A Summer Meet-Up with Drawn In
Hello sweetest gems!
I’m making a brief pit-stop here, on my corner of the internet, to share a little joy from our most recent Drawn In meet-up, Manchester’s social for illustrators, artists and sketchbook-lovers. Just look at this gorgeous lot!
This time we set up shop at Fairfield Social Club, a spot I’d visited earlier in the year for a Pecha Kucha night with my lovely friends Louise and Nathan. There’s something about those festoon lights and long shared tables that makes it a very welcoming, slightly magical hideout.
This time around, we were joined by the ever-lovely Jenny from Sketch and Cafe, who led part of the event with her signature playful drawing prompts and wholesome sketching session. Diving head-first into continuous line-drawings and collaborative illustrations is the perfect way to shake off the nerves, chat around the table and remember why we love to make art in the first place…to play of course!
I’m grateful to have been able to catch up with so many of my gorgeous illustration pals I’ve met over recent years too, some who’ve just moved studios and others in the midst of the hard slog of deadlines, others just exploring new creative paths. It really does fill my heart to spend time with them. It does much good for the inner-artist too. Our theme for this month’s meet-up was ‘Sketchbook Journeys', and I think its safe to say that for most illustrators sketchbooks can be a space of both frustration and joy, so to hear other people’s struggles, wonky perspectives, and abandoned projects felt strangely comforting, and made the event an open and non-judgemental space for people to share their failures as well as their wins, without pressure.
Once everyone had arrived and settled in with a drink, we began with sharing our sketchbooks with each other, which, as most vulnerable things do, tends to be the thing that connects us the most. We shared pages we were proud of and things we were hoping to work towards. There’s something very grounding about sharing your ‘ugly’ work with others - you realise very quickly that no one is the ‘perfect’ artist, and that most people, in their own creative way, are still figuring things out as they go.
Then, after Jenny led the loose drawing prompts to wake us all up and get out of overthinking, the event coasted with some space to do our own personal sketching. Between the chatting and the drinking all I had time to draw was this little lady in my Pith sketchbook. It was such a lovely event, and as we wrapped up for the night, many of us stayed, sketchbooks sprawled across the benches, and long chats into the evening. Summer in the city at its finest.
I’ve always been an advocate for socials like these, that’s why I love being a part of Drawn In so much. These moments of authentic connection are rare, and having gone through a time in my life where I didn’t know of any other illustrators I could chat to, to now make work alongside them and share goals with other likeminded creatives, is so valuable. And if you came along to the event, thank you for making this community what it is. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Current Musings…
*This song has snuck it’s way into my playlist for Summer and I’m not mad about it. It makes me want to lay in the grass and watch the sun set over the city. Perfect for August.
*I’ve gotten back into reading on the morning commute, and currently I’m making my way through A History of the World in a Hundred Objects. I have to be in the right mood for non-fiction, but this book has been strangely comforting and makes me want to visit the British Museum again!
*Exciting workshop news! This August I’m running a child-friendly illustration workshop at the beautiful House of Books and Friends, hopefully creating a little joyful chaos! If you’re coming along I can’t wait to see you there.
*I was very kindly featured on Children’s Book North socials last month. It was my first time making ‘proper’ video content and my goodness I have a newfound respect for influencers! I spent an entire day filming 30 seconds of footage! It’s so far out of my comfort zone to be in front of a camera, but, as the lovely Yusra said in her Pecha Kucha talk, embrace the cringe! And I’m certainly trying.
Thank you for reading friends, as always. I hope your August sends you good thoughts and long sunny evenings with people you love.
With smudgy hands and a full heart,
C x
Book Birthday ~ Thank You, Teacher
Hello, sweetest ones! How are we all?
Somehow, it’s almost summer, and I find myself in subtle disbelief. Was it the unusually hot weather we’ve had that disrupted my usual routine, or the influx of projects I’ve been juggling? Who can say. Regardless, we’ve made it this far, and I hope the year so far has been kind to you.
Today is a special post, celebrating the recent publication of my new children’s book, Thank You, Teacher, published by Hachette. This project kept me company through the slow weeks of January and is my first book created entirely in pencil (excluding the cover)! It was both a challenge and a joy to create, and honestly, I absolutely loved it. Through those quiet months, the heart-warming sketches gave me much comfort, and I managed to complete the whole book fairly quickly. It was a fast turnaround, taking just over a month to finish. April’s newsletter lifted the curtain on my process for this book. So if you’d like to read more about it, you can do so here.
