Womenfolk: Designers Of The Future - Belfast Design Week

During Belfast Design Week, Womenfolk took part in Designers of The Future - a number of workshops working with young girls in order to encourage them to pursue a career in design. We wanted to share some behind the scenes images of the events and share what happened throughout the day.

Book Design

This event included a multitude of different aspects that are involved in the publishing industry, that includes the creative careers such as story-boarding and illustration, not solely of cover art but also of the characters within creative writing. The facilitator, Gemma O’Neill created a perfect environment to support the girls which included showing the attendees her own book for inspiration.

Lego Animation

In this workshop we were joined by Can Do Academy, who served the girls with iPads and Lego in order to create their own stop-motion animation. This is just one of the many careers that are involved in film, others include 2D and 3D animation, Special Effects and Modelling. It was fascinating to see the girls come up with their own storylines and create a short film in the time given.

Let’s Build a Cardboard City

This event was facilitated by Thread and Ink collective. This workshops gave the girls the opportunity to start thinking about design in terms of the community and architecture. They were given a cardboard display of Belfast and asked what they would like to add or takeaway from the city.

Design it. Make it. Take it (away).

SheSaid design encouraged the girls to create a design based on an initial of their name which they then transferred onto a tote bag. Not only did this workshop evoke thoughts about textile design but also to think about graphic design and typography.

Games Design

In this workshop, the girls worked together in order to design, make the graphics, and produce the sound effects for a new totally unique game using the software GameMaker, which is free and easy to use for coding games.

WOMENFOLK - THE TIME IS NOW

On Monday 12th March, Womenfolk and Blick Studios hosted The Time is Now Panel, led by Esther Mogada.
The aim of the evening's event was to discuss ways in which we can encourage and support young, female entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland.

We were joined by four speakers who each work within different sectors of the creative industries:

Karishma Kusurkar, is a multidisciplinary designer who runs a small business creating accessories, games, lifestyle products and illustration. She studied Foundation Art & Design in Belfast at Ulster University and then went on to complete her BA(Hons) in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Arts at University of the Arts London. Karishma completed an internship for Topshop, which taught her design production within a commercial environment.

Karen Miano works within the music industry in Dublin, and now runs her own label which spurred from facilitation roles at music festivals. Throughout her early twenties, Karen worked three different jobs that had no relation to the music scene, but was approached by a customer in a retail job to take a role in stage management. She now hopes to work on connecting the two roles of Facilitator & Creator, and to inspire young people of colour to feel empowered to follow their creative spirits.

Aileen McEwen is a painter who currently works for the National Trust in collections management. She studied Fine Art: Painting/Printmaking at the Glasgow School of Art spends her days talking about powerful women throughout history and gets to learn how representations these women form our understanding of female power.

Geri Doherty works in costume design/styling for film and TV and has done from the age of nineteen. She is a founding member and producer of MELT Fashion Collective which aims to nurture the expression of self through fashion as an art form.

As part of The Time is Now, our panel examined Northern Ireland as a creative city. With its slower pace of life compared to many cities, it allows for more time to be creative. Belfast also has a much lower living cost compared to many other capital cities. This makes it easier to give up a non-creative day job and start a new business. The Internet and affordable travel mean we are still able to connect to other creative communities and bigger consumer markets around the world. We also learned that Lorraine Cunningham of Grainline Design and Sara O’Neill have created a hashtag #BuiltInBelfast, which they hope creatives will adopt for celebrating and promoting their work.

Each of these inspiring speakers taught us about how they got started within their industry and deliberated that there is no one right way to get into a creative career, especially in a field that still lacks a large amount of diversity. Our panel of differing ethnicities discussed being selected on merit rather than as a token representative to exhibit diversity. They also spoke of how female creatives are often wary of self-promotion and displaying a lack of integrity and may not always feel comfortable calling themselves entrepreneurs. For female creatives to start to resolve this difference within the field, our speakers suggested that women should remain authentic and honest; they shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes, ask for help or admit that they’re unsure how to carry out certain tasks. Yet, at the same time, women must also give themselves credit, be proud of their accomplishments and not be afraid to put themselves forward.

