CLUSTER ILLUSTRATION SHOP

ILLUSTRATION JOURNAL

CLUSTER ILLUSTRATION FAIR

What drew you to London? Had you always wanted to live in the city?

Initially when I came to the UK I moved to Bedford, where I had a family connection. I loved British culture (especially Monty Python!) and wanted to perfect my English, so spent a year there studying English. I then did an HNC and HND in art before applying for university. I had offers to study in Bristol and Kingston University, and chose the latter as I wanted to move to London. I visited several times and loved it; it is such a vibrant, multicultural city, with people from all over the world, and I was determined to live here.

How and why did you become an illustrator?

My path to becoming an illustrator is a somewhat tangled journey. At high school in Poland I followed an artistic route, studying metal art, but following my HND I actually chose to study photography at university. After the first year of my course, I knew that photography was no going to be the way I could express myself. Whenever I visited the illustration department I was filled with excitement, but I persevered with my BA in photography and graduated (actually with a First!). With the benefit of hindsight, I could have saved myself a great deal of time, money, and energy if I had transferred to an illustration course, but at the time I did not feel brave enough.

What happened next?

After university I met my partner, who introduced me to squatting, and that truly expanded my experience of London, taking it beyond the tourist landmarks and picture-postcard views. We were living in a squat in Deptford alongside artists and creatives; it was like a little Bohemia, and I learned so much from it. It is the people that make London what it is. After six months, we were offered the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition in Amsterdam, and decided to buy a van to travel there - it was a spontaneous, almost irresponsible decision! We ended up spending three years travelling throughout Europe, holding pop-up exhibitions in our ‘gallery on wheels’. It was an incredible time, and we met so many fantastic artists along the way. At the same time, I was also sketching as we travelled, and working through artistic blocks.

Why did you return to London?

We would come back to London at regular intervals, spending six months working and saving enough to take us back on the road. Like so many Londoners I had a love/hate relationship with the city: while here I would grow weary of it, but every time we returned after being away I was reminded how much I loved it. We then spent two years living continuously in London, and I learned a great deal from grass-roots initiatives such as the Craftory Workshop, in Newham. It was incredibly inspiring to see people supporting each other and building community, and we tried to apply that spirit in our own work, running community print workshops.

How did you become involved with Cluster London?

I was initially introduced to Cluster via a friend from the Craftory, who participated in Cluster Illustration at Ugly Duck in 2018. I visited the fair and it was amazing, with so much going on! I wanted to be part of something, a community, and to connect with others, and so I applied for Cluster Illustration in Brick Lane in 2019. It was the first time in a long time that I had exhibited as an illustrator, and I was thrilled to sell my work there. It was also a fantastic experience, meeting other illustrators, and a wonderful exchange of energy and skills.

Where are you now in your illustration practice?

It is only after twelve years in London that I feel that everything is coming together for me now. When the UK went into lockdown in March, I enjoyed the privilege of having time to create, to draw, and to appreciate nature. I decided to finally undertake an MA in illustration, which I began this Autumn, remotely, with Falmouth University. It feels like the first time I have stopped to work through who I want to be, what I want to do. It has been intellectually and creatively challenging, and has helped me to work through so many creative blocks.

What advice would you give to artists thinking of moving to London?

If possible, try to visit the city a few times before moving here. A few short visits will help you to decide if you like the general feel of the city. Research areas that you might want to move to - I love East London, which is yet to become gentrified, and is full of artists and exciting projects. Spend time researching the jobs that might be available to you, and the cost of living - it’s incredibly important to budget and have financial back up. London is an expensive city, and if you are not prepared then financial difficulties can cause a great deal of stress, and creative blocks.

On the other hand, London can offer you so many opportunities, many of them free! You could fill your calendar with the free events and exhibitions that are available. I’d also strongly recommend investigating your local community centres, which also offer a great deal of support, and the opportunity to meet people and build a network. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others in London (especially through social media), and to feel huge pressure to be good at everything. I would say be brave, full of energy, and open to change, and to others - stop comparing, start collaborating! You can learn more about Ania, her work and inspirations here.

TAKE A LOOK AT ANIA’S WEBSITE HERE TO SEE MORE OF HER WORK