Gross Sudios (Exhibition & Print Fair)

A Couple of students on our course started a collective under the name Gross Studios in which they offered me to get involved with both their exhibitions and print fairs. Both of these where a lot of fun taking part and really showed me how to set up a small print fair or exhibition by taking part.

Exhibition

For the exhibition the theme was self titled (gross). I obviously took a sexual twist on this as this was what my practice sometimes focuses on. However, i wanted it to have charm for the exhibition. I produced an orgy on a 2 meter banner. Setting this up was easy we decided to set it up together and following Katies curation i hung it up on a wall big enough for my large piece. The evening was a big success and lot's of people came down and enjoyed the work by all the artists. I also helped out with music at the event. This really helped me experience the work behind setting up your own exhibiton and what it is to be involved within one.

Print fair

The print fair wasn't necessarily my first however it was my most experienced one yet. I set up my stall with much more thought and it paid off with much better results. Each print was individually wrapped to give it more of a professional product feel. I had a price list of my prints and t shirts plus it was all presented in a large box offering potential customers the option to flick through my products whether they want to talk to me or not.

customer looking through prints

My pricing menu and box

I felt like conversation is a very important part of the sale as an illustrator you have to sell your personality as well as your work. If people like the chat they feel more confident in the purchase this is something at first i was nervous to do but after a few print fairs i have started to break this wall down. I know find it easier to talk to the customers (unless they are not up for the chat)

Overall, Gross has taught me a lot about setting things up as a freelancer and how to expose my work outside of uni and how this feels much easier to do with . a group of other creatives.