Last weekend, I headed down to a sun-soaked Manchester to see the first copies of Thank You, Teacher on the shelves of Waterstones and HOBAF. It truly was a pinch-me moment. Seeing something I’d created by hand, printed and stocked in bookshops I’ve loved for a long time, I wonder whether there’s a word to describe the feeling it gave me. My inner child was so happy. I’m incredibly grateful for the guidance and support I had from my wonderful art directors, Samuel and Rosie, and, as always, my agent Mark. To work with people who are truly fans of your work is as fulfilling as holding the finished product. And of course, being a teacher myself, it was a pleasure to work on a book that will be drawn in, written in, and gifted by small hands to their teachers. I value connection deeply in my work, and I felt that at the heart of this little book. I’ve been celebrating with long, drawn-out moments of gratitude this month, with bookshop visits, lots of unboxings, and the odd piña colada. It’s been wonderful.
Let’s catch up!
While I was finishing up the edits for Thank You, Teacher, my agency took some future projects I’m optimistic about to the Bologna Book Fair. I couldn’t attend myself this year, as I recently started a new arts administration job in the city centre. While this means I’m no longer a full-time freelancer, the role brings a helpful boost in income during a quieter season for book projects. I still get to dedicate a couple of days each week to my beloved creative practice however, and the community projects that I get to be involved in adds another dimension to my life as a creative in the northern arts community. This change in routine has also made me curious about how other freelancers balance their time and income. From conversations with friends in the same field, it seems to be a constant, shifting balance. I do love it though, and I have a feeling this summer will give me a little more space to settle into these new roles and provide me with time to enjoy making art just for me.
I’ve also been spending a lot of time with people I love. It’s deeply nourishing, and has become more and more apparent how much I value connection. This month, the Drawn In gang and I visited the colourful Caterpillar Press to brainstorm a future risograph workshop, which I’m sure will be a hit with the creative communities in Manchester and Stockport! It’s always a joy catching up with Nicola, Jordan, Louise, and Nathan, and hearing about their own projects and progress. I also went on a Sketch & Stretch retreat with my dear friend Amber, which was a dream. It was led by Emma Thorlby, and I got to meet the lovely Caroline Dowsett! I even went to my first Eurovision party, which was MAD. I did enjoy this one however, from Latvia. Alongside a few private painting events and mentoring a third-year illustration student, it’s been a busy, variety-filled season. I guess I really am living the life of an illustrator!
So, what’s next? I’m currently working on a sweet community project in partnership with Bury Art Museum. I’m collaborating with a lecturer from my old university, Manchester Metropolitan, and the stories I’ll be illustrating have been written by children, some from my old primary school, so this is a project that is incredibly close to home. I won’t be doing full-page illustrations for this one, which should, in theory, make the process a little quicker. I’ve really enjoyed the collaborative nature so far, and I’m excited to see how the illustrations develop.
Thank you, as always, dear friends, for being here, for reading, liking, and supporting in every way you do. It never goes unnoticed. I wish you all a creative season ahead. Let me know what you’re working on in the comments below!
See you around!
C x
Dancing in the Rain ~ Book Birthday!
“You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams” ~ Gene Kelly
Dearest friends, how are you?
I can’t quite believe it has been a year since Dancing in the Rain first arrived into the world. To be honest, I thought I’d have more time to reflect on this milestone, but the last few months have been something of a whirlwind. Between workshops, a new book, and the usual ebb and flow of creative work, I find myself almost a year older and a year busier. But I didn’t want to let this moment slip by without pausing to celebrate it properly.
My dear friend and author of the book Giulia Zucchini has been bringing the book to life across Italy, sharing the beautiful story of Olmo’s discovery of the legendary Gene Kelly — an encounter made possible by Giulia’s own son’s love of the dancing legend. With references to Kelly’s films and memorabilia, the book introduces young readers to the timeless artistry of Kelly, whose influence on dance and film continues to shine many years after the films first came to our screens. The first presentation was in Padua, last spring, at Pel di Carota. After this there were many others; the book began to travel around Italy and in some libraries and independent bookstores. In Bologna, at Giannino Stoppani - Libreria per ragazzi, Giulia sat in conversation with Marcella Terrusi (University of Bologna), sharing how the book came to be, and the hidden details that are scattered throughout the pages.
Last November, Dancing in the Rain found itself at La Gang del Pensiero in Turin, where Giulia shared the book among vintage photographs and eager young faces.
To mark the first anniversary, Giulia hosted a special event on February 15th at Castello di Carta - Libreria per ragazzi, where children became part of the story—dancing, creating paper dolls inspired by Gene Kelly, and discovering the magic of movement and imagination. The event, in collaboration with Curci Young Editions, was a joyful celebration of art, film, and storytelling. The children were invited not just to listen, but to move. The story came alive through dance, laughter, and the tapping of small feet. At the end of the event, each child left with their own handmade Gene Kelly paper doll, a tiny memento of the day.
I wish I could have been there for all of it. The photos alone made me want to hop on a plane and join in. I am grateful to Giulia and the Edizioni Curci team who have cared for our book. I would also like to thank Mrs. Patricia Ward Kelly for always supporting this project and for continuing to follow this adventure with great affection.
