A First Step in Marketing: Exploring the Poster

Mood: Calmly Figuring It Out | Post Type: Behind the Scenes | Weeks Until Show: 21

Where It All Began

When I first booked my solo show back in July ’25, I remember feeling slightly overwhelmed by everything I needed to do — how many pieces I would need, what I would call the show, and how I would design a flyer or poster.

I had a rough idea of how many pieces I wanted to create, but as time has moved on (far quicker than expected), I’ve realised I need to stay flexible. What I produce — and what I can realistically afford to frame — will ultimately shape the exhibition.

Reframing Expectations

Then there was the title. I had an initial idea, but it slowly evolved over time. A few months ago, I finally settled on Belonging: Between Moor & Sea. It felt important to land on a name, as I had originally intended to reach out to Devon and Dartmoor-based magazines to help promote the show.

However, I soon realised that this was adding unnecessary pressure — especially alongside my other professional role, which has been particularly demanding. So, I made a conscious decision to be kind to myself and reframe things. Instead of pushing hard for external promotion, I can document and reflect on the experience afterwards. That shift alone has taken a huge weight off — no immediate need for new branding photos, or photographing work that, at this stage, doesn’t fully exist yet.

There are still plenty of ways to promote the show beyond social media, and giving myself that breathing space has allowed me to think more clearly about the practical side — particularly the financial reality. My other job still enables me to be a glass artist, and while I hope that one day the glass will support itself, for now I’m aware of that balance.

Giving Back to the Landscape

Alongside this, I wanted the exhibition to give something back. I’d been going back and forth on whether to donate a percentage of sales to charity. There are so many worthy causes, often connected to personal experiences, but I wanted something that felt closely aligned to the work and its landscape.

A recent post from Dartmoor Search and Rescue, highlighting their need for a new vehicle, really resonated. Much like supporting the RNLI — even when you’re careful and experienced, you never know when you might need help — I feel the same about Dartmoor Search and Rescue. Reading their call-out reports, and thinking about the people and families they support, they truly are extraordinary.

So, the decision was made: 10% of all sales will go to Dartmoor Search and Rescue.

Even if I don’t break even financially, I know I’ll have gained so much from the experience — setting goals, learning along the way, and supporting a local cause. That feels like a worthwhile outcome. I’m also very aware that my other role makes this possible — even if I’d much rather be making glass all the time!

Back to Posters & Flyers

With marketing back on my mind, I’ve started working on the poster. As I’m still very much in the making phase, I don’t yet have a wide selection of finished pieces to choose from. So, I’ve used an image from a Glass Artists group show earlier this year.

I then spent a few weeks researching other exhibitions, and I found myself drawn to simple, minimal designs. However, achieving that simplicity isn’t always straightforward — especially when you still need to include all the essential information.

Colour was another consideration. While I have my own branding colours, they didn’t quite sit well with the chosen image. This poster also needs to work across multiple formats — print, digital, and social media — where I can expand on the information if needed.

Timing has also played a part in pushing this forward. At the end of April, I’ll be at Delamore Arts and having a poster and flyers ready will be far more useful than just describing the exhibition verbally. The poster will also serve a practical purpose later, for example in an A-frame outside the gallery.

The Next Decision

I’ve now created three design options, and I’ll need to choose one soon.

Even as I write this, I’m questioning whether I should include a QR code linking to more information — especially as my name isn’t the easiest to spell! I’ve also realised I still don’t know the exact opening times for the exhibition, so that’s another task to add to the list — contacting the gallery to confirm what works best.

My plan is to do a small initial print run of around 50, as a starting point. From experience, colours don’t always translate perfectly from screen to print, even when everything is set up correctly — and this may be another moment where I need to let go of perfection. Because if there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s this: perfectionism and preparing for a solo show don’t go hand in hand.

Seeking a Second Opinion

Over the next week, I’ll be sharing the designs with a few of my personal creative directors — my mum being one of them, along with a friend — and, of course, my Instagram community, who I’m hoping will help me make a final decision.

This is Episode 19 in my ‘Solo Show Diary’ series — a behind-the-scenes look at how my work develops. You can find my earlier posts here.