Womenfolk – The Time is Now Panel

12/03/18
Black Box
18:00-20:00

There has long been a disparity between the number of men and women involved in Design and Entrepreneurship.

The Time is Now is an Interactive panel discussion which will discuss how we can encourage and support young female design entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland.

We have four wonderful speakers including Karishma Kusurkar and Aileen McEwen who will be joining us for this event that is part of Creativity Month 2018

More information and tickets are available here.

"Showcasing your design work" by Jessica Fok

I’ve always admired designers; the way they balance creativity with commercial viability, their meandering and colourful lives.  Design has always been a castle in the sky for me. I’m not a maker, at least not in the traditional sense. I knew I’d always be on the periphery of the industry, peeking in but never partaking. In the past few years, I’ve become a dyed-in-the-wool storyteller, narrating the passages of designers, by whatever medium is most fitting. 

My enjoyment of conversations with designers is what lead me to transition my self-entitled online portfolio into a website that would house these interviews as well as the projects I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with designers on. 

A fashion-led Belfast Design Week event produced by Jessica Fok at Culture Night Belfast 2016

This transition into my blog Designher happened organically. At university I was a resident blogger for a fashion collective called Unify, an initiative managed and advocated for by altruistic designer David Henderson. Through the collective I made the acquaintance of a medley of talented clothing and accessory designers, interviewing them and telling their story on the Unify blog. After the collective’s dissolution I continued to keep up with many of the designers, even collaborating with many of them in a creative direction capacity for new campaigns and collections. Some of the works I have proudly created alongside talented photographer Ryan Richards include the Black & Silks shoot for Attune Womenswear and an in-studio photo album for milliner Marie Claire Ferguson.

After Unify ended, I felt there was an opportunity in Northern Ireland for a new fashion event to take place that would showcase and prioritise local talent so in 2016 I reached out to Belfast Design Week, which I felt, was the perfect vessel. With the help of a stream of wonderful people I created the fashion show DesignedBy. 

While I’ll call Designher a blog, I don’t want it to be restricted to just that. At the moment it’s a space for me to publish my conversations with designers and design enthusiasts, as well as viewpoint pieces on different strands of the industry. Often I work with designers to direct and create visual campaigns for new collections, new products or for their social media channels and I’ll be continuing to post these photo books on Designher. 

There is a plethora of reasons for why I’ve founded Designher. In a similar vein to Womenfolk, Designher is primarily intended to celebrate the work of women in design. I’ve had the luck of working alongside the women who co-founded Belfast Design Week and they continue to inspire me to mobilise and advocate for Northern Ireland’s design scene. Designher is testament to the good work of design communities and their unwavering dedication to creating and innovating their cities.   

I’m balancing Designher with my very full-on full-time job so this year my main goal is to have fun with the blog and fit in as many interviews as possible.  I have a couple of creative campaigns in the pipeline and all being well at the end of the year I might even try my hand at designing…

"Black & Silks" - a styled shoot for Attune Womenswear

Showcasing Marie-Claire Millinery's work in studio

A short list of advice / ideas for designers on social media and how to make the most of it:

Less is more: I often find designers feel like they need to be on social media sites but that’s exhausting and wasteful. Use insights tools to heatmap where your audience/target customers are and select the channels that resonate the most with them. 

Invest in photography: In a world of double screening and relentless scrolling, imagery is often the only way to stand out. Understandably designers often view a photo session as a luxury, but the trick is to be efficient with your time. Create a vision, develop a curated photo brief that will give you an extensive suite of images to use for the next 3 – 6 months and above all – find a photographer who you can collaborate well with so they get a better picture of your needs/expectations. 

