It was October 2, 2013, and I, an ambitious print designer, was thrilled to be a part of Lauren Barfield’s debut art exhibit at the Mammal Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Lauren was an accomplished illustrator whose works I had admired for a while, and I knew that her exhibit would be a momentous event.

But my excitement was not just about being a spectator, I had a bigger plan. I decided to work closely with Lauren and simplify one of her masterpieces, making it suitable for screen printing so that her followers and art lovers could take a piece of her art home with them. It was a challenging task, but I was confident that with my experience in screen printing, I could make it happen.

To start, I sat down with Lauren and we discussed which of her pieces would make for the best merchandise. After much consideration, we finally settled on an illustration that had all the elements we were looking for: it was visually striking, had strong lines, and was easily recognizable as Lauren’s work. The next step was to simplify the piece so that it could be reproduced effectively using the screen printing process.

This was a delicate process as it required me to maintain the integrity of the original illustration while making sure it was simple enough to be printed. It was a tricky balance, but I was able to maintain the overall feel and message of the piece while simplifying it. I took it one step further and choose the right colors that would work best for the screen printing process and also would look good when printed on the t-shirts.

After the final design was complete, I got to work on the screen printing process. I set up the screens, mixed the inks and carefully printed each shirt, making sure that the colors were just right and the lines were sharp. It was a labor-intensive process, but the final result was worth it. The shirts looked fantastic and were a huge hit at the exhibit.

It was a truly rewarding experience to be able to help Lauren bring her art to a wider audience and I was incredibly proud to be a part of it. Seeing people at the exhibit wearing shirts featuring Lauren’s illustration was a satisfying moment for me and for Lauren too. It was a great reminder of the impact art can have on people’s lives. This collaboration gave me an opportunity to combine my skills and passion for screen printing with Lauren’s incredible art, which helped me to push my boundaries and try new things as a print designer.

It’s been years since the show and Lauren is now a renowned illustrator, but I will always treasure this experience and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Collaborating with artists and helping them in sharing their talent with the world is one of the most satisfying feelings for me and I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities to do so.

I would encourage any print designer or screen printer to take advantage of opportunities like this whenever they can. It’s not just about creating shirts, it’s about helping artists to get their work out there and being a part of something bigger than yourself. It’s an opportunity to be a part of an artist’s journey and make an impact on the art world.