There’s still more celebrating to do, more children to introduce to Gene Kelly, more tiny feet ready to step into the magic. For now, though, I just want to say thank you. To everyone who has held this book, read it, shared it, and danced along.
🎉 Happy first birthday, Dancing in the Rain! 🎉
Drawn In Co-Working at GRIT Studios: The importance of shared spaces and creative connection
It’s funny how these months seem quick and lazy all at once. August felt that way. We didn’t get much sun here in the North, but the lilac evenings made up for it. There’s a certain magic in watching a city sneak into dusk, a peacefulness in sitting by the sea, and spending rainy afternoons with fellow creatives. I’ve been documenting it all, of course, and taking stock of what this summer has taught me. You can read more about it on my Substack, where I shared some of my summer sketchbook pages during my trip by the sea. In this post, I’m sharing a little about our recent Drawn In co-working day. A warm, inspiring time spent with fellow illustrators in the heart of Manchester that reminded me of how much I’ve come to value working with others. It’s funny how collaboration, even in the simplest sense, can spark new ideas and breathe fresh life into our solitary practices. Here's what I learned from that day.
Making art can be such a solitary thing, can’t it? You sit, you think, you go deep within yourself. It’s a journey inward, to the quiet corners of a creative mind. But what I’ve really come to appreciate, is that I don’t want to stay there alone. I crave the quiet moments of connection too, not in the sense of shared work, but in shared space and shared conversations. That’s what I loved most about art school. Although we would work on our individual projects, we worked on them in a shared space. Just knowing someone else was there, also creating, was enough. There was this lovely, unexpected inspiration in passing someone’s sketches on the wall that had been ripped out of their sketchbook, glimpsing a corner of another artist’s process, or exchanging thoughts and ideas by the water cooler. Life drawing is another outlet that gives me this same feeling, where we work in silence, but each of us tapping into our creativity in mutual, silent synergy.
I’ve been so lucky this year to be part of Drawn In, Manchester illustrators’ collective. It’s been a year now since we launched the community (you can read about our launch night here), and it’s been such a gift. We created the group because we felt that connection in Manchester’s art community was missing. We wanted to build a space for illustrators to share their worries, hopes, and dreams, and to remind ourselves that we aren’t alone in feeling them.
At our first event, something that came up again and again was the desire for more a collaborative workspace. Somewhere to work together and bounce ideas off of each other. Thanks to John Cooper, a Manchester illustrator and member of GRIT studios, we were invited to host our August event at this collaborative space in the heart of the city. Working amongst friends, the event offered an opportunity to discuss current projects, to share how we work similarly, and how we work differently. Soaking it all in, as the gentle patter of August rain accompanied our conversations, I found it a wholesome and nourishing time to just to be with fellow creatives. There’s something special about those conversations, the ones that unfold naturally and without agenda. You never know what gem might come from them.
I used to be the artist who tucked herself away, isolated in a room, thinking that’s how the best work got done. But working this way never filled me up. This year, I’ve made a conscious effort to step out, to surround myself with other creatives, and nourish that part of me that craves connection. When I first started freelancing, I wasn’t shy about talking about my loneliness. There were periods when it hit me hard. The more I’ve pushed myself to get out there, the more I realise I’m just quietly extroverted, and thrive on spending time with other people. I need to express my ideas, and time to breathe and share my inner thoughts with other artists. Making connection a priority this year hasn’t just supported my mental health, but overall I feel more balanced and well-rounded in my practice.
We don’t grow in a vacuum. Trust me, I’ve tried it! Creativity thrives on connection, whether that’s the shared excitement of a new project, or just a new set of paintbrushes. So, if you’re looking for it, here are a few ways you can find connection and support in your community:
Join a life drawing class, sketchbook group, or art club. You’ll be meeting other creatives regularly, and can bond over your mutual love of a shared activity.
Find a studio to work in outside of your home. A change of scenery does wonders for the creative mind, and can add breathing time to your week if you tend to work alone.
Apply for mentorship. I had a mentor when I left university, and now I have my agent. This is someone you can bounce ideas off, and trust they will give you honest and helpful feedback that keeps you moving in the right direction.
Engage with your online community. Instead of just liking posts, try leaving a thoughtful comment, ask questions, and start a conversation.
Draw on location. You can be creative in cafes, parks, museums - anywhere! Not only does this one aid observational work, but you’re be surrounding yourself with community.
Attend events. There are book fairs, talks, art festivals going on all the time in our cities. I keep an eye on Eventbrite to see what’s coming up in my local area.
I can’t wait for our next event at the beautiful House of Books and Friends. It’ll be a good one - myself and my agent, Mark Mills will be hosting the talk all about children’s publishing! If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by! Let’s chat, share a drink, and find some new inspiration together.
Until then, C x