Illustrators are often multifaceted, and this is what makes our industry exciting! They can be entrepreneurs, authors, artists, researchers, community leaders and so much more. Fuelled by their own interests, illustrators are increasingly achieving success outside of client commissions through collaborations, external funding, further training, exhibitions and other avenues.
Led by AOI Membership Advisor Saskia Cameron, this exciting session will celebrate and discuss the importance of nurturing creativity and research, investing time in personal practice, seeking opportunities outside of commercial work, and proactively expanding your career through diverse routes.
Our speakers Sofia and William will each deliver a short 15 minute presentation detailing how they’ve invested in their own practice recently, before opening to a Q&A where we’ll take questions from the audience.
It’s going to be an inspiring hour, and we can’t wait for you to join in the conversation.
A recording will be provided for a limited time period to ticket holders.
About our Speakers:
Sofia Barton is Cultural Activist and Multidisciplinary Artist from the North East who creates contemporary artwork inspired by nature and her Punjabi heritage, often featuring bright colour palettes which are influenced by South Asian textiles and architecture to vintage matchboxes. Her creative practice has developed links with multiculturalism, feminism, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Clients have included UK Pride, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Wild in Art, Laing Art Gallery, Durham University, Tyneside Cinema and NEXUS.
Having successfully received the Art Council’s DYCP fund last year, Sofia will talk about her application and how the fund’s affected her practice so far.
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William Goldsmith is an illustrator, artist and writer based in London. He studied at Glasgow School of Art and more recently on the Drawing Year at the Royal Drawing School.
He is the creator of the graphic novels Vignettes of Ystov and The Bind, and the children’s middle grade series Mark Anchovy. William has also taught on the BA Illustration programmes at Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art and at the British Higher School of Art and Design in Moscow.
William will talk about his experience studying in the Royal Drawing School’s Drawing Year, and how it’s affected his practice so far.
Accessibility:
The AOI would like to make events accessible to all, where possible. Please let us know your access requirements at least one week in advance by emailing [email protected].
Banner illustration by Harriet Noble.