Speak authentically: We all know a social media account where we cringe over their posts because they sound too ‘salesy’. You need to give users a reason to interact with you, never mind buy from you. You may think you know your brand inside out but often people gloss over the ‘brand tone’ element. The more comfortable you are with your brand’s voice, the better your posts will be. Whether the tone mimics your own voice as an individual designer or you have to carry out a day-long workshop to unveil the character – once you find out your tone – whether it’s sassy or calm and collected – project it far and wide and you’ll find your tribe. 

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designher.co

"Design Connections" by Belfast Design Week

Belfast Design Week is an annual week celebrating design which we founded in 2015. This year marked our 3rd year and our theme was Design Connections.  Our team consist of many female design entrepreneurs and it was very important to us to invite other women design speakers to contribute to the conversation over the week as so often panels and events happen without extending an invitation to women design experts.  

At this year's Design Week, we had a Womenfolk event - Take5 -  which encouraged local women design entrepreneurs to connect at Design Week through a breakfast event.   Womenfolk's ethos ties into our beliefs too and we thought we would share our thoughts behind this year's "Design Connections" theme, as well as a few tips on how to connect with other design entrepreneurs.

Belfast is becoming increasingly design-rich, but it is a small city in comparison with some of the established design destinations such as London or Barcelona. We are small, but we can collaborate and build strength and international reputation through our design connections. 

• Join Up - There is an increasing network of groups dedicated to various things - entrepreneurship, social innovation, design networking and more. Join up to these and connect with people, but make sure you don't over-commit! It's better to go to a couple regularly than to sign up to 10 which you may never engage in.  Some great local groups to sign up to our Womenfolk, The Design Salon, Young Influencers & Bank of Invention.
• Speak Up - Sometimes opportunities come to you, but mostly opportunities need to be created for yourself. The best way to make opportunities for yourself and your business is to speak up. If there's someone you'd like to get advice from, send them an email and ask them for a coffee. If there's an opportunity to share your story, sign yourself up.  The more you put yourself and your work out there, the easier it will become to connect.  
• Look Up - Northern Ireland is a great place to set up as a business, but don't forget to look outwards and think about whether you could be exporting your work internationally - be it a product or a service. Unless your work is focused towards local delivery - and there's plenty of locally - focused businesses that thrive - don't be afraid of accessing international competitions and grants and getting international clientele. Connect with designers and design studios worldwide, share your own tips and advice online and make the most of being a part of a connected world.  The very reason we formed Design Week was to put Belfast on the world map as a design destination like Dublin, Portland or Copenhagen.

These are just a few tips which we hope you find useful and perhaps you've also found some that have helped you to connect with other design folk, in which case do let us know!  Belfast Design Week will be back in 2018, so watch this space.

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belfastdesignweek.com

"The Travelling Designer" by entrepreneur Margarita Morfy

The Morfy adventure really began about 2 years ago, when I put my blue backpack on and waved the family off.

My former design years were predominantly working for Primark, a fantastic company in which to learn swiftly how to adapt and design up fast on trend, threads and textiles. After nearly 4 years in Primark I'd started to get dizzy with desires to leave my pretty cosy cocoon in Dublin and touch the soils of South America, salsaing my way to an unexplored sense of self.

I'd spent many years admiring and studying the exotic prints, patterns and textiles of the world from behind my computer screen and emulated on the high street but needed to really see, feel and experience their artisanal beauty for myself... as well as wanting to taste the best margarita's in the world.

The Reflection Deck came to life about 8 years ago as one of my Visual Communication degree show projects in the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. I had previously been exploring tarot, angel cards and other oracle cards, intrigued by their design in connecting with intuition. I wanted to create my own styled deck that was a present tool to reflect more specifically on the right here and now. With both artistry and language that was capable of speaking to everyone, with guidance that was accessible to young and old, spiritual and sceptical.

