition, I also attended a networking event hosted by the Department of Design, where I met industry professionals, including Ness from Orange Beak Studio! I really wanted to bring a strong body of work to this portfolio review, which meant I had to prioritise making work for at least six months prior to the exhibition, if I wanted to benefit from the opportunities as much as I could.
Building a portfolio is no mean feat, so if you’re just starting out try not to feel disheartened, it can take a while to have a substantial amount of creative work that feels cohesive and that you can be proud of. I’ve had many moments over the last twelve months that felt like an uphill struggle; I didn’t have to build a portfolio, but developing one that represents the direction I want to head in means that I can now benefit from the opportunities that come my way. Illustration isn’t necessarily a quick process, so with a little less pressure I think I would have enjoyed the journey a lot more. It was all worth it in the end though, and I’d say to anyone who finds themselves in a transition at the moment and can’t see any outcomes ahead, just keep going, keep making the work, keep seeking out new connections, and I promise you an opportunity will reveal itself to you in it’s own good time.
The show is on till the 8th of May if you’re round and about Manchester, it’s well worth a peep to see the amazing range of pieces from the design graduates!
April-ness…
*I’m currently reading The Daily Stoic every morning for a tiny piece of wisdom to start my day.
*I read this fab article for creatives looking for alternatives to Instagram - a big mood for me recently and I imagine for many others. Instagram has its pros and cons of course, but it can be draining for us creatives to feel as though we should be churning out frequent, highly polished content. I highly recommend giving the article a read!
*This year I’m growing tomatoes for my third year in a row! This time I’m holding out for a whole two bunches … let’s see if that’s at all possible!
*I’ve been shamelessly watching old episodes of Sherlock in the evenings recently, and it takes me right back to the cosy old days of 2010, when everything seemed right with the world!
So this May, I’m realising already, is another jam-packed month. I’m bloomin’ excited to be selling at Manchester Print Fair on the 14th of May - no doubt I shall be hastily packing and prepping goodies for my stall the week before. I hope to see some of you there! I also have a school workshop coming up which I’m sure will be a blast, and I’m planning on meeting with a mentor from the illustration industry, who I’m thrilled to be working with! It’s all systems go from here!
Onwards and upwards :)
Catherine