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.
Press Release: Couple's Artwork Selling Itself - Designs now being used on mugs, tote bags and more
‘HARTLEPOOL railway station’s acclaimed artwork is now featured in a wide range of merchandise…’
Photo by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk
‘HARTLEPOOL railway station’s acclaimed artwork is now featured in a wide range of merchandise.
Illustrator Abby Taylor created the 12 giant, vintage pictures with her partner Owen Smith last year.
Now council chiefs have secured funding to produce tote bags, tea towels, mugs and other items which are available at Hartlepool Art Gallery.
Abby said: “This was the start of my freelance career as the project got good traction and was the ideal springboard for me. It still feels so surreal to see the artwork we created on merchandise. We spent a long time working on them after our 9-5 jobs in the makeshift room while working on the dining table and a small desk on wheels till late.”
Abby and Owen graduated from Cleveland College of Art and Design/Northern School of Art in 2015. Abby worked as a graphic designer for two years whilst Owen became the Director at LemonTop Creative.
She continued: “I love hearing people say they bought something and how much the location means to them and how much they like the artwork. It never gets old and makes me smile every time. The artwork evokes memories for a lot of people and I love that so much. I think the items are beautiful and the quality is so nice, the pillows are faux velvet and the totes fully lined too.”
Selection of Hartlepool Merchandise. Photos by Michael Grant of www.rainbowphoto.co.uk
The artist is currently working on artwork in the vintage-style of locations in Newcastle in collaboration with For the Love of The North, which have two shops and an online store. She is also working on a handful of start-up businesses, including a dairy-free milkshake company. The Hartlepool artwork is on sale now at Hartlepool Art Gallery.’
- Article by journalist, Amie Slack of Hartlepool Life.
Further Reading:
Check out my latest blog post One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up
Enterprising Stockton Awards Celebrates New Entrepreneurs
Winner of 'Journey Travelled' and runner-up in the categories 'Most Profit' and 'Overall Best Business'. This now means I now have two different awards under my belt in my first year of business.
On Stockton Infinity bridge with Enterprising Stockton Award for 'Journey Travelled'
On the 4th July 2018, I was invited as a finalist for the Enterprising Stockton Awards. The event was held at Stockton Riverside College and supported by partners such as The Prince's Trust and Five Lamps. This is the second annual Enterprising Stockton awards evening, it's aim is to highlight the success and accomplishments of individuals and independent businesses from across the borough. It was a wonderful evening with live entertainment, great food and likeminded people. It was exciting to see organisations like this come together to recognise local entrepreneurs and I was honoured to be a part of it.
There were seven award categories and I was absolutely thrilled to win 'Journey Travelled' and come runner-up in the categories for 'Most Profit' and 'Overall Best Business'. It was such a proud moment and means I now have two different awards under my belt in my first year of business. The first award was by Hartlepool Civic Society in the category 'Tourism Potential' for my collaboration with Owen Smith on the prestigious Hartlepool Railway Artwork.
With partner Owen Smith, who I collaborated with for the Hartlepool Railway Station Artwork
For my application form I had to explain my journey and what makes me different, so here is a snippet...
Having my own business is something I had always aspired to do, but the Hartlepool Railway Station artwork definitely inspired the launch, as it gave me complete confidence in my abilities and attention from the media and public, which I needed to make a really strong start. I specialise in creating commercial illustrations and branding for businesses and as public interest in my work gradually grew, I have had the privilege to work with clients such as Tees Music Alliance, Vintage Chartered Financial Planners, Cleveland College of Art & Design and The National Museum of the Royal Navy. I have hit a point now, where there is so much happening and so many exciting projects coming up. I have also started selling my own Stockton-on-Tees prints by partnering with the local independent business DRAKE The Bookshop, and will be expanding my work for sale in the future too.
The specialised artwork I create is a unique service and each brand I create is bespoke and made to stand out from competitors. I am very honest with my clients and give them advice and guidance to get the best possible result, I take time to communicate well and be respectful and patient, I may suggest using a different type of product that would be more suitable for the purpose, or a change to their business persona. This can be a little unusual, as many graphic designers will do exactly what the client asks for even if they believe it won’t work very well, just to get the job done. Although, I am never pushy, and so far every client has taken my suggestions on board and has been very pleased with the result. Below is a snippet from a testimonial from Stephanie's Dog Training.
“Abby happily went back and forth discussing designs and colours until I was 100% on my design, I was never rushed and pushed into making decisions and Abby even checked after the process was finished that everything was working ok and functioning on all social media outlets. Without a doubt I would recommend her as most of all I felt my brand was safe in her hands!”
On the 9th August, a press release about the awards evening was published in the Evening Gazette, alongside a photo and quote from myself...
Among the award winners was Stockton-based graphic designer Abby Taylor. Abby launched her business, Abby Taylor Graphic Design and Illustration, just one year ago, after collaborating with Owen Smith on 12 pieces of artwork displayed at Hartlepool Railway Station.
She said: “I was absolutely thrilled to win Journey Travelled and also to be a runner up in Most Profit and Best Overall Business. It was such a proud moment and a wonderful event where I got to meet some great people. Of the Enterprising Stockton initiative she said: “It’s amazing to see these huge organisations come together to recognise local entrepreneurs and I was honoured to be a part of it.”
If you are considering getting a brand refresh or rebrand, or high-impact artwork, please email hello@iamabbytaylor.com or fill in the contact form on the Contact page.
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/
