Interviews Member Screen Print Solo artist

POP Meets | Hannah Carvell

posted by Si Cunningham October 15, 2020

Our new series meets the people behind some of the industry’s most inspiring work. This week, Bedford-based screen-printer Hannah Carvell talks about taking the plunge and setting up her own full-time business. Expect dachshunds, drag queens and advice on how “not to be a dick” along the way…

I started my career in retail and then as a fashion PR, and had various office jobs after that.
It was only when I had my son and we left London that I really took stock and realised I missed art and wanted my own business to fit around being a mum to my two children. I’m a Fine Art graduate so I have always been arty, I used to paint huge canvases in oils – a little bit abstract, always colourful and lots of print within them, I used to love a bit of textured floral wallpaper, mainly portraits of my friends, my dachshund and drag queens… not a lot has changed really. I had always been a crafter – any excuse to sew my dog an elaborate military-style parka with medals and fur trim. Or I relish the chance to make the “all-singing, all-dancing” costume for the school play, sew bunting for a birthday party, baking… I think if you’re creative it has to come out somewhere, but now channelling back as my actual job is the dream.

I set about teaching myself to screen print – there was a lot of trial and error, and learning from mistakes.
I started sketching again and went on a couple of screen printing workshops in London, but when I decided that’s what I wanted to do I started scouting for second hand equipment on eBay and Gumtree and slowly started setting myself up at home. I would say I officially started my business a year ago – September 2019 – I kept giving prints away to friends and not wanting to sell them as I didn’t feel they were “perfect” yet, but eventually I put a first run of my “Don’t Be a Dick” print on Etsy and they sold out the same day, It gave me the boost I needed to start printing and build my own website and to turn my hobby into a business.

I am very driven by colour.
I love a good clash and bright colours always. I’m very fond of the neon pink ink at the moment. I love patterns too – an old fashioned floral always appeals as do all things kitsch and camp and of course animals. I’m always sketching dogs, mainly my dachshund Minnie Moomin. Artists I have always loved? So many… Tracey Emin, Marcus Harvey, David Hockney… I really admire brands like Cath Kidson and Donna Wilson as well. I like that kitsch and colourful vibe they have, and the fashion brand Rixo gets it right every time.

Gifting prints to influencers that I admire has really helped me grow my following on Instagram.
I’ve been asked to get involved with some fabulous charity projects and I do try and say yes to as many as I can. Most recently I produced a series of 1/1 prints for the Vagina Museum. At the time I was so slammed with work but I really wanted to get involved, so invested two days in making the prints, and now they are running a huge campaign, so I’m so proud that one of my images is being shown all around London [as part of the campaign]. I would love more mainstream press but I’m still trying to figure that out. I lucked out by getting a print in Stylist Magazine, but that was a friend sending me a heads-up that they were looking for indie businesses to feature the following week so I emailed in!

I will always love the work that comes out of Print Club London.
I have a big birthday coming up and a few of their artists are on my present wish list… Lucille Moore, Charlotte Farmer, I love the work of Sally Muir, and Holly Frean too. I spend far too much of my day on Instagram, but I do find it inspiring. I follow a lot of artists and interiors accounts as well as animals, in fact I spent a month sketching some of my favourite animals from Insta.

When I get really stressed out and need a break I bake cakes.
I think creative people will always be creative with whatever they can be – even if that means changing what you do for a while. I felt so lucky having a home studio during lockdown as it meant I could continue working. I know that a lot of printers couldn’t get into the open access studios for months, and I just hope that we can gradually get back to normal. It’s so important to spend time with other creative people to bounce ideas. I semi-regularly try to meet up with other creative small business owners in my area, as they feel like my colleagues in a way and we ask each other for advice.

I’m always looking forward to creating new work.
I have a growing list of prints and sketch books full of ideas, just not enough time in the day to get through them all, but I would hope I can get more organised and be able to keep producing new work next year. That and on a personal level we are moving house so a new larger Studio space (garage) would also be a lovely goal for the future if I forget about the stressful part in the middle like packing boxes.