Back to the Drawing Board: Art, Open Calls and Shop Updates

A week into my social media break and I’m already feeling much more like my old self. I’ve been prioritising drawing each day and being much more conservative (read: realistic) with how much I can actually cram into each day.

I’ve also begun looking for and applying to open calls for exhibitions and magazine features. I’d like my art to be seen by more people, and relying on Meta’s social media apps for visibility isn’t the relatively easy strategy it once was. So, I’m putting my big-girl pants on and putting myself out there more. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on any submissions that are accepted for exhibitions or publication.

Last week I shared with you a warm-up study of Ozzy in preparation for a tribute piece I wanted to create to mark the first anniversary of him leaving us. This week I drew that tribute piece. You can see the work in progress photos below.

The completed piece is a black and white drawing completed with Micron pens in my A4 sketch pad. The paper is Bristol Board, so nice and smooth and bright for that contrast with the black ink. I’ll share him on socials next week for the anniversary of his passing.  

Yesterday afternoon I set up a dinky little lifestyle photoshoot corner so that I could finally take product photos of my growing army of Familiars. Now, if you’ve been around a while, you’ll know how much I dislike this part of running the business. Taking and editing photos, then writing copy for listings, does not bring me immense joy. I’ve now set aside time each week to tackle it in batches. I currently have over 400 images to go through and edit in the next week or so, with the aim of having a fresh release of artworks in the shop for you in August. I’ll keep you updated as I go.

My next event is only a month away! I’ll be trading at the Alternative Artisans Market in Lincoln on Sunday 16 August. The market will bring together more than 40 makers from across the alternative space, all carefully selected for their authentic craftsmanship and unique creations. I’ve already begun preparing my stall, and I hope to complete a couple of new smaller artworks for the event too. You can find more information about all upcoming markets on my events page.

As I mentioned last week, I’ve decided to make a big change to Hannah Kate Makes so the business feels more authentically mine again while giving me the space to create more freely. This week I took the first tangible step needed for this change to take place and I’m very relieved that it was less complicated than I thought it might be! I’ll talk more about that in the coming months, and you can expect to see changes and updates rolled out from the beginning of January.

That’s it for this journal instalment. If you’d like to keep up with all things Hannah Kate Makes, sign up to The Spooky List and I’ll send the latest art, shop and event updates straight to your inbox. You’ll find the form below.

Take care and stay spooky.

HK x