One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up
Hartlepool Borough Council has just launched a brand new range of merchandise featuring the Hartlepool Railway Station Artwork. The new merchandise came about after a huge response to the initial illustrations my partner Owen Smith and I created last year.
Hartlepool Borough Council has just launched a brand new range of merchandise featuring the Hartlepool Railway Station Artwork. The new merchandise came about after a huge response to the initial illustrations my partner Owen Smith and I created last year. I recently caught up with the council and Hartlepool Art Gallery to discuss what has been a very successful few months.
The start of this journey began 15 months ago, when I worked on what has so far been one of the biggest projects of my career. Together with Owen, I created twelve vintage-inspired illustrations based on tourist destinations in the area, which have since been on permanent display at Hartlepool Railway Station, with A4 and A3 prints also released for sale.
Pictured (L-R) are Abigail Taylor, Owen Smith, Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher and Francis Fitzgerald, from Cleveland College of Art & Design.
This project became a great springboard into my self-employment career, and I have since been able to work on other commercial illustrations for The Northern School of Art and Roseberry Topping for Vintage Financial planners, as well as releasing my own work of my hometown Stockton-on-Tees. With many other illustrative projects in the pipeline, it looks to be an exciting year ahead.
More excitingly, Hartlepool Borough Council have recently secured funding to expand the range of products beyond the initial prints, with tote bags, tea towels and mugs all now available at Hartlepool Art Gallery.
Abby Taylor with selection of Hartlepool Merchandise. Photo by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk
I first spoke to Rob Smith, the Regeneration Team Leader at Hartlepool Borough Council, who helped put together the original brief and has had huge involvement with the project from the very start.
When asked about the impact the illustrations have had since their release, Rob said ‘The artwork has been really successful for the council. It's creating a real sense of arrival into Hartlepool station and a strong first impression, even for those just passing through. The artwork has also meant the Railway Station has become more of a gateway into the town. The illustrations showcase the full range of local attractions to the public and have raised the profile of some of the lesser-known destinations, as well as just brightening up the area and making it look more inviting.
Featured Products: Seaton Carew Clock Tower tea towel, St Hilda’s Church, Church Street, Seaton Carew Clock Tower and Ward Jackson Park mugs
The response from the public has been outstanding. We've had so many positive comments on it and found people are often drawn to the artwork location which evokes childhood memories. The artwork has been very versatile and we use the pieces as much as we can. They’re used primarily on marketing materials, the website and decoration in our offices - they were even used as the backdrop for the general election. They really help give people a positive vibrant impression of the town.”
The imagery is owned by Hartlepool Borough Council with A3 and A4 prints currently being sold at Hartlepool Art Gallery, which is based in the beautiful former Christ Church building. Inside the Art Gallery, there is a shop selling local products, a cafe run by a local school. They also provide tourist information, in addition to promoting and selling tickets for Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre.
Featured Products: The Headland lined tote bags and Seaton Carew faux velvet pillows
I spoke to Ashley Landsbury, the Museum and Art Gallery Manager. Out of curiosity, I asked Ashley which have been the most popular illustrations out of the twelve. So far the bestsellers have been, the Clock Tower at Seaton Carew, St Hilda’s Church, The Town Wall at the Headland and Ward Jackson Park. Ashley also found people have mainly been buying the prints of areas which they live, previously lived or which evoke memories for them. They are often bought as gifts for people who have moved out of the area too.
When asked about her personal opinion on the work she said “People using the railway station are seeing the positive, attractive side of Hartlepool and this is promoting and encouraging people to visit these areas across the town. The work has been sent worldwide and promotes a good image of the town and the artists.’
It really has been a momentous year for all involved with this project, and I couldn't be happier with the results we've had.
The Northern School of Art Makes an Impact with New Artwork
The Northern School of Art required some illustrations of some of their buildings, most importantly their new multi-million teaching facility, 1 Church Street.
The Northern School of Art (formerly Cleveland College of Art & Design) required some illustrations of some of their buildings, most importantly their new multi-million teaching facility, 1 Church Street. The other illustrations were for one of their existing teaching facilities in Church Square, and the former Post Office building in Whitby Street which is going to be transformed into a studio and business centre for people working in the creative sector.
I graduated from, then, Cleveland College of Art & Design, in June 2015 and was one of the artists of the recent artwork at Hartlepool Train Station, so it was fitting to create these illustrations in a similar style to show homage to that and continue to capture Hartlepool in this lovely vibrant style, as they were also involved in the train station project and want to celebrate their alumni's successes.
