They Draw Horses, Don't They?

Remember this picture from last year? I entered it in the 'They Draw Horses, Don't They?' competition by Inky Solutions. 

Sadly, I didn't win. But there were so many brilliant entries (you can view them here) that they decided to create an exhibition and gift range from them.

The exhibition is THIS THURSDAY at the Latest Music Bar, in Brighton. It is from 7 - 10 pm and will include live screen printing from The Private Press, and a cartoon workshop with Harry Venning. It sounds really fun! If you are in or around Brighton this week you should definitely check it out! It is also free. You can find out more details HERE.

Illuminate!

I suppose most people spend their Friday nights down the pub, not me. I go to libraries and gaze for hours at hundred year old books. 

Last night the House of Illustration organised Late:Illuminate! at the British Library. The BL is running an exhibition of Illuminated Manuscripts until the 13th of March, and if you haven't seen it yet I really recommend you do. They are beautiful. The exhibit is huge, and steeped in history and mystery. I was in there for so long a security guard eventually had to chase me out! 

The whole evening was part of the HoI's Spring Festival, and included refreshments, demonstrations, artists stands and workshops. Above are some of the things I was playing around with in the workshops, mythical beasts and holy relics. There was also workshops for life drawing, typography, calligraphy and medieval paint mixing. It was kinda like being a kid again, trying out all these new techniques, but there were no kids present. It was a mix of students, artists, and people with a genuine interest in manuscripts. I guess I'm a mixture of the latter two. 

Picturing Time Private View at Sotherby's

A diary is a record of time, a sentimental layering of memories.

Me, Kate and Mum

This is exciting! As regular followers of this blog will know, for part of my final year at university we had to enter a competition. I entered 'Picturing Time' by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. This was way back at the beginning of the year. So when I found out last month that my animation had been shortlisted I was very, happily, surprised. Imagine then, when on Monday I found out that I had been selected for an award, how surprised I was. I was instructed to go down to London on Thursday evening to attend the Private View. 

I received a Highly Commended award in Animation. Out of 220 entries, my piece was among the top 6. You can read about the other prize winners here. 

It was incredibly posh; we were announced as we arrived and provided with plenty of champagne. It was also incredibly hot, I was melting, and a merry little photographer kept trying to grab me for photo's which was a little embarrassing... I'm not used to the spotlight!

Sam Richwood from my course at uni was also shortlisted, click the photo to see more of his work.

I still can't really believe it! I've had a piece exhibited in London, and won a prize. All from my little animation I made in my bed room on a make shift tripod duct taped to the wall. 

My animation on the screen.

Receiving the award. 

My tutors, Cathie and Anna, and I.

Everyone I spoke to was so lovely, I had a great evening. So, I better had post this animation up here again, in case anyone wants to see it! 

News and Updates

Remember this post? Well, that animation has been shortlisted in the Picturing Time Competition! I was completely surprised, as I am not an animator and thought my work probably looked too crude to get anywhere. My animation will be exhibited along with around seventy other shortlisted entries at the Sotheby's Colonnade Gallery, London next week from Monday the 1st of August, until Friday the 5th of August (9am - 4.30pm) so if you're in the area you should pop in for a look around. I can't wait to see how other people responded to the brief, it's quite exciting!

Exhibition at the Sotheby’s Colonnade Gallery, 

34-35 New Bond Street, 

London 

WIA 2AA.  

Let's Begin...

Illustrate: (verb) To provide something with explanatory or decorative features.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. It feels just like any other day, except maybe a little less stressed than the last few months, the finals months of my degree. Honestly, I never really gave this day much thought, I never imagined I'd be living it. 

For the last three years whenever I've told people I'm studying illustration they've looked blankly at me and then asked 'so what will you do when you leave?'

'Well, illustrate, obviously.' I've replied. Illustration is not like a degree in English, or Geography, or Prehistoric-Modern-Anglo-Latin-Medieval-Computerised-Folklore; the job's pretty much in the title. Don't ask me what illustration is; yes, it is pictures in books and what not, but it's also got a lot more scope than that. And what do I want to illustrate? Well, at this point I'm a penniless graduate, I'll take whatever job I can right now! 

So that's that. Up until this point I've had a plan: do an illustration degree. But what next? All I know is that I don't want life to be predictable. I want to chase down adventure. I want life to be a showcase. 

The University of Hertfordshire's Degree Show, 2011.

Featuring Illustration (which is all amazing)

Featuring my work too!

Let's do this. 

If you are in Hertfordshire this week why not pop over to the university and check out the amazing degree show featuring work from Graphic Design & Illustration, Fine Art, Applied Arts, Fashion,  Photography and lot's lot's more.