Creative Discussions - Hanbury Reflection

REFLECTING ON MY ROLES

LEADING THE PRODUCTION OF PUBLICATION

The Hanbury event was a great opportunity to take on a key role in the delivery of a professional networking event. I volunteered to take the lead on the production and assembly of the publication. We had made the group decision to hand-stitch the publication to give it a crafted quality that might enhance how well it was received. As a keen and competent bookbinder, I volunteered to take the lead and produce 20 hand bound publications.

This process was very time consuming and we had a few set-backs with some printing errors but the publications were all bound and trimmed several days before we were due to travel, so I'd say the time management was successful on this project. 

Leading the production of the final publications was rewarding to my evolving professional practice as I was able to execute my binding skills on an external project, applying my process to a new context and delivering a given brief within a given time frame.

INTERVIEWING PROFESSIONALS
This event also offered the opportunity for me to practice my professional communication skills and represent the course in the delivery of a panel discussion. I felt this was a good opportunity to practice my communication skills in a professional environment relevant to the creative industries, and also make myself known to the professional attending the event.

This role also required generation and refinement of informative and professional questions which would lead a beneficial discussion for the audience. I felt I demonstrated really sophisticated communication skills here as I listened intently and tailored my follow-up questions to the answers given, something which I think showed value and appreciation of what our guests were saying, but also demonstrating professional communication skills relevant to other professional occasions such as pitches, collaboration meetings, criticisms with art directors etc.

REFLECTION ON THE EVENT

As a whole, I felt the Hanbury symposium was a real driving tool in the development of my professional skills and outward facing profile. Presence was key and the delivery of a high quality group publication and personal promotional book enabled me to realise the professional level I can achieve through simple development and delivery of a visual profile. The publications, both group and personal, acknowledged me as a professional, not just a student, and I think this has marked a turning point in my thinking; I feel more confidence in my practice, who I am, and what I can offer the industry.

Collaboration and group work can often highlight certain weaknesses and I did feel let down by number of students who contributed to the delivery of the event. The production of 20 group publications, as well as the production of 20 personal publications, was a highly laborious task which took up a substantial amount of my studio time that could have been spent on other work. Although having said this, it was beneficial to my professional practice and development as a team player. 

The event did also reaffirm my goal to be a 'non-illustrator', or certainly not the kind of illustrator that was discussed at the event. There were areas of the industry which weren't represented, but equally I was able to take away some transferable skills and knowledge relevant to my own disciplines.