Initially founded back in 2018, and having undergone many iterations and transformations over the years, Sue Lewry is relaunching her Colossal Project with an event at Grow Studios on September 5th. The launch will see the introduction of a new satellite unit and a brand new website. Below, we chat with Sue about the history of her digitally fabricated and handcrafted mobile screen-printing workshop, and what will be going down at the event.
What’s the history of Colossal?
What’s propelled Colossal to this point is a combination of innovation, adaptability, and the connections I’ve made along the way. The first version of Colossal was a bit of an impromptu DIY experiment—I put it together using stackable boxes and debuted it at the Plymouth Art Weekender in 2018 to see what might happen. A collaboration with Plymouth Design Forum followed that. For their design events, I made beermat calling cards for top UK talent like Supermundane, Morag Myerscough, and Antony Burrill.
In 2019, I took things up a notch by building a second iteration, which I called Sister, with FabLab Plymouth. I tested its potential with a social project—a collage and screen print research initiative with 22 women. The work culminated in an exhibition called Conversations with Images, a milestone for me in seeing how far Colossal could go in social art making.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I pivoted to virtual printmaking and socially distanced events, which kept the momentum going. After completing my master’s in printmaking in 2021 at Arts University Plymouth, I developed an advanced third version of Colossal, initially called Dazzle. But ultimately, I stuck with Colossal because it had become known.
By 2022, Colossal was gaining traction. I expanded its reach through various collaborations and commissions and participated in the British Art Show 9 as an ambassador, taking printmaking into unexpected places. A Crowdfunding campaign raised £8,100, which boosted Colossal’s evolution.
I’ve started lecturing at Arts University Plymouth, and my academic research there has given me fresh insights that I’ve been able to integrate into my practice. I was also recently featured in Pressing Matters magazine.
What inspired you to get Colossal up and running?
A strong desire to do things on my terms! As an artist and socially engaged practitioner, I often found that organisations or individuals would shape my work to fit their agendas, asking me to run workshops or create art within their frameworks. But I wanted to go beyond that. A pivotal moment for me was working with artist Ciara Phillips, who was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2014. I assisted her for a month when she transformed an art gallery into a screen-printing production site. That experience was transformative, as it showed me about social art practice. For me, it’s about more than simply introducing people to materials or guiding them through a simple activity, instead I focus on applying critical thinking in accessible ways and helping communities find meaning through making.
This experience inspired me to branch out independently, working without an external authority dictating how I should engage with people. I’ve held onto this core principle throughout my projects: what I do is driven by the moment and the collaborative process, with careful attention to its meaning. While my work might appear as a lively, fun print project on the surface, it’s a research-driven endeavour, with much thought and care put into how I engage with people.
Another key driver was the idea of mobility. I believe printmaking is one of the most agile art forms, and Colossal’s mobility allows me to bring art directly to people rather than expecting them to come to a gallery. For example, when I worked with the British Art Show, I took the themes of the exhibitions out into communities with Colossal, meeting people where they were.
Did you have any collaborators or supporters for the project?
It feels fitting that my Colossal Launch Event is taking place at Grow Plymouth, a grassroots, artist-led venue in our city focusing on social practice. Jordanna, who runs it, and the Grow residents have warmly welcomed me, providing the time and space to bring this stage of my Colossal project together and celebrate it with my supporters.
Collaborating with Plymouth’s creative talent was a key goal for me. I worked closely with Designer-Maker and fellow POP Member Matt Holmes, who expertly combined traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge digital techniques to help me create the new satellite unit for Colossal, completing the screen printing process for the mobile workshop. Motion designer Calum Campbell-Coles also collaborated with me to develop an interactive website that captures the spirit of Colossal, allowing people to connect with the project digitally.
This project came to life thanks to the support of 124 backers who pledged £4,600, with an additional £3,500 match-funded by iMayflower, a cultural development fund that helped me scale up Colossal. Plymouth Design Forum and Nudge Community Builders were also significant supporters of my campaign.
I’m fortunate to feel such strong support from the creative community in Plymouth and beyond. I’m deeply grateful that people embrace and value what I do.
What’s the vibe of the launch event?
One of my passions is bringing people together, and I’m looking forward to seeing how that unfolds. After two years of development, I’m excited and nervous to present the Colossal satellite unit. This new unit completes the screen printing process as a mobile workshop. The event will allow me to reflect on the journey so far while also being in the moment and looking ahead to the future. I’m eager to hear where people would like to see Colossal in their communities and the unusual places we can pop up and print.
Additionally, I’m thrilled about the new website! This digital component complements the hands-on, practical side of Colossal, marking a new chapter in its evolution. The website is crucial for connecting with people beyond the city, allowing the project to reach a global audience. This digital reach opens up opportunities for new ideas and connections with people worldwide.
Colossal is constantly evolving—it’s organic, responsive, and reactive. That’s what I love about being creative and having this platform to highlight the importance of creativity in our society. Colossal is about working with communities to help people explore their thoughts and express what they want to say, but in a way that’s non-confrontational and accessible. Creativity, especially through hands-on printmaking, offers a unique way to individually and collectively explore and express our views, making it a powerful tool for engaging with the world.
This will be part of the event, including a short talk I’ll rope Matt and Calum into, an interactive workshop wall posing questions about Colossal’s future, and a Colossal pinbagd.es giveaway!
What’s in store for the future of Colossal?
Colossal will go with the flow. Reaching this point has made me realise that it could help me gain more visibility, even on a national level. I’d love to explore the idea of Colossal not just as a practical tool for creative activities but also as a concept for events.
My husband, Aynsley, has been a big help; he’s my main collaborator and always there in the background, bringing his engineering know-how or putting a spanner in the works with painting and building. I’m grateful to the organisations and individuals who have supported me so far—I’m confident they’ll continue to be part of this journey. I work hard to build positive, productive, lasting relationships within the creative community. In a time when funding is tight, and the arts are often overlooked, it’s more important than ever to stick together and keep pushing forward.
www.colossalprint.uk
@colossal.print
The Colossal Launch Event will take place on September 5th from 5-9pm at Grow Plymouth, 14 Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AQ.
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