Sean Lynch

"Someone I look up to was happy with what I'd done. It gave me all the confidence in the world"

The Story

Sean was 18 when he left home for the first time to embark on a degree course in graphic design in Reading University. It was a big step. He wasn't feeling that sure of himself. Not long into the course, his class had a visiting lecturer, Ken Garland, an important and influential figure in the arts world. After giving the assembled group the very briefest of briefs to get to work with, Ken left the room. Puzzlement, uncertainty and a certain insecurity gripped them all as they tried to figure out what they were supposed to create in the next few hours...

My View

Ken Garland enthused and infused a sense of direction into my life. It slowed me down and gave me focus. When I left with my degree, I travelled (perhaps bummed is the right term) around Europe for a year. I worked in bars and clubs and dabbled in other creative industries before coming back to Belfast in 2000. I knew I had to experience a bit of life as Ken had obviously done. I went back to do a post-graduate business management course and was lucky to be "student of the year" (a real turnaround).

I wanted to see how the business side of creative worked.

For two years I worked in several studio roles from Marketing Executive to Account Executive and then threw myself with zeal back into the hands-on end of things. By 2003 I had quickly attained the role of Creative Director and decided to go it alone. I moved away from the 60+ hr weeks to come back to the Ards Peninsula on Strangford Lough. Coincidence, timing - call it what you want - everything clicked together and the business has gone from strength to strength with clients as far away as America.

I also had the chance of giving a home to a one and half tonne, 1830 Albion Platen Letterpress and produce limited edition prints from it under the guise "Ten Point Press"; a tip of the hat to my old Department. I emailed Ken Garland last year and he told me he visits Belfast every now and again and he'll be in touch the next time he does

You can watch the BBC One Northern Ireland animation of this story in the player below (after its broadcast). A total of 15 stories from the series have been animated for the screen. Go to the Days Like This TV page to browse through the episodes in the series.

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