Reflecting on 2023

I thought I would share some bits and pieces from 2023. There's not so much actual artwork shown here but instead some of the small moments behind the finished pieces. In no particular order, these include:

- the apple I ate at 2am after completing a mammoth 7 hour print-packaging session (that I had allowed 2 hours for, oops)

-excessive amounts of paper goods... 2023 was the year of cardboard boxes as I started stocking prints in Swindon and London Bridge Curated Makers Shops. It's been an education in packaging and costing (and figuring out how to actually make a profit after all of that!) Im hoping to take what I've learnt and apply it to wholesale this year.

-the fancy coffee I treated myself to after finally delivering prints to an exhibition I was part of, in itself a gigantic learning curve. (I was a mess after just losing and finding my phone in a Pret in Green Park, so the coffee tasted extra delicious)

- A snippet of one of many moments spent in London. I spent more days than ever before outside exploring, seeing art, having new experiences and it was wonderful. I think I actually, maybe managed to get a good enough balance between work and life!

-Some little glimpses of the picture books I worked on. After choosing to have a year off children's publishing and needing a new direction, it was scary but so good to find my feet again. Always labour intensive, these projects really pushed me creatively but were so enjoyable to make. They feel quite authentically 'me' which is something I've struggled with for a long time.

Other moments include almost slicing my finger off prepping wedding stationery, the usual illustration marathons when a deadline sneaks up on you, and too many printing surprises and delivery mishaps than I care to think about! I wonder what 2024 will bring x