To market to market…

Last night I went to the Craft Victoria seminar on market readiness, and I learned so much I though my brain was going to burst!

There were two speakers Penny Min Ferguson of MinPin and Leah Jackson of Leah Jackson Ceramics, a well as the person organising the event from Craft Victoria, Kim Goodwin. They all spoke well, clear, concise and open about their experiences and the tips they’ve learned from going to markets and building their businesses. Lots of guidance on having a successful market experiences - even if you don’t make money out of it… 

To be honest, I knew a lot of this stuff - BUT I hadn’t been able to put it together in a coherent package enough for my tiny brain to see how it worked. But this seminar showed me, which was awesome! And they liked my tea towels - they have excellent taste.

I just need to decide what I really want my business to be. But I really need to thank the wonderful Aniquah Stevenson for her advice in doing this seminar, she is awesome and her work is great - check out her new website http://www.aniquahstevenson.com

Time for a tune, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Time for a tune, Hilary Cresp, 2016

In the last couple of weeks I’ve sent off a few illustration agency submissions and to a literacy agency.  But I won’t hear from them anytime soon, they get hundreds of applications and it takes long time to view them, and they only get back to those they want to see more from. So we wait.

AND...mark the weekend of the 11-13 November in your calendars! ArtSpace8, where my studio is, is having and open studios with a group exhibition and market stalls (so I can put what I've learnt into practice), with new work on display and some product for sale. More details to come!

Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of birdies lately…and one in particular got a bit of a run. I listen to a podcast called Stupidly Big - they do a segment called 'Shiver me Tingies' : what makes you feel good in a happy friendly way like, slipping into clean sheets or hearing the sound of a champagne cork pop. I was part way through making it when, they mentioned on the podcast that someone had already make them something. So I was in two minds as to sending it to them, but in the end I did - they loved it and (with my permission) made it their avatar for Twitter. YAY!

Shiver me tingies, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Shiver me tingies, Hilary Cresp, 2016

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Cheers and chin-chin!

Some you win…

Last weekend I had my work Unravelling in the Derinya Art and Craft Exhibition (DACE), and although it didn’t sell I did have lots of positive feedback.

After picking it up I’ve put it on one of the gallery walls attached to the studio space here in Artspace8. It looks great (even if I do say so myself) and I haven’t got tired of it.

Unravelling (1,2&3), pencil on paper, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Unravelling (1,2&3), pencil on paper, Hilary Cresp, 2016

The intricacies of doing a piece quite this large is a challenge but one I’m willing to take up and I have a lot of this on my mind so I think it will form the backbone of a new exhibition. 

At DACE we did make a purchase… Eddie Zammitt and Travis Price collaborated on a limited edition print, which ticked our fancy. It’s a beautiful image well executed by a master of the genre. I love it.

I also took down the exhibition Endless, at Frankston Art Centre (FAC). It had been up there for a while and made a few sales, which was great. The curator there was really supportive as well as being pragmatic, which is of great benefit as I am not alone in being somewhat unsure of myself, so a guiding hand is wonderful. She gave me a couple of leads which I will follow up in the coming days.

Currently, I am working on a groovy little picture book. Hopefully the magic publishing fairy sees it and loves it as much as I do… and publishes it. I haven’t got a title yet but it will be finalised in the coming weeks.

Birdie, Ink, Hilary Cresp, 2016

Birdie, Ink, Hilary Cresp, 2016

I used the little darling in a screen printing workshop with Tim Growcott, a fabulous textile artist. Held at Oak Hill Gallery, Tim showed us how to make a screen using photographic emulsion and print on a carousel. The following week he showed how to strip a screen and placement printing - but I missed that day… :(

Cheers,