City Layers at Drake Circus

One of the things I love about Colossal is taking printmaking into places you might not expect to find it – and setting up in the middle of Drake Circus definitely ticked that box.

As part of the City Layers creative programme, I brought Colossal into the shopping centre for a day of free, drop-in screen printing, inviting shoppers, families and passers-by to stop, have a go and print their own piece to take away.

People could choose between a neon Smeaton’s Tower or a very Plymouth GEDDON print. Some came specifically to take part, while others simply stumbled across us while shopping – which is exactly what I love about working in public spaces.

The wider City Layers programme brought together art, poetry, play and making across Drake Circus, turning an everyday retail space into a place where people could encounter creativity unexpectedly.

For me, that’s what Colossal is all about: taking printmaking out of the studio, making the process visible and creating opportunities for people to join in.

A shopping centre, a screen-printing studio and plenty of ink. Geddon!

Photo Credit: Jay Stone

Photo Credit: Jay Stone

Photo Credit: Jay Stone