The Book Illustration Competition Awards Night

Last night I went to the Book Illustration Competition Awards ceremony with my sister, it was really nice to finally put faces to the work I have seen in the longlist. I spoke to people who had flown in from different countries and of all ages, it was lovely to see such a diverse group of people with a similar interest all in the same room. I was a bit nervous talking to certain people, such as Sheri Gee who is the Art Director of the Folio Society, but she was actually very nice to talk to, I feel like it gave me a bit of practice in how to present myself to industry professionals. I also had the opportunity to have some interesting conversations with other members of publishing houses and practitioners who just came along to view the exhibition, collecting a few business cards on the way!

Overall, this has been a great experience and given me more confidence when thinking about exposing my work and being in a professional environment.