How Environmentally Friendly are our Products?

We are passionate about delivering the highest quality fine art prints and we are committed to quality. However, it's just as important to us that our print shop is as eco-friendly, and resource-saving, as possible. We take all the steps we possibly can to make this a reality.

The Archival Paper that is used for our prints is made of the highest quality raw materials. The paper is ethically sourced from renewable forests and FSC certified, FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. The individual paper can be traced back to the original forest. The paper we use is tested for UV resistance, so your artwork will continue to look amazing over time.

Our postcards and envelopes that the postcards come in are all FSC certified too, our stickers we use on our envelopes are unfortunately not from renewable resources, so have to be put into general waste.

The plastic sleeves that our prints are shipped out in are compostable. Compostable plastics are the next generation of plastics- they come from renewable materials and break down through composting. Compostable plastics are non-toxic and decompose back into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass.

The envelopes we package our prints in are paper-based, with no plastic and are easily recyclable. We also use a water-based 'Fragile' stamp on our envelopes. Water-based ink is much more gentle on the environment than plastisol ink. It simply doesn't contain any of the toxic chemicals of its plastisol counterparts.

We tape our prints to the centre of the envelope to prevent any corners from being bashed. We use washi tape for this, which is an eco-friendly alternative to plastic adhesive tape. Washi tape is an adhesive tape made from traditional Japanese paper. It is biodegradable and can be made from different kinds of tree or plant fibre. The adhesive side is made from natural rubber adhesive.

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. 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

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.

Stockton Giclee Prints Available

Ever passionate about celebrating and championing the area, Stockton Borough Council got in touch. They envisaged six illustrations celebrating Stockton's Townships: Stockton, Billingham, Yarm, Thornaby, Ingleby Barwick and Norton. These illustrations were commissioned for them to gift to connections and business associates, but also to promote the Townships themselves.

The evocative "Family Group" statue, sculpted by Bainbridge Copnall, standing among scattered leaves in Billingham Town Centre.

Even in the process of producing these illustrations, we found ourselves looking at these local destinations of ours with fresh eyes. From the tranquillity of Norton duck pond to the quiet drama of Yarm Viaduct cast against an evening sky, to the evocative "Family Group" statue, in Billingham Town Centre...a testimony to art's ability to turn our gaze to the overlooked beauty in our local communities.

Yarm Viaduct cast against an evening sky.

Thornaby Town Hall.

The Old Mill, Ingelby Barwick

Norton green duck pond, on a tranquil late afternoon.

Signed Giclee prints of the illustrations are available on our shop, on beautiful Hahnemuhle fine art paper.

CVFM Radio Interview

On Saturday the 4th July, we were interviewed on CVFM radio, with host Chloe Tempesto who runs Project Middlesbrough.

A few highlights are included below and you can press click on the player below to listen to the full interview…

Chloe: So, you're both going into business together as a partnership...tell me about that. 

Abby: We've officially registered a partnership together. Previous to this, I was going solo for two and a half years. We met at college, and we've worked together on and off for ten years. It seemed like the perfect step for us. We're a two-person Teesside based creative studio, so we offer illustration and graphic design services. We also sell prints of our artwork on our website, and we've got a new series of Teesside inspired illustrations coming out in the next few weeks.

Chloe: It's a very exciting time to launch - how was launching pre-lockdown? I know it's been hard for a lot of businesses. How was the decision to launch during this time?

Owen: We'd actually planned a launch party just before lockdown started and we'd got the invites sorted, we were going to invite all of Abby's existing clients and we were tremendously excited about it, and then BAM, lockdown hit! But it turned out there were ways we could use our services to support other businesses during this difficult time, such as social distancing signage. People needed different kinds of marketing materials, and some were on the verge of starting a business who were in a similar situation to us. It felt great to be able to actively help.

Chloe: How did your interest in art start? Where does it go back to, and how did we get to Abby+Owen..what's the back story?

Abby: I think we've always both been very creative, even as kids. I have a very distinct memory of my peers in primary school queuing up and wanting me to draw their favourite Pokemon! Going through school I didn't realise how much of a viable career in the arts could be.

When I went to the Northern School of Art in Middlesbrough, that was a big step- and is actually where we met. It's a fantastic establishment that helped us grow as creatives and find our feet with what we wanted to do. We formed this strong friendship and we realised we collaborated well and always gave each other input and taught each other things. We just hit it off.

Owen: There was a real synergy there, we had a very compatible style, but also in how we came up with ideas...a big part of coming up with ideas for us is making it as memorable and funny as possible, and we clicked in that respect, too. 

Chloe: How is having your work out there for everyone to see?

Abby:  Back in 2017 we worked on 12 large format pieces for Hartlepool railway station, and that was the first time we'd seen our work on such a large scale. We still go through the station and it's still something I'm not used to. It was so surreal... it was also the perfect stepping stone into self-employment for me.

Chloe: Did that project give you the confidence to go self-employed?

Abby: It just felt like if there would be a point in time that it would happen, then there was a perfect time. I feel like for Owen and I need the challenge to be able to thrive...some employment can feel a bit stifling, and we wanted to break out of that and do something we love. 

So what's the future for Abby+Owen, what can we expect?

Owen: Abby has already made quite a name for herself in Teesside for the sort of artwork she does, which champions local businesses. The future is where I come in, and that's what this partnership represents, I'm bringing a commercial voice and more of a graphic design orientated aspect to the business. I've spent 4 years in industry already and got given a directorship role in my first year. I've worked on all sorts, creating brands from the ground up as well as working on things like mascot design and packaging. I have a lot of commercial experience, and when you bring that together with what Abby provides, which is a really meticulous approach, we create amazing things together.

Chloe: What's it like to create artwork themed around Teesside?

