Drawn In Social ~ Manchester's New AOI Meet-up for Illustrators
Happy Autumn loves. We’re deep into it now - crisp mornings and layers of woolly garments are a necessity from here on in. This really is my favourite time of year, before the slowness of winter comes crawling in.
Last month I had the amazing opportunity to host the AOI’s new social for Manchester illustrators. I was over the moon to be offered the role, after having an interesting conversation with Dave Bain about the illustration community in Manchester, and joined the most talented and vibrant team of creatives made up of Nicola Mullen, Nathan Hackett and Jordan Yates. Drawn In, as we decided to call the new social, offers Northern creatives the chance to meet other artists, share experiences with the community, and spend an evening of drawing and good old chit-chat. What’s not to love?!
I’ve recently felt a yearning to be part of a community. Since spending several years working on projects under my own steam and in my own company, my heart’s been aching for sharing my ideas and experiences with other people, and the more I’ve opened myself up to the possibilities of broadening my network, the more I’ve crossed paths with like-minded, creative and wonderful humans who have impacted the way I view my practice, and I show up to it. Artist-to-artist conversations don’t just allow us to get our own thoughts and worries off our chest, but to share and support each others ideas can be incredibly nurturing for our own inner artist. Having the opportunity to organise the first Drawn In social not only allowed me to meet so many amazing new people, but I’ve also realised how much I LOVE event planning! Give me a notebook and a tick-able list and I’m good to go!
As this was our first event, we decided to focus on finding ways in which we can support illustrators, as well as focusing on building a community as a whole. From the various activites sparked many great conversations, and we came away with lots of ideas to dive into!
The whole evening went down a storm, and it felt so great to connect with other humans, as well as getting to know everyone’s individual styles and journey through the creative industry. Keep an eye on the Drawn In account for our next meet-up!
October recap…
*Sketch and Café has been another highlight of my month! I met the host, Jenny, at the Drawn In event, where she invited me to join her city sketchbook group and it’s been exactly what I needed! We have more planned this month, and I can’t wait to meet more sketching pals and doodle over coffee and cake. If you’re local to MCR and on the lookout for new creative friends, this may be for you! Jenny usually posts the latest meet-up dates here.
*GK Gallery are now officially stocking a collection of my cards and prints. If you’re in the Salford area, be sure to pop by! Another amazing family-run business to support <3
*I’ve really been loving The Bare Female yoga classes as part of my at-home yoga practice. Each flow is inspired by the feminine and I find them perfectly soothing for the end of a busy day.
*Just for fun, this feel good song!
Roll on the last few weeks of 2023! I’m excited to see what is in store…
Until then, C x