Kaleidoscope Interview! Redefining Success: Art and Identity in the North East
Abby + Owen strongly contradict the ideology that ‘London is everything’ because our own local areas can hold many kinds of art, big cities may be a hub of life and art, as well as inspiration, but art exists everywhere and it's up to us to appreciate it.
As part of our diversity theme, I’ll be focusing on geographical diversity and how it affects the North East as a whole as well as our Stockton, Middlesbrough area. This is demonstrated through the discrimination and often self-inflicted ridicule by and surrounding northerners - accents, stereotypes and even nicknames such as ‘smoggies’ being used for the people of Stockton and Middlesbrough due to the industrial revolution taking over the area with smoke. This often diminishes the natural aspects that make up the landscapes that people have become so accustomed to, that they lose their charm.
This is why I personally believe Abby and Owen represent our area and capture the artistic potential behind its environment and scenery. In addition, Abby+Owen strongly contradict the ideology that ‘London is everything’ because our own local areas can hold many kinds of art, big cities may be a hub of life and art, as well as inspiration, but art exists everywhere and it's up to us to appreciate it.
The dynamic duo first met in college when they both studied graphic design and later on progressed to university together after graduating from the Northern School of Art which then was known as the Cleveland College of Art & Design, therefore studying for a total of five years. Before this, Abby attended Ian Ramsey, having Mrs Barnfather as her graphics teacher to support and push Abby to pursue a career in the arts, setting an example for artists our age to be proud of where they are from. Then, in their words they “began to map out our future in pencil, leaving plenty of room to doodle in the margins.
A big part of their career -individually and with each other- has been doing the artwork for Hartlepool train station, after winning the commission they had been a couple for 11 years and owning a successful business together, I reached out to them after inquiring with the school about alumni, and asked them some questions.
What inspired you to initiate your creative career?
For me, pursuing a creative career was the most logical and natural path, not to mention the most enjoyable. The allure of self-employment lay in its flexibility and the autonomy it provided over my work, allowing me to avoid the repetition and mundanity often found in some design jobs. Owen, who has been passionate about art since he was young, always envisioned a career in the arts. Despite his natural talent, he finds overly structured environments challenging due to his ADHD. The freedom to set his own schedule and choose projects that genuinely inspire him has been a key factor in his decision to pursue self-employment as a creative.
What would your dream project look like?
It's wonderful to acknowledge that we've been a part of so many projects that felt like dream projects, such as giant murals for our town centre and illustrating a wonderful book. Looking to the future, I’d love to expand our print shop and create more amazing murals.
What meaning do you want your art to portray?
Our artwork, which includes North-East themed scenes of landmarks, murals, posters, illustrations for kids, and illustrated maps, generally reflects our ethos on the importance of community, instilling local pride, and celebrating cultural landmarks and beautiful scenes within the Tees Valley.
Do you think living in the North-East has limited your opportunities as an artist? Why or why not?
I don't believe it has limited us, but rather focused us. The only experience I can speak on is my own… you'd have to clone me and place her down south to see if an alternative-reality Abby would get more opportunities! I do think there's a certain underappreciated value in the North. We're resilient, supportive of each other, and strong in adversity. We’re firm believers in making your own luck. ‘Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity’ as the Roman Philosopher Seneca liked to put it. There are loads of opportunities in the North-East, you just have to be prepared to pitch in for them when they come up, and to know where to look for them. This also means having a physical or digital portfolio at the ready.
London is the creative hub of the UK. What does the North East have that London doesn’t? The North East of England contrasts London with its unique blend of cultural heritage, close-knit community spirit, and affordability. Unlike London's daunting scale and competition, the North East offers a more accessible and collaborative creative scene. This environment allows artists, designers, and creators to form supportive networks, share resources, and gain visibility in a way that feels more personal and less commercialised. Teesside’s unique history and landscapes also offer a rich source of inspiration, influencing a diverse range of art, music, literature, and design.
What advice would you give to young people in the North East looking to venture into the creative world? The Northern School of Art was a crucial resource for us, enriched by its tutors, facilities, and the vibrant community. The lifelong connections we made there have been pivotal to our careers. This institution is a must for anyone forging a creative career. Additionally, for those aspiring to be artists, the advice is simple: MAKE ART! Remember, your taste will evolve faster than your skill, so practise patience and self-encouragement over perfectionism — persistence is your friend and a true test.