Having been accustomed to questioning and second guessing my ideas previously, this project seemed to form so organically for me. It is one of the most free flowing, enjoyable projects I've ever created. I fused my love of crystals and jewels, kaleidoscopes and repeat pattern design to create each kaleidoscopic mandala. Then reflectional meditation time with each image summoned up the sentiment and mantra to compliment each card and eventually complete the deck.

I'd only really shared the Reflection Deck with family and friends for years but then whilst travelling I found myself wanting to contribute to the wonderful settings I would often find myself in with my art, my talent. To deeper connect with travellers in a unique and meaningful way and so tucked a deck away in my backpack for such occasions. Upon sharing the deck I discovered how beautifully it allowed emotions to arise within people and lead to really sincere and enlightening reflectional experiences. So after being asked enough times and listening to all the universal whisperings to do so, I felt it was time to start producing the decks for sharing and sale. And so in January 2017 I set up my Etsy shop and began taking orders.

I really hope people resonate with the Reflection Deck, can see, feel and experience the loving intention that it's made from. The deck offers reflectional guidance but also allows space for you the reflector to intuitively connect with what is being mirrored up for you. To use the guidance to interpret what reading is there, for you to then infuse into your daily practices and apply how you so wish.

Bringing loving intention to all my visual design ventures, when designing for clients I bring a personable approach, showing up to help shine light on what it is they want to express and share to the world, be it print, textiles, graphics, promotions, or birthing a new project.

If I had tips to share with designers while travelling it would be to; Always have a notebook with you, journal every thought, sign and inspiration. Time flies by when your travelliing and your always seeing such stimulating sights, sounds and smells, so take note as the next inspiration is likely just around the corner. But take your time. Be present. Be mindful and in the moment. You remember a scene so much clearer when you've sat in it and breathed it in. Let the moments soak in and accept the gift of presence. And get out from behind that screen! Yes, get your work done but then look up and get out there and embrace this enchanting world around you.

And I'll keep searching for that perfect margarita..

instagram.com/margaritamorfy

"Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life…" by Rebecca Killen Ceramics

Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life…I love this sentiment and truly believe it. I have been ‘working’ on Rebecca Killen Ceramics for over three years now and I continually feel blessed to be able to do what I love every day. But really this work started much longer ago at a time when I didn’t really consider clay to be a career. I found clay through a passionate teacher at school and have been learning about and exploring the material ever since. It was only through taking a year out during my Fine and Applied Art Degree to study business at a college in the U.S.A that I realised the possibility of combining these new found skills with my passion for ceramics. Fast forward a few years and I am delighted to be selling my handmade bone china products internationally and throughout stores across the U.K and Ireland.

Having made loads of mistakes along the way here are a few tips that might help in getting your work out of your studio and into the world:

Say Yes 

At the start of your journey it is important to explore different avenues to really understand which route is best for your business. Saying yes to opportunities that come up at the beginning will open doors and introduce your brand to new audiences. 

Seek Mentorship

After graduating I was successful in gaining a place on Craft NI’s ‘Making It’ programme, a creative business start-up scheme that provided participants with studio space and business mentorship. This opened up a network of makers including previous participants who had gone through similar experiences, their guidance and support was key in the development of my business. This was a structured scheme but it can be as simple as asking for help, seek out someone 5 or 6 six years ahead on the road and take action on their advice.

Test the Market

Whether it be through exhibitions, craft fairs or on social media it is important to get a grasp on what customers are drawn to and how much they will spend on your product. This gathered information really helped me to create a core collection before approaching potential stockists.  

Work with Stockists

Your stockists are incredibly valuable, listen to their feedback as they are dealing directly with your customers on a day to day basis. There is also the potential to collaborate with your stockists, this could include an exclusive range or a one off statement piece. This is a great way of challenging your practice whilst staying true to your individual style.

Say No

Contradictory to my first point but sometimes it’s okay to say no as stretching yourself too thin can be detrimental to your business. As business has progressed I have learned to trust my instincts and during busy periods only commit to opportunities that I will be able to fulfil with integrity.  

