Manchester Print Fair + Mid-year Musings
Happy sweet June friends.
Last month I had my first ever stall at Manchester Print Fair - something that’s been a goal of mine since 2019 when I first visited the fair as an art student. It always felt like something that would happen ‘one day’, and yet this day finally came, and I had the loveliest time! The cathedral was such a beautiful venue to exhibit in, and to display my illustrations for the public was both daunting and exciting! It also allowed me time to pause and appreciate how far I’ve come since 2020.
Getting ready for the fair really tested my organisation! There was so much to sort out, from managing my online stock to prepping new prints, packing, labelling and generating promotion. May felt like a whirlwind, but it was good to stay busy. Having the fair to work towards not only tested my commitment to staying on top of things, but it took me away from personal illustration projects, which brought up some challenging emotions throughout the month. It’s been both intriguing and daunting to delve into different outlets of my creativity, opening up to new opportunities where I can to connect with this community, and seeing what I can prioritise without feeling like I’m not making progress in other areas of life. Of course, we’re never entirely sure of what the rest of the year has in store, but May definitely showed me how I can navigate my way into new avenues of illustration, and how I can share my work in new ways with you, my loveliest audience!
I also want to thank everyone who came out to MPF and bought a little something from my stall. I was so grateful to see so many familiar faces, and also many new ones too. A huge thank you to Alessandra for organising an amazing post-pandemic fair, and to all of you, who said hello and shared your kind words with me on the day, it made me feel most welcome. That being said, if you missed out on last month’s fair, I’ll be organising a shop sale later this month, so head over to Etsy for new prints, and my zodiac tote bags (which have been the most popular!)
In Other News | Mentoring!
In other news, I’m now meeting with an illustration mentor! We’ve met twice already and I’m excited to see what new ideas are sparked by speaking to someone directly from within the industry. It’s incredibly valuable to continue to learn and grow wherever you find yourself, and there are so many opportunities for us to do so, whether that’s reaching out to industry experts, joining groups to meet other creatives, or learning a new skill online. There’s definitely something to be said for acknowledging where you’re lacking in expertise, and actively opening yourself up to those who are wiser, older, and more experienced than you, to help guide you and your practise to the next level. I’m excited to see where this new connection takes me, and if you read some of my posts from last year, you’ll know I’m prioritising the journey this year, without judgement or fear…Wish me luck!
This & That…
*This June I’ve organised a little post-print fair sale. Head over to my Etsy shop to order something sweet for you or a friend! I’m always so grateful for your support :)
*I’ve enjoyed looking through Yuk Fun’s blog this month. There’s some great little interviews from a range of creatives on there.
*I’ve been reading The Twelve Week Year by Brian Moran which shares the idea of annualized thinking, and how we can condense goals that we would usually give ourselves a year to complete, into a twelve week cycle. It’s intriguing, and it’s made me rethink how I see and use my time.
Okay! I’m going to actually take some time off now, I’ve been staring at my laptop for too long! And maybe I’ll bake some cinnamon buns this bank holiday weekend mmmh. Have a peaceful June friends, where ever life finds you :)
Catherine