Overall the feedback that I have received from these questions is proof in itself that even though geographical diversity can affect careers, you shouldn’t let it. I truly believe that Abby and Owen represent what it means to be proud of your background and inspire teenagers to not limit themselves due to other’s opinions.
Written by Hollie Matthews and copyedited by Eli Pearce
View the full Kaleidoscope magazine here: https://www.ianramsey.org.uk/kaleidoscope-magazine-april-2024/
Nostalgic Talk for Abby at Bowesfield Primary School
A few weeks ago I visited my old Primary School (Bowesfield Primary School) ...it was such a highlight! I got asked to come in for Career Day to talk about my life in illustration, as one half of the creative duo "Abby+Owen".
A few weeks ago I visited my old Primary School (Bowesfield Primary School) ...it was such a highlight! I got asked to come in for Career Day to talk about my life in illustration, as one half of the creative duo "Abby+Owen". I talked about self-employment, working to your own schedule, selling artwork, creating murals, and exploring some of the ways that art is invaluable to our community.
Over 100 children wanted to come to the talk, and were bursting with excitement and questions! We touched on all sorts of stuff and I tried to be super honest about everything.
I was asked about making mistakes, comparing yourself to others, happiness, the challenges I face as a creative, and how often I draw. We also touched on my favourite anime (Death Note & Chobits), what I drew as a kid (Fairies, mermaids, animals, landscapes, intricate scenes) and "how do you know if you are an artist?" Hint: If you create and express yourself, then you are an artist. You can start calling yourself one right away...there is no gatekeeper!
I met some of my old teachers and they were just the same friendly, lovely people they were when I was at school. I even met my oldest school friend afterwards...we met at a corner shop we used to go to for sweets, and had a walk in the park because it was a nice day.
Chatting to the children, and seeing so much of my younger self in them, was a moving and nostalgic experience. I had some amazing conversations and interactions, but it's impossible to sum up!
'Yeah! Let’s Do That' Getting into the Spirit of Play for Book Design
What better way to encapsulate “Yeah! Let’s Do That” than to follow the children’s lead? We really got into the spirit of play, incorporating cardboard, string, fabric, paint, card, bubble wrap and the great outdoors... we even baked a letter ‘T’ out of pastry!
The Whippet Up team use art and creativity as a way of working with people to improve wellbeing. They were looking to publish a book, "Yeah! Let's Do That", to capture some of the fun and joyful mess that they created with a group of under 5s and their parents over the past two years. They needed a cover design that would capture the spirit of the book perfectly, encouraging parents to play, make and invent with their kids. They also needed help with the layout, as well as creating a total cohesive feel and typographic style for the interior.
What better way to encapsulate “Yeah! Let’s Do That” than to follow the children’s lead when designing the front cover design? We really got into the spirit of play, incorporating cardboard, string, fabric, paint, card, bubble wrap and the great outdoors... we even baked a letter ‘T’ out of pastry! Each of the letters was inspired by activities throughout the book. The result is a bold title graphic that couldn’t be more apt for this project, nor less corporate! Finally, the scratch-built rocket, which appeared in one of the photos from Whippet Up, seemed too perfect not to incorporate.
“Yeah! let’s do that” was shouted back at the Whippet Up team whenever they took up ideas from the children. "We were artists on a creative journey," said Jane, "looking at how the imagination and creativity of under 5s could shape the way we work."
The book is packed with activity ideas for kids and adults to enjoy together, and we needed to create order out of that joyful chaos with a consistent style. Jane Cuthbert's illustrations are beautifully complemented by the custom lettering, and one of the fonts was even designed by a five-year-old and converted into a font, which we used in the book!
The book was published through Tees Valley Arts with the support of The Ragdoll Foundation, (who produced the Teletubbies!). The photos are all used happily with the permission of parents.
Whippet Up recommend us for 'Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness and Value' and had this to say about working with us:
“We would like to thank you for all your hard work in pulling the book together. It has been an absolute delight to work with you, your attitude, skills and creativity have shone through throughout the project. The book looks absolutely fantastic! I hope we get the chance to work together again soon and if anyone asks us for any recommendations for design and illustration work we will certainly point them in your direction.””
A Dog's Breakfast Book Cover
Michael McGeary, The Memoir Man, came to us with a request to design the cover of a book he was producing on behalf of a client who had enjoyed a very successful business career: Mike Dawson, OBE.
