Creative Presence: colours may vary talk

N O T E S   F R O M   T H E   T A L K:

• When setting up the shop they found it was important to make something that didn't already exist in the city. They wanted to create a hub for conversation and meeting creative people within the Leeds and surrounding area. They mentioned that this is also a way to think about creating work, they stock work that's individual and exciting, something that's not already been done.
• They discussed the how important the appropriateness of media and format used for each individual product. Just because it's screen printed or hand-made doesn't make it better. It's important to think about pricing and making it accessible for a particular market. The price should be appropriate to the project. 
• When approaching them or other businesses and agencies it's good to let them absorb what you've produced without pushing for a conversation. It might not be an appropriate time for them for example. A good way to go about approaching them is to leave something with them and forward them an email to allow them time to process and have a proper conversation about your work and how they would like to be involved. They also discussed that approaching them through social media doesn't feel personal, it feels very immediate and not thought out.
• When setting up exhibitions they discussed how meeting people means meeting more people and new opportunities. They can be great conversation starters for new projects and new people to get involved in.
• They also discussed that as stockists it really important for them to foresee change and encourage evolving their stock and suggested that as artists we should keep re-inventing ourselves to move with the environment around us. 
• They also discussed the importance of allowing ourselves time as young creatives to get experience and that going into self-employment straight away doesn't suit everyone especially if you're not well disciplined and completely confident within your abilities. Working for a company can allow a lot of learning about the industry
• They also discussed that it's important to evaluate social media presence and establish what you want future collaborators, employment and opportunities to understand about you and your work. Having a personal Instagram and a studio Instagram is a good way to go.  

 

In the talk they discussed that when deciding what to stock within their store it was really important to them that the products have a really nice finish and feel to the work. They discussed how important paper quality and application of media is. I picked up these two books as the tactile qualities, colour, media, binding and compositions were really lovely and exciting to flick through.  

Creative Report: study task 3

my current process:

I feel my current process is heavily driven by shape, traditional printing methods, ambiguity, collage and the social discussion of femininity. I want to start moving these strengths in my work towards textiles and products for fashion and homewares in cohesion with print making.

practitioners and their influences:

I'm really inspired by practitioners whom work with bold shapes, colours, ambiguity and print methods in the application of products, prints and zines, such as Anna Kovecses, Laura Slater, Atelier Bingo, Charlotte Mei, Monica Garza, Kevin Umana & Palefroi. 

who do I want to interview?

I'm hoping to interview Laura Slater as I understand she's collaborated with several people and companies since graduating such as a women's wear collection for John Lewis, Wrap Magazine, Nottingham Contemporary, Heals, Harvey Nichols and Pick Me Up. I feel it will be really insightful to understand how these collaborations and opportunities have come about as well as how teaching on the printed textiles course has impacted on her work and career. 

Creative Report: identifying 10 contacts

Laura Slater

I found Laura Slater's work through talking to my housemates on the printed textiles course here at LCA. I'm really interested in the application of illustration to pattern, textiles, fashion and homewares and have been identifying this within my process since the start of second year and will be doing more so during the 505 module. I understand she's collaborated with several people and companies since graduating such as a women's wear collection for John Lewis, Wrap Magazine, Nottingham Contemporary, Heals, Harvey Nichols and Pick Me Up. I feel it will be really insightful to understand how these collaborations and opportunities have come about as well as how teaching on the printed textiles course has impacted on her work and career. 

Anna Kovecses

I've been a big fan of Anna Kovecses since looking at her work in first year as inspiration for minimalism, shape and colour. I understand she's a self taught designer and is represented by YCN Talent Agency, as well as creating work for the BBC, The New York Times, Secret 7", Milk X magazine and clothing brand Lazzari. Even though her work is mainly focused on editorial and publishing I'm really interested in her pattern designs for clothing and products and her personal zine work. I think it will be great to understand how she came to be presented by YCN and how living in Cyprus inspires her work.

Chris Harrison & Polly Glass

I've been a follower of Wrap Magazine for several years and really like the fact that it presents contemporary illustration, products and printed designs in a wholesome way with talking genuinely to practitioners whilst providing them an opportunity to make new work for each issue. Harrison & Glass are the founders of the magazine which came about after the pair wanted a place to showcase their product designs. I'm really interested in how the idea of Wrap magazine came about, how they set the idea into action, how they've got to where they are from their original practices and, more importantly, how they communicate with practitioners and what I need to do to get my work out there. 

Lisa Gorman

Gorman is the founder of Gorman Clothing based in Auckland, New Zealand. I'm really interested in the companies general aesthetic, however I'm really excited by their collaborations with freelance designers and collectives such as Atelier Bingo. I would really like to understand how these collaborations come about and how the company started and what changes have been made since 1999 to with stand changing trends.

Charlotte Mei

After the Big Heads talk in first year I was really inspired by Mei's work ethic and a bit overwhelmed by all the information we were given. I'm really interested to talk to Mei about her practice since graduating and how she's managed to keep afloat in London. I'm mainly interested in how her collective came about and how the process of creating the exhibitions she's been part of works. I understand she's also had work with Lazy Oaf so I'd like to understand how she got her foot in the door with that company, and I'd also like to know how important her ceramic product making is to her practice; whether it's just a way for her to make money and keep doing her other pieces or whether she see's that as an important focus of her practice. 

Maxime Prou & Adèle Favreau

Prou and Favreau are the founders of Atelier Bingo an illustration and pattern design collective that create textiles products, ceramics, screen prints, zines and publications. Their practice is very driven by traditional printing techniques such as screen printing and mono printing abstract shapes and patterns. I'm really interested in understanding their creative process, their production of exhibitions and collaborations with other freelance practitioners and textile companies.

Kate Moross

I'm really interested in talking to Kate Moross as I'm excited by how many different contexts she applies her illustration and graphic design too. I think I'm most interested in her mural and art direction work, and would really like to understand how her creative process progressed into large scale and 3 dimensional work. 

Danielle Pender

Pender is a co-founder of Riposte magazine "A Smart Magazine for Women." The magazine is a curator of contemporary art, illustration, design, music, innovation, food and wellbeing in regards to women. I understand that Pender isn't necessarily a creative, however I think the discussions found in the magazine are really important and I feel very strongly that my current work and my work for the future really focuses on femininity, equality and the presentation of women in the modern world. I think discussing the work she is inspired by and the theories she lives  by will be really inspiring and insightful to my practice. Pender is also the founder of KK Outlet a leading contemporary exhibition space in London so it would be really interesting to talk to her about setting up that space and how creatives get to exhibit their work. 

Nicolas Burrows

I'm a massive fan of Burrows' abstract shapes and immediacy in his work. However I'm most interested to talk to him about his innovative processes of using machines to draw. I'm also really interested in his collaborative projects with Nous Vous, I'd really like to understand how they implement ideas together and who takes what responsibilities.

Emily Forgot

Emily Forgot is a graphic designer come art director working a lot in 3D for murals, shop windows and exhibitions. I'm really interested to find out how her collaborations for MTV, Paul Smith, the BBC and Selfridges Co. came about and how she transitioned from digital to woodwork and other 3D processes.