2019: Our Year in Review
At the beginning of 2019, we shared a graphic on social media stating "dreams are the seeds of change". At this time, we were still working at home – just the two of us! Twelve months later and we are now settled in our new studio with a larger team of three. This was something we dreamt of when first starting. We are so grateful we've been able to grow to this point (with plenty of growth left in us).
How did we get to this point, now? Let us share a recap of the last twelve months, starting in January 2019...
January
February
January: Playtime Paris
We started the year with a large-scale, interactive art piece for Playtime (at Parc Floral, Paris). Playtime hosts premium trade shows across the globe, dedicated to children and maternity brands. To celebrate the theme of "family", we created a group portrait of everyone who visited us. This was styled as a cute apple orchard. It was fun for everyone and encouraged visitors to engage with the arts.
February: FSB Finalist
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) supports SMEs across the UK. After winning Yorkshire and Humberside's Microbusiness of the Year in 2018, we were delighted to be shortlisted again in February. This was for Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Yorkshire & Humberside).
March
April
March: York Fashion Week
At the start of Spring, we sprung into action for York Fashion Week. We collaborated with the fabulous, independent image consultant, Jackie Crawford for The Feel-good Fashion Fiesta. At Browns Department Store (York) We illustrated guests as they received their colour analysis from Jackie. This was a confidence-boosting activity for everyone involved. We had so much fun — here's to York Fashion Week 2020!
April: Studio Move
In April, we moved out of our home studio, into a larger space at Mortec Park, Leeds. This enabled us to invite our design partners around more often and prosper from a more productive environment.
May
June
May: Kasia Joins
With our new space, we had more room for our first full-time team member. We hired Kasia as Buttercrumble's creative assistant. Kasia has been a brilliant addition and we feel so fortunate to have found someone who fully-embraces the brand. The extra help means our service to you can continue to advance.
June: Visual Note-taking
In June, we performed visual note-taking for the University of Leeds. This was for two inspiring events: Young People, the Arts and Mental Health: a Cultural Institute Conference and the launch of the new Centre for Immersive Technologies. As alumni of the university, it's always an honour to return and do what we studied to do!
July
August
July: House of Lords
We were ambassadors for Leeds' Business & IP Centre (BIPC) at the House of Lords. This was to celebrate the launch of the British Library's report, “Democratising Entrepreneurship”. We were selected to showcase a local business who has found success nationally and internationally — with a big thank you to Leeds Libraries!
August: Our Biggest Round Table
We always love to invite our network to the studio. In August, we hosted our largest round table event yet. We gathered to share support in an inclusive and intimate environment. We aim to continue nurturing our community into 2020 and beyond.
September
October
September: We Spoke at Bonhams
In September, we spoke as part of the National Saturday Club's panel discussion at Bonhams. We participated in the club back in 2010 - 2011. It changed our outlook on creative careers, so we were delighted to encourage others to embrace the arts.
October: BIPC Images Launched
We were proud to be included in the British Library's Bright Ideas Inspiring People campaign. In October, our images were launched and now appear as part of marketing collateral for the BIPC at libraries across the UK. Photography by the talented Elliott Wilcox.
November
December
November: Creative Interventions at mima
As a continuation of encouraging people to embrace the arts, we supported the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (a.k.a. mima). This was for their new project: Creative Job Studio. We created a mural, illustrations and hosted workshops. Here we engaged young people with the arts and creative career knowledge.
December: Hong Kong
As the year came to a close, we visited Hong Kong following support received from the Department for International Trade. Despite the cancellation of Business of Design Week, we travelled anyway. Whilst there, we were able to conduct research, meet contacts and see our illustrations exhibited. It was well worth the trip.
We wish everyone success as we enter a new decade and a fresh roaring twenties. Our mantra for 2020 will be: "when you focus on the good, the good gets better". We are going to evaluate the business to see where our key strengths lie. As we grow, our service to you will improve. We will focus on the goodness we can deliver to your business.
What will you focus on in 2020? Please feel free to get in touch or leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you.