The Northern School of Art was recently awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework in recognition of its outstanding quality of teaching at its university-level campus in Hartlepool, making it the top art school in the UK. My experience at the university was fantastic, the facilities (such as computer suites and the print room) are easily available to everyone who studies there and the tutors I had were kind, knowledgeable and helpful throughout my studies. It was a delight to work on a project for an establishment that did so much for me when I was a student getting my First Class Honours degree in Graphic Design. I also like to support them by regularly giving talks to current students at college and university level, to give insights into my experience of the university, working as an in-house graphic designer and working for myself.
The 1 Church Street illustration was presented to Professor Madeleine Atkins CBE, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) who officially opened the facility on the 8th November 2017, and copies were given out as invites as shown above. The three pieces have been framed and mounted and used as part of a display, but can be used for promotional purposes so may pop up on other materials in the future. The new building was funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the campus facilities include flexible studio space, two seven-metre double-height studios for photography and TV or film work, a refectory area and galley, ensuring students can access the highest level of creative industry education in the north east and across the UK for many years to come.
Church Square is an existing facility that I frequented during my time there, it is right near the Hartlepool Church Gallery and is such a unique building with lots of detail.
Whitby Street Studios is the first part of an ambitious multi-million pound project part-funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority to regenerate a key area of Hartlepool is now underway, which will transform the area into a hub for creative industries. Called The BIS, the centre will encourage business start-ups in the creative industries sector and provide specialist support for them.
There has been an influx of interest in businesses wanting their own illustration of their place of work for decorative and promotional uses, or even to use on their own merchandise! If you would like to inquire about commissioning a bespoke illustration of your building or place of work, please email hello@iamabbytaylor.com or fill in the contact form on the Contact page.
Press Release: Hartlepool Borough Council Railway Station Artwork
Twelve bold new pieces of artwork have gone on display at Hartlepool railway station, the designs show popular Hartlepool landmarks.
Article by Hartlepool Mail:
”Twelve bold new pieces of artwork have gone on display at Hartlepool railway station.
The designs – by Cleveland College of Art and Design graduates Abigail Taylor and Owen Smith – show popular Hartlepool landmarks, including the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Greatham Beck, the Heugh Battery Museum and Hartlepool Marina. Abigail and Owen won the competition run by Hartlepool Council to create six pieces themed on key locations in Hartlepool-based on the hey-day of railway posters of the 1920s-1950s. Once they had won the competition the council commissioned them for a further six pieces.
“The new artwork looks great and provides a stunning welcome to the town. Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the station each year and this is a way to showcase some of the great attractions on offer in Hartlepool.”
Pictured (L-R) are Abigail Taylor, Owen Smith, Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher and Francis Fitzgerald, from Cleveland College of Art & Design.
The artwork was also used as the backdrop for the general election in June 2017
Owen, 26, said: “We worked with our photographs and sketches of the areas to create rough collages, in pursuit of the scenic compositions of the golden age of railway poster art. “We were able to pin down some compositions right away, while others took shape organically as we worked.”
The pair remember very well the day they found out they had won the competition. Abigail said: “We were sat in a busy pub checking emails on my phone and suddenly I just flew up out of my seat and started whooping! “Of course, then I had to explain to the table of confused faces that we had won the railway art competition we’d been telling our friends about, and before we knew it, everybody was buying us shots to celebrate! Everybody was really pleased for us, then we had a wonky walk back to the station, smiling our faces o ff!” She added: “It feels very surreal to see the artwork up at the railway station in Hartlepool “The largest we’d seen the artwork until that point was as A3 printouts! I guess most of all we were just incredibly pleased to be giving something back.”
“Having studied for three years at CCAD’s Hartlepool campus, and graduating in 2015, we regard the town with a growing fondness and nostalgia! Hartlepool is a place of modest beauty that will always be special to us. It was a pleasure to revisit those locations we frequented throughout our studies, and to stand back now to admire the view. ”
Further Reading
Press Release, Hartlepool Life: Art Graduates on Right Track with Winning Designs
Press Release, Hartlepool Mail: New Artwork Brightens Hartlepool Train Station
Press Release, Northern Echo: New Artwork from CCAD Graduates on Display at Hartlepool Railway station
Blog Post: One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up
Snowy Photo: photography by Jennifer Jayne Toothill (moonjenphotos) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonjenphotos/
