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
NARRATIVE ILLUSTRATION | Primary School Workshop
This month I had the amazing opportunity to lead an illustration workshop for a group of year 6 pupils at a local primary school. I have to say, I’ve been dreaming up sessions like this one for a while now, so when my friend Josh asked if I’d like to come in to show the children what exactly an illustrator does, I jumped at the chance! I decided to choose two fairly simple activities for this workshop, but really emphasised imagination and inclusivity rather than their drawing ability (because anyone can be an artists, did you know that?!)
I was immediately welcomed by the children, who excitedly showed me their sketchbooks which, I’m pleased to say, were full of blossoming talent! Then, after a brief introduction to myself and the type of work I do, we got drawing! We had seven groups of ten children, each given a large sheet of paper and a section of a story that I had typed and printed before hand, based on Alice in Wonderland. However, with the purposes of encouraging the children to rely on imagination rather than what they already knew about the narrative, I exaggerated and muddled the descriptions into things like: ‘A smartly dressed rabbit, searches for his watch in a clock shop’ and ‘A grumpy queen eats too many jam tarts and starts a food fight’. This meant the children could guess what story they were illustrating as their sketches developed on the paper, which really allowed scope for their creativity and imagination to take control. There was such an amazing variety of ideas, including a cat with moons for eyes, skyscraper cakes, and even a Christmas tree!
In the second session, we turned their drawings into a continuous illustration! With their individual pages now filled with weird and wonderful drawings, we connected them together in chronological order according to the Alice in Wonderland narrative, and with pens in hands, the children were let loose wherever they wanted on the paper! I asked them to rotate several times so they could continue to add to each of the drawings, and encouraged them to be imperfect with their illustrations as they collaborated with each other. It was a fantastic afternoon and the children showed real willingness and enthusiasm to create something together. I ended the day with a brief showcase of my own picture book portfolio, and answered their questions about the illustration industry, as well as my own experiences of studying at art school.
Although this was my first school workshop, it was an absolute joy to teach, and I’m already dreaming up other workshops around narrative illustration, character design and more!
If you’re interested in workshops like this one, drop me a line at hicatherinebooth@outlook.com and let’s work together!
Design: Quartet Graduate Show
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.
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
Year of the Tiger
A little treasure to ring in the New Year. Last month was slow for me and kind of magic. I’ve been buried in books, closing up projects and beginning new ones. I feel inspired and rested, and I hope you do too.
I painted this fierce little thing to celebrate the Lunar New Year (which is today!), February 1st. I was born during the Year of the Tiger, so I guess this illustration holds a special significance. My birthday is also this month, so what better way to celebrate my 24th year around the sun than sharing it with you!
A little treasure to ring in the New Year. Last month was slow for me and kind of magic. I’ve been buried in books, closing up projects and beginning new ones. I feel inspired and rested, and I hope you do too.
I painted this fierce little thing to celebrate the Lunar New Year (which is today!), February 1st. I was born during the Year of the Tiger, so I guess this illustration holds a special significance. My birthday is also this month, so what better way to celebrate my 24th year around the sun than sharing it with you!
Treasures from January…
*I completed my first Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day challenge and it’s been one of the best things I’ve done in a while.
*I started reading Murakami’s 1Q84 this month. His weighty descriptions tend to pull me in because they’re so deep and descriptive. I can see why some people have issues with it, it’s a hefty read, and the plot is extremely slow. But I like his writing style, and it’s been a great to lose myself in his eerie world during these dark winter mornings.
*Two new art books for Christmas. One by Miroslav Sasek and one by Julia Sarda. Both are divine.
Happy New Year friends. Happy new beginnings. Happy everything.
& lots more to come!
Catherine