Elevating Words to Art: A Workshop with Gemma O’Brien
Gemma O'Brien
Designer & Artist
- Thu 12th Jun, 2025
- BCU Parkside The Shell (P063)
- 11:00am or 2:00pm
- workshop
- From £25
- 120 mins
Tickets are available to existing Conference Pass holders on 6th May.
On general sale from 12th May.
From whimsical flourishes to bold typographic forms, artist and designer Gemma O’Brien transforms language into large-scale visual art. Inspired by the boldness of Barbara Kruger and the organic beauty of the Arts & Crafts movement, Gemma brings a contemporary design edge to the tradition of hand-crafted lettering.
In this hands-on, analogue workshop, participants will explore calligraphy, pattern-making, and composition techniques—moving from small-scale sketches to a collaborative painted mural. No prior experience needed.
Hosts
Gemma O'Brien
Designer & Artist
Gemma O’Brien is an internationally renowned designer and artist known for her bold graphics, illustrative lettering and murals. Her work has been commissioned by Apple, Nike, Google, and is held in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. Outside her commercial design work, she explores language, nature and the human experience through her art practice. In 2025, she is conducting research on flow states in visual artists at Goldsmiths, University of London, as part of the MSc program in Neuroaesthetics.
BCU Parkside The Shell (P063)
Birmingham City University – Parkside Building,
Cardigan Street,
Birmingham, UK