First to take the stage at April’s Nicer Tuesdays was Olivia Twist, who was an absolute delight as she humorously walked us through her journey and style development as a designer. Beginning with a quip to the audience – “yeah yeah” – as she said she was from East London (where Nicer Tuesdays take place), she then began to delve into her inspirational philosophy as a illustrator. “I aim to shock the familiar,” she explained, emphasizing the importance of turning the mundane into something special through her work. From colorful scenes of people on buses to trainers – many trainers – she showed that there are many ways to tell a story, and it doesn’t have to be derived from something spectacular. “As an illustrator, I want to capture social history as it unfolds; I want to help fill in the missing chapters; I want to make it easier for marginalized communities to look back,” she said. “I use drawing as a conversation tool.”
Above all, Olivia explained how she wants to encourage “seating”. Achieved through extensive research and a passion for her subject, she takes a human-centered approach to her practice – collecting, listening and becoming part of the furnishings. We’ve seen this come to life through a collection of eye-catching, conversation-initiating designs, which included work for The Guardian, Sports Direct, St Christopher’s Hospice and a powerful project responding to Don’t Zap The Zip, a campaign against government plans to end free travel for 16-18 year olds. Olivia’s work has a clear motivation and mission, and we couldn’t have asked for a more energetic and motivational talk to start the evening’s events, which you can enjoy now!