Down to a Fine Art
A couple of years ago I met some people in Manchester on an art college reunion. I’d not seen them since University days and I was a bit scared / fat / old. Should I even go at all? I decided to take my husband with me. It meant that my parents would babysit the kids and we’d get a night off. Plus, my husband was in his 4th year studying architecture when us lot started studying art. Tenuous perhaps as I didn’t know my other half then, but it was all Manchester drawing of sorts so I reckoned that made him allowed to come.
We met on a Saturday afternoon at Sand Bar down Grosvenor Street. About 20 of us and we chatted the afternoon and evening away in a flash. It was great to see what everyone had done. Liz had done art therapy helping people suffering trauma through painting, Ronan had done huge light installations for big shows, Dean was heading up an art college himself in Scotland and the rest of us were graphic designers, textile designers *waves* and fine artists.
I spoke to Stan Chow – he was building his art brand and cleverly using Twitter and Instagram to grow his audience. He’d worked on New Yorker magazine amongst others and was becoming famous in his own right for his beautiful portraits of celebrities. I knew and loved his work already, but what was a lovely twist was when Darren my husband who I thought knew nobody there said, “Stan I remember you when I was freelance writing on a student magazine called Metropolis. You used to do our illustrations and we’d have all our meetings in a haze of smoke at Night and Day bar.” Cue the pair of them talking for hours about who they knew and what had happened to so and so. Just a lovely long rainy Manchester afternoon by the art college and over a couple of pints. The way Saturdays had always been there over the last century and beyond. Timeless and warm.
Anyway, the other day a shirt brand sent Stan some clothes to wear on his Instagram. He posted the pics to his Facebook and we all took the mick because that’s our job. “You’re an influencer now Stan.” “Maybe I should send you some pants,” I joked. “Hmm, I’ve had my eye on a pair of PJs,” he replied. Honestly ,what an absolute madness the world of Instagram is. I immediately DPD’d him some PJs and the rest is above. The cat on the back of the chair made me laugh out loud in the office.
If you’re influenced by fabulous Stan in his pyjamas, you can use the code STAN20 for 20% OFF. He’s subliminally selling you our product. Look at him! Hahahhaa. There’s free delivery on orders over £100 too!
Have a great Easter everyone!
