25.06.17 — Journal

Degree Show

So just before leaving Leeds we were all rearing up and ready to launch our Degree Show, a public exhibition of some of our best work from the past four years of university. The show was titled “Alchemy”, and was led up by two of my housemates, with Isabel acting as Creative Director and Luisa as Project Manager. I must extend many thanks to the two of them, and many others, for their amazing work in pulling the show together.

Having submitted some images for my page in the catalogue, and a design for my large poster on the wall, I nipped in during the last few days of preparations to lend a hand to the committee who were working hard to get everything in place for launch night. My first assignment was to help with the trimming some of the final boards to go on their frames, with Rhea working the knife like a pro.

A face of cutting concentration

I was then tasked with figuring out how to create and mount the wayfinding signage after Izzy had completed the design of the system. Me and Luisa ended up bringing maths into the mix – cue memories of sitting in high school maths classes wondering when anything would come in useful…

It fits!

Once everything was in place it was time to put on a snazzy shirt and head back into university for the launch party, which took place on Thursday 15th June. With Luisa’s family flying in from Germany and my whole house exhibiting work, it was a lovely evening, with the networking conversations flowing almost as much as the free wine.

People begin to arrive for the launch

Just in the foreground of that photo, on the corner of the table, you can see the distinctive green glow of the business cards I have been busily making recently. This was the little spot where I showed off some of the physical work I have produced over the past year, both in university and during my spare time.

Some of my print work

Above you can see the multicoloured booklet set I created for my Pearson project, the neon green business cards I made by hand, the signature red and black pages of the Briggs Report project, and a little photo book which is part of a project which I have yet to announce publicly… Something to look forward to!

Soon after the launch the Briggses were reunited as a family as my parents and sister came to visit the show, where we tried and failed to be on our best behaviour…

My sister and dad enjoying the show

Afterwards me and my sister treated my dad to a surprise Father’s Day lunch at one of my favourite brunch spots, Ox Club, before we all headed home for an evening together.

Brunch with the family

Since then I have had to return to Burnley, where there’s the extraordinary task of condensing four years’ worth of worldly possessions into one room waiting for me every evening – bring it on!