Images by Esther Irvine Photography

rebeccakillenceramics.com

"Defining who you are" by designer Emily McIlwaine

The way we spend our time defines who we are. It’s important to make sure we are putting our time into something we really believe in. For me, this can be described in three main points.

Identity

It wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that weaving found me. I had started a degree in textile art, but felt that I could neither be classed as ‘artist’ or ‘designer’. When I started weaving, the process was all consuming. There was something so fascinating about the rhythmic, meditative (some might say boring!) processes to weaving fabric that appealed to me. Identity for me means finding a career path that engages your head, hands, and heart. Once you find your design identity, immerse yourself in it! 

Community

The more educated and skilled in our disciplines we become, the more we encourage others to share that passion, and it starts the ball rolling for a fantastic support network to share ideas with. Supporting each other’s disciplines and business ventures lifts the standard here in Northern Ireland for good design and strong practices, bringing creativity and job opportunities further afield than just the big cities. For this reason and more, Blick Shared Studios is an excellent regional hub for creatives to meet, share and inspire.

Inspiration  

I find cross-disciplinary experiences stimulate creativity and encourage me to produce more interesting designs. It can encourage me to appreciate the skill needed to create something beautiful, functional and well designed. Most inspiration for me comes from fine art, or sculpture. Don’t be afraid to immerse yourself in something completely detached from your discipline; you might just break that creative block! 

instagram.com/emtextiles

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Heidi Sandstrom.

"Seeing the bigger picture in the day-to-day" by Hunter Paper Co.'s Emma Jackson

I’ve been working for myself now for 4 years, firstly as a freelance illustrator after graduating from a degree in illustration, and for the last 3 running my own stationery and greetings card brand, Hunter Paper Co.

Hunter Paper Co. originated as a side project while I was freelancing and quickly gained momentum and became my full time business. It took a while to niche down to what was really selling, find a consistent brand style and also tackle learning the business side of things, but 3 years on from officially setting up the business I feel like I’ve really found my flow and I’m beginning to strategically plan ahead more and more.

It’s so easy when you’re building a business, especially if you’re doing it on your own to get caught up in the day-to-day. There’s so much to get done, you want to say yes to everything and the to-do list never seems to get smaller! So I thought I’d share some tips of what I’ve found helpful in planning ahead and thinking strategically.

Look at the year as a whole

I usually do this at the start of the year, I mark into a diary or a calendar big work events in the year, even if they aren’t set in stone. That way when I have those big events in mind, I know they’re on the horizon so it probably isn’t a great idea to veer of course too far in the months leading up to those big events. I also highlight calendar events such as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s etc, which play a huge role in my business, so if something like this could boost your sales it’s worth paying attention to them even a few weeks before.

Prioritise on a daily basis

It’s easy to get into the studio in the morning and just start working on the most exciting thing or the thing you’d like to do the most. If there’s a big project looming though this procrastination can have a huge knock on effect. Write a to-do list of just 3 - 5 things and put them in order of priority. This gives you a little bit of structure in your day, when there’s really no rules - sometime you’ve just got to be the boss and discipline yourself.  

Do your accounting!

I have to admit, I’ve only really learnt the value of this in the last few months! 🙈  If you’re on top of your accounts you can plan ahead with confidence and stress a whole lot less! It’s also given me a little extra motivation, I’ve set income goals and I’m driven to reach them each month rather than just producing work and seeing what sells!

Make it visible

In the run up to big events in my business, like a trade show for example, I draw it all out and pin it to the wall in front of my desk. I draw out a calendar and cross out days to remind myself how quickly time is passing and I don’t have time to browse facebook! I also put floorplans for the show, or design drafts or to-do lists up on the wall in front of me, so everything is easily accessible, and it also reminds me to keep the final goal in mind in everything I’m doing.

 hunterpaperco.com