DESIGN . CREATE . PROMOTE . SELL
Launching my own proper business was never the plan when kickstarting Darwin & Gray but at the same time the idea of a 9-5 job just has never really cut it for me, or at least without trying something else first. Having juggled multiple part time jobs, university deadlines & the fluctuating nature of running a small online shop for the past two and a half years I have managed to keep these entities of my life completely separate but yet they still seem to manage to tick over seemingly well.
Reflecting on the first semester of my masters I realised that ultimately the University VS personal life that I have been leading with regards to my illustrative work was pointless as in a years time It will be me, all by myself, in the real world so why should I split the two. This combined with the realisation that I need to pin point what I would like my future to entail brings me to this very moment of awareness.....that Darwin & Gray could be my creative career and so through research and developments over the coming months I wish to utilise my masters as an opportunity to grasp a deeper understanding of what it takes to design, create, promote and sell as an independent designer.
Below is an extract from my 'About Me' page on Darwin & Gray
Create. Eat. Sleep. Repeat
Hi, hello…I'm Gray (Stacey) and my golden pooch is Darwin.
We're from a small village in Derbyshire and we like to make and draw things.
Darwin & Gray was created off the back of a Pinterest fail, a few metres of fabric and a little simplistic creativity. More than anything it continues to be an escapism from my day-to-day life as a design student.
Having the ability to create something out of nothing really is the backbone that keeps the wheels turning, not to mention the thrill of receiving an order from a complete stranger from half way around the world that wants to share your passion. Etsy is a strong foundation but more than anything a home for us here at Darwin & Gray, it has definitely been an adventure so far.
“Creativity is contagious, pass it on” – Albert Einstein