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ABOUT SHORT & FEW
Short & Few teaching cyanotypes outdoors in autumn
a teacher & doer of the creative arts
This is me - Zoe Platt - founder of Short & Few, artist educator and graphics practitioner. My education and training background is in graphic design and typography, and over time my practice has become more process-driven, with a hands-on and analogue approach to image-making. With over a decade of teaching experience in college-level art and design, as well as TEFL for summer camps (and a stint in China!), my approach to teaching and doing creative things taps in to a broad range of subjects, including sculpture, surface pattern, photography and creative writing. I am at my best when I am teaching and doing creative things - whether this is making books or prints, or working with others and supporting them to find their best creative selves.
Short & Few taking a selfie in the
Liz West exhibition, HAPPY (2025)
my mission is to
INSPIRE
EMPOWER
ENGAGE
I am a big believer in learning by doing and making mistakes as a form of enquiry, an ethos which underpins my teaching. I love the buzz of seeing what people make when they are in their flow state and seeing where the process is taking them. I want to inspire people to develop a curiosity for what the arts can be about for them, and provide opportunities and learning experiences to get started and keep going. Workshops, mentoring and tools are designed to help people get comfortable with taking risks, making mistakes and celebrating the surprise and reward of the unexpected - and have fun whilst doing it.
Short & Few holding one of their manifesto statements
The Short & Few Philosophy
Short & Few is about celebrating the slow, the small and the intentional. It reflects a conscious rejection of disposable culture and unsustainable growth, in favour of limited editions, short runs, and thoughtful processes that value depth over scale. What I make and what I share is rooted in care: for materials, for ideas, and for the creative process itself.
It’s also rooted in respect for the value that the arts bring to culture, heritage, and our individual wellbeing. I believe creative activity has a meaningful role in how we think, feel and connect—with ourselves, with others and with the world around us, past, present and future.
The name also speaks to my approach to teaching. In a world that rewards speed, noise, and constant output, it is important to me to create space for people to pause and tap into their curiosity. “Short” and “few” are often words that come with negative connotations, but I see them differently: as invitations to slow down, make space, and focus on what matters. They’re about embracing creative limits as a route to clarity, momentum, and authenticity.
Short & Few visiting the Harland Miller Exhibition, York
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