This is the first part in our Talent to Tickets series, where we speak to DIY creators about how they turned their hobby into an event series.

Head to one of Zack McLaughlin’s workshops and you’ll find people bending wires, tracing shapes and cutting out pieces of paper. Concentration levels are high as delicate birds and butterflies take shape before participants’ eyes – but there’s still plenty of opportunity for chatter and a couple of glasses of wine. 

That’s because these art classes for adults are as much about making nature-inspired sculptures as they are about socialising, taking time out to be creative and discovering a new hobby. “The therapeutic aspect of art provides a really good way for a lot of people to escape their daily lives,” says Zack. “It’s my aim that, at the end of each event, everyone is proud of what they’ve created and have learnt a new skill they can bring to their own art or their hobbies at home.”

A fledgling start

As an illustrator, Zack knows how important it is to constantly seek out fresh inspiration. In fact his fascination with mini, mixed-media sculptures started out as a hobby. “I began making paper and wood birds as an experiment. I was working on a children’s book in which a little boy makes a bird lantern out of old pages and willow sticks. I was struggling to envisage what it would look like, so I made my own as a prop to draw from.”

He was hooked and quickly went on to make increasingly detailed birds that have found a home (or, should that be a nest?) all around the world – adding a feathery flourish to interiors and swooping into shop window displays. “Nature’s my main inspiration,” says Zack. “And I always want that challenge of making something new.” 

Launching his workshop five years ago, he now hosts regular events, where crafty creations have ranged from hummingbirds to hares. And, while he thrives on the opportunity to teach people and share his passion, like every fledgling event organiser, he learnt some valuable lessons from day one. 

“For my first event, I went above and beyond as I was nervous people might not have a good time,” he says. “So I bought a lot of wine to ensure people really enjoyed the workshop, but this backfired as it went on until 1 am!  As a result, I quickly learnt not to go over the top.”

Learning to fly

When he’s working in his London studio, Zack’s winged wonders can take anything from 30 to 120 hours to create. This meant he needed to scale down the sculptures to ensure each can be easily taught in a workshop setting. 

Participants are given a kit containing all the materials and equipment they need and classes run from two hours to five and a half hours, depending on the complexity of the sculpture. Zack shares tips and techniques throughout the event, but he realised early on that he shouldn’t spread himself too thin. 

“At the beginning, I tried to squeeze too many people into the space, and this led to it getting a bit hot and cramped. This also meant I had too many people in the workshop, and I ended up feeling like I hadn’t given enough people my attention on the night.”

From keeping track of tickets sales – he once sold three too many tickets, which meant fitting everyone in was a squeeze – to knowing everything he needs to bring to a venue and preparing effectively for an event, Zack says it’s a constant learning curve, but there are tools that can help along the way. 

“When you are starting out, it can be hard to gain trust and to encourage people to hand over money to you. Having something like Eventbrite is great because you know people trust it,” he says. “The platform processes all payments securely and in one place, and all the information to do with an event can be easily accessed. All this makes every aspect of communication nice and simple.”

Giving people wings 

From magpies to puffins and kingfishers to barn owls, Zack’s intricate creations have amassed an Instagram following of more than 32k people and he now takes orders for bespoke birds. But it’s the opportunity to create a series of events and invite people to share in his hobby that often gives him the most satisfaction. 

“Every single person at the workshop makes their own little creature. Every single one is different and everyone’s individual creativity comes out, which is so exciting to see. I’m very lucky – I love what I do and I’ve managed to turn it into something I make money out of.”

From making a wire bird to crafting an animal from paper, Zack’s workshops take place in locations across London. Discover the stories of more creators who are turning their talents and passions into events in our Talent to Tickets series.