Gwen Ducker

It was difficult finding graphics work graduating in 1980, not least as studios and work places seemed male dominated and reluctant to employ females! Returning home, I did freelance work, some local part time jobs, and trained for and ran the 2nd London Marathon.

When a friend began a general printing business in 1983, I set up and ran a small in-house studio for 5 years creating design/artworks for this and then later specialising in on-the-roll labels. It changed hands and I left that and the graphics world, and have done small amounts of freelance work since. 

Working long hours in the studio probably contributed to prolapsed discs in my back which took 5 years recovery, and I worked in an art shop, then a small pottery in Leeds during that time. Then I worked for the Leeds Library HQ for 8 years (with books but not in a library). 

With 2 children then, juggling childcare, we decided to move to Bradley, a village near Skipton, where my 3 sisters and families and our parents lived, and because of the good schools nearby. We have lived there now for 26 years. 

Since then, I have worked with carers/cared for in their homes, as the activity coordinator in care homes ,and as a community older people’s mental health support worker for NHS for 13 years until retirement age (and getting as old as my clients haha!). 

I still volunteer with NHS, supporting a gardening group I helped set up 6/7 years ago. Lots of painting, U3A groups, walking and holidays from now on, I hope! One son lives in London and one is finishing a PHD at Newcastle Uni.

In 1983, in touch with Phil Robertson and still living at home in Cullingworth, we agreed to meet in Leeds with John Herbert from the Industrial Design course at Newcastle Poly. I was late, got lost, nearly went home (thinking I’d say I’d forgotten to go!) And arrived possibly 60/90 mins late (which I don’t remember Phil commentating on!) to find him waiting for me outside John’s flat. The others had gone on to their chosen pub ‘The Brick’, maybe the roughest pub I’d ever been in, where I changed my mind from thinking I was too dishevelled and scruffy, to now thinking I was overdressed! 

There I met John, his (now ex.) wife and twin brother Eric, and we all met again in ‘The Brown Cow’ in Bingley the next night.

By chance Eric and I ended up at ‘The Brown Cow’ again recently on our 40th Wedding Anniversary, on a walk with Eric’s best man and his wife; I don’t think we’d ever been back there. And definitely never to ‘The Brick’. If Eric was asked where he met his wife, people seem to have an interesting idea of what I might look like! 

Strangely and happily enough Phil has stayed in regular contact with me all these years. Good on him for arranging a Graphics reunion!

I have worked at Field Packaging, (now Westrock) for 19 years. I design packaging for confectionery, personal care, food and drink. I am now a Graphics Manager and mostly work from home. The work has changed, even though some of the brands remain the same. The transition from drawing boards, markers and paint to Macs has changed the job in many ways but creativity remains. These days there are fewer physical designs or mock-ups other than digital prints and most of my work involves 3D modelling, VR and AR rendering pre artwork and repro.

My work life which has been non-stop and I did not expect to be still doing this after 44 years. During which I have been married, divorced had two sons - Richard (37), Alan (27). I live in Leeds on my own, never got to move back up north! I am interested in Astronomy (I have a telescope) and have been working an allotment for the past 16 years growing my own fruit and veg. I love all things creative - I make my own wine, cook, sew and crochet. I enjoy time on my own and I am less inclined to travel these days other than to see family.  Looking forward to retirement next year!