Today I went along to the Studio Talk, the fourth of the year, (and my second!) to hear about the work at Catalogue, a design team formed of Oliver Shaw and Tom Pratt- two ex LCA BAGD students. The room was absolutely packed- obviously a very popular choice. For me, I found it a really inspiring experience to see what you can go on to achieve from graduating on the course- they, of course, being a shining example, and with great successes.
These are just a few examples of the notes I took in the talk:
- Barber's in Harrogate rent space for first studio (there for 6 monts, £200 pm, £260 travel pm-
far too expensive).- College prospectus for last year (BIG job- books, etc). Good funding for studio business. Two weeks of summer after graduation- and then they dived straight in.
- Second studio was a huge 7.5 sqm studio- partly donated by a studio arts project. Started print shop here.
- More commissions included printed media for 'The Woolgather Art Prize'.
- Started up their own print shop (started with t-shirts)- blossomed into bag straps, totes, zines, etc.
- Printed bags for Rankin exhibition.
- Can now turn down "shitty" flyer jobs for GOOD work- "PASSION PROJECTS" with integrity.
- Moved around studios a lot- good experience (Hunslett)- GRIM... of moving around.
- Found current studio (featured in image above) located by the train station in the center of Leeds.
- Invest in a good space- makes a huge difference to how you work.
- Loop Arts Fair (June)- big event in which they created branding and exhibited their own work also. Personal relationship with the organisers, along with lots of freedom available.
- Exhibit printed 'catalogue library' found images as zines- greyscale and stock. Started as a weekend project- GREW and still developing. Wrote down 50 subjects and elaborated- eg Punks turned into "PUNKS FROM BEHIND" (brilliant...!). Became collector's items- got sold online and in shops- New York, LA, Melbourne (IMPRESSIVE!).
- GET BIG in the design world- Market yourself.
- Embrace side projects!
- Europe love zine culture.
- Now inviting established artists and designers to contribute to their zines- making them even more desirable.
- Created branding for 'Ground Control Coffee' in Carnaby Street, London, as well as 'Blueprint Skateboards'.
- Stayed working in Leeds because of established networks- and hating on London.
- Book work, usually, pays the best.
- Clients now, in general, find them.
- Work 9-6 Monday-Friday- keeping it as a 9-5 esque job- need to have a life too.
With the opportunity to ask the guys some questions, I jumped upon it. With a desire to work freelance, I thought it would be good to ask them about their experience from a small-scale operation to now, in my eyes, great success- particularly financial issues- as tutors in the past year have warned me off- and suggested that, consequently, I avoid being freelance. Refreshingly different to these opinions, Oli and Tom said, basically, do what you want to do- if you're sensible and rational, you can do it. Feeling so inspired.
No comments:
Post a Comment