Michael McGeary, The Memoir Man, came to us with a request to design the cover of a book he was producing on behalf of a client who had enjoyed a very successful business career: Mike Dawson, OBE.
Abby was delighted to get chatting to Mike right away about producing the cover design for his autobiography "A Dog's Breakfast". Having led a successful and much-varied life, underpinned by adventure, hard work, and a love of black labradors, he had come up with a strikingly original idea for the cover of his autobiography...all he needed was for us to bring the idea to life for him.
The cover would feature a black labrador eating breakfast, his bowl of biscuits spilling all over the floor, with the biscuits depicting various items from Mike's life.
Mike was brilliant to work with, and we both understood how important it was to get the cover right on what was to become a gift to span the generations. We wanted the cover to look playful, busy and exuberant. Abby was always smiling and chuckling whenever they chatted about the project's progress...Mike is a true character, with a warm and self-deprecating humour, and we wanted to get some of that charm into the cover design.
“Abby+Owen created exactly what was required and played a major role in me being able to provide a stunning final product. I hope to work with them again and have no hesitation in recommending their services.”
“Abby is a very talented graphic designer, she brings a fresh, clean and cheerful approach to designs of any nature. Importantly she can work within a tight brief or left to bring her own ‘take’ on a project, either way, she uses her own remarkable imagination. During my long business career, Abby is up there with the best. I am pleased to recommend her.”
We are delighted to have played our part in making this beautifully presented, professionally written book a reality. A big thank you to Sarah from Kinship, a husband and Wife Studio who created the perfect layout for the book, and recommended us for the cover design!
Do you have a book that needs a cover design, too?
Georgian Theatre Fundraiser T-shirts! 20% of the profits of our Georgian Theatre Products go back to Tees Music Alliance Charity
This T-shirt was part of a limited run during the first lockdown. Abby created it for the Tees Music Alliance as part of their fundraiser for the Georgian Theatre, one of our favourite music venues. From the start of our revamped online shop in May 2020, we now donate 20% of the profits from all the Georgian Theatre products on our webshop, including our giclee prints and postcards.
This T-shirt was part of a limited run during the first lockdown. Abby created it for the Tees Music Alliance as part of their fundraiser for the Georgian Theatre, one of our favourite music venues. Abby boldly re-imagined her illustration of the theatre as a line drawing, to create an amazing new t-shirt design depicting the iconic venue in all its glory. All proceeds went towards securing the future of the venue.
We hope to continue a supportive relationship with Tees Music Alliance, a charitable organisation operating for the benefit of musicians, their audiences, supporting industries and community groups.
From the start of our revamped online shop in May 2020, we now donate 20% of the profits from all the Georgian Theatre products on our webshop, including our giclee prints and postcards, to the Tees Music Alliance. As live music lovers, it's a small way of giving back!
Postcards and Postcrossers
As our wonderful stockists are sadly unable to sell our postcards at this time, we have made our postcards available on our website in batches of 4, 6, 8 and 12!
In our ever-digital age, let's consider the humble postcard for a moment- isn't there something selfless about them? Your grandmother had to live without the 'seen' notification we have grown so accustomed to, for better or for worse! What matters is letting someone know that you're thinking of them, and postcard is a perfect way to do just that. Besides, when was the last time you framed a Facebook message?
As our wonderful retailers Drake The Bookshop and Hartlepool Art Gallery are sadly unable to sell our postcards at this time, we have made our postcards available on our website in batches of 4, 6, 8 and 12! They are a great way of letting loved ones know you're thinking of them, and they're also ideal if you're looking for an affordable series of illustrations for your home, but you're running kind of short on wall space!
Postcards being delivered to Hartlepool Art Gallery
Postcards tell a story, and to illustrate this, we'd like to share one with you.
We were recently contacted by Markey, a resident of Seaton Carew. Enjoying a walk one morning, Markey spied a flash of coloured card skittering along the roadside, propelled by the wind. Curiosity got the better of him and, with a well-placed step, he was able to catch the curious item. It turned out to be an errant postcard; one of our Seaton Carew postcards to be precise- a little battered but no doubt quite relieved to have Markey come to its rescue.
But the plot thickens; Markey's hobby is Postcrossing, the act of sending a postcard off and receiving another back from a random person somewhere in the world. When he got in touch, we were happy to help him out with 20 more postcards- little pieces of Hartlepool to send out to Poland, Finland, Taiwan, the USA and Russia.
Whatever your plan for them might be, start your own postcard story today and check out our range.