September/October

Bridging the gap and committing to a monthly newsletter and fortnightly blog. Oh yes. As Mitzi is my witness.

What’s Coming up in October- and what went down in September:

October 3rd and 4th Croydon Harvest Walnut Fair.

This takes place around Katharine Street and Surrey Street, in the historic parts of Croydon town centre. I’ll have a stall there and I’ll be creating live portrait illustrations and selling my fashion illustration postcards. We can also chat about any events or weddings you might have coming up- you never know when you might need a live event illustrator to make your event more memorable.

If you want to know more about what I’m offering, take a look at this blog which features Art on Our Doorstep, which I took part in in June.

Live portrait illustrations make great Christmas and birthday presents too!

A flyer for the Croydon Harvest Walnut Fair, where I’ll be creating live portraits and selling fashion illustration postcards.

October 9th Women in Sight/Mulier in Visu Art Exhibition

Taking place in the beautiful surroundings of the Sir Christopher Wren designed St Stephen Walbrook church (it has a dome which is often seen as the prototype for St Paul’s Cathedral!), the exhibition asks What does it mean to see a woman, and what does she see in return?

I’m honoured to be included in this exhibition. I’m displaying the drawings that I created live at the Pippa Todorson catwalk show during London Fashion Week. They look great in frames! Here’s a sneak peak of them, shortly after creation, at the Pippa Todorson show. I do hope you can come and see them. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

Zoe Parker Illustration holding three of the illustrations which she created live at Pippa Todorson’s fashion show as models sashayed down the runway during London Fashion Week.

October 10th FFS- For Fashion’s Sake!

I can’t wait for this! I’ll be drawing the catwalk live again, in the company of the irrepressible Chris from Haus of Wincott! It’s at St John the Evangelist SE19 2RX. I’m liking all these links between churches and fashion! It seems like a natural union.

Here’s a reminder of some of my work from last time, who knows what I’ll come up with this time?!?!

October 17th and 18th The National Wedding Show

I’m very excited to be exhibiting at The National Wedding Fair at the Excel Centre in London this October.

If you’re getting married it’s the place to be! Have you booked your Live Wedding Illustrator yet?

If you’re wondering what Live Wedding Illustration is all about, click the link for more info in my recent blog.

Have a look at the recent weddings that I’ve illustrated at on my Wedding Illustration page. And if you’d like to book a chat, you can do so here

Me, illustrating live at a wedding in a gorgeous conservatory. I can’t walk in those shoes so it’s great to have a sedentary job, as well as all the other joyful perks of live wedding illustration!

October 23rd Dress Up and Draw Halloween/Day of the Dead/Frida Kahlo Special

This is the second DUAD that I’ll be running from The Gleeful Dabbler Studio (aka my living room). There are only 8 spaces, and run on a pay-what-you-can basis to help cover the cost of materials, so booking is free. There’s no need to come dressed up, and there’s no need to be able to draw either. The focus is on fun. To reserve an evening of fun, click here!

If you’re wondering what it’s all about, click here for my blog revealing what goes on at Dress Up and Draw.

Me terrifying myself with a Day of the Dead Headdress, beautifully made and kindly leant by Hippy Poppins.

October 24th Dress Up and Draw in the wild tbc

More details on this later, for what promises to be a fashion illustration workshop, dress up session and colour walk among other things. At Whitehorse Park rec in Croydon.

Sneak peak at November:

November 8th- So Cro Art Fair

This spectacular Art Fair returns to Coombe Wood School. It’s an excellent opportunity to get some early Christmas shopping sorted. I’ll be there again, creating live portraits and selling prints and postcards of my fashion illustrations. It’s a great venue and a fantastically well-organised fair. Do come!

A flyer for this year’s So Cro Art Fair.

That’s the Future Sorted out, let’s travel back to the Past!

September 3rd- Dress Up and Draw at the Blossoms in Croydon

This was an amazing venue, with equally amazing participants. One of the best things that I enjoy about DUAD is how it brings strangers together- and helps them to relax and even be a bit silly.

My next workshop is at The Gleeful Dabbler studio on October 23rd, you can book tickets here (it’s free!)

Here’s some more pics

September 5th- Amnesty International Party, Hornsey and Crouch End Branch.

A wonderful, outdoor musical event at which I was delighted to be invited to draw. I spent the evening incorporating as much as I could into a large artwork which was then auctioned off to helps raise funds for Amnesty International. It was a real privilege to be there. My drawing was bought by Johnny Quinn, former musician with Snow Patrol, which I’m very chuffed about.

Many, many thanks to lovely Dr David Robinson for inviting me and for hosting such a magical evening.

September 7th- 1230 TWC Business Beat Radio Show

My second visit to lovely, welcoming Jackie Groundsell and her show, which is especially for entrepreneurial business women. You can listen to the podcast here and then come straight back to my website!

At the 1230 TWC Radio station with Jackie Groundsell

September 10th- BAM Royal Holloway

An amazing all-day all-evening event in the world of academia. I was very glad to be with my fellow creatives Marcia and Sara! We artists were very well-received and I hope that more establishments will follow the lead of the British Academy of Management and incorporate artists into their events.

I created quite a few live portrait illustrations and drawings of the venue on the day- and into the evening gala reception too.

If you’d like to book me for an event- to illustrate your guests and generate some wonderful memories, you can book a chat here

September 15th- Joy Collective “Unveiled- Archaeology of a Wall”

A beautiful exhibition of street art, using painted gauze to indicate the different layers that artists paint over and over. I was there for fun! And it was fun, and I did do a quick sketch too, I couldn’t resist.

My sketch of Archaeology of a wall, with some people to show the scale- and the fact that you are allowed to move between the sheets.

September 16th-

Museum of Croydon- Exhibition Closing Party for Grayson Perry’s “Essex House Tapestries: The Life of Julie Cope”

Croydon Clocktower
Katharine Street, Croydon. CR9 1ET

I had a wonderful time drawing at this event, there were some amazingly cool people there. There were loads of activities as well as the gorgeous tapestries on display. A great night, I don’t think that anyone wanted to leave!

The exhibition has moved on now but I’ll be back at Braithwaite Hall, opposite the Museum, to run my Dress Up and Draw workshops soon. I’ll add the dates as soon as I know- but for now my next workshop is Friday October 23rd at my own Gleeful Dabbler Studio in West Croydon.

And if you’d like to book me for your next event, click here, I have some availability for Christmas events.

September 17th-21st London Fashion Week- incorporating

September 17th- PersonSoul, Alessandra Bester

Thursday September 17th

Personsoul PopUp from 11am on D’Arblay Street, Soho London.

I was on the look out for cool people to draw, and there were many, including influencer (and all round lovely fella) Yung Alyy, Aly Meghani. Here are some shots of me and my drawings with Aly and the ultra-cool Personsoul crew.

Thursday evening

Bloom After Dark, a wonderful presentation for London Fashion Week by Alessandra Bester.

This gorgeous event took place at Vout Renee in East London, featuring hand-made creations with a 3d pen! Lots of models were very familiar from the London Colour Walk! The photos at the end were taken at the London Colour Walk earlier in the day. There was a strong overlap of people from the Colour Walk and at the fashion show.

Friday September 18th

I was delighted to be drawing at Pippa Todorson, it was a beautiful evening event. The show lasted for the entire evening, and so the designer and models mingled with the viewers. It was very special.

Read my blog posts from February about the last London Fashion Week, my visit to Karina Bond’s Private View and discover how I got invited to 5 shows last time.

And also my blog about Graduate Fashion Week which took place in June, but first, here are my photos and drawings from Pippa Todorson.

September 25th- Dress Up and Draw Sari Special

Dress Up and Draw Sari Special 6.30-9.30pm

This was great fun! I can’t say we did much drawing, but the Dressing Up was fabulous! Huge thanks to my pal Parveez for the saris and the know-how. And massive thanks to Hippy Poppins for the gorgeous headdresses!

Next month will feature a Halloween/Day of the Dead/Frida Kahlo type theme, so look out for updates!

Next one- Friday October 23rd book here (it’s free!)

September 26th and 27th- Classic Car Boot Sale, Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross London

And finally, before we drive off into the sunset, I visited the amazing Classic Car Boot Sale at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross. It’s the most fabulous place to meet people who love dressing up, classic cars, mopeds, bikes, music, the whole caboodle. I spent the whole day drawing on a piece of A1 foam board that I carted around with me. Well, it certainly got me a lot of attention! My next blog post will be all about how I create the large, live illustrations, so look out for that in two-weeks time. If you’d like me to create something at your next event do let me know- it certainly gathers a lot of attention. You can book a chat with me here

Meanwhile, some glorious pics! Huge thanks to Chris Taylor and Richard Kaby for the non-selfie shots of me in action.

Today (October 1st) marks ONE YEAR since I started my business. I can’t quite believe it! What a wonderful year it has been.

I’m so excited for what’s to come!