In February, we were excited to reveal The Newcastle Map; an illustrated guide to some of the businesses and venues in and around Newcastle to encourage visitors to explore and seek new businesses. The illustrator behind the map, Chloe Breeze, spoke to us about her career and her experience of becoming a freelance artist during a global pandemic.
How did the collaboration between yourself and Appetite come about?
I applied for the Winter Wanderland project initially, and then after having conversations with the team at Appetite, we decided for me to focus on a map for Newcastle-under-Lyme Town Centre. I’ve created lots of other maps in the area before which started with a Stoke-on-Trent one to celebrate the City of Culture bid in 2017, so I was really excited to do this.
How do you think the map will benefit the people of Newcastle and the town centre?
I think it is great to celebrate some of the key landmarks and small businesses that make up the area. There is so much to offer which I think sometimes people don’t realise so hopefully this map will encourage people to explore the town centre. I hope that as I am a local illustrator too people will feel the sense of community that has gone into creating the map, and see the support that appetite have provided.
Can you tell us more about your business and how you go into illustrating?
I studied Illustration at Staffs Uni, and then completed a business course at the Uni to help me set up. I have loved Art for as long as I can remember it’s always been the thing that I enjoyed and actually felt good at, I loved reading when I was younger and always loved the Illustrations in the books. Whilst at University in my last year we had a speaker come in and talk to us about a freelance position at Usborne Children’s book publishing it was perfect for my style and I worked there on a freelance placement for four months after graduating, it gave me some insight into freelancing and it was from this I decided to set up alone.
You went fully freelance during a pandemic with your business, do you have any advice for anyone else who is currently looking to go fully freelance?
I think due to the pandemic more people are looking to support freelancers and small business and their local area, I think as a creative it can be difficult to grasp all of the added pressures that come with running a business, so my advice would be to be open to getting any support available especially from your local area, research and connect with local groups online. I’ve found connecting with the local community and the creative community has been such a big help especially as a freelancer you tend to work solo which can be isolating.
There are difficult times on the high street at the moment so covering shops with art until they are filled with new shops keeps the town centre looking great and gives a sense pride to the people from the area.
Why do you think artist opportunities and events are important in somewhere such as Newcastle-under-Lyme?
I think it is so important to inspire the next generation of artists, and also enable the current artists to connect more people to their communities. You can give a sense of joy to people which should be valued. There are difficult times on the high street at the moment so covering shops with art until they are filled with new shops keeps the town centre looking great and gives a sense pride to the people from the area.
Visit Chloe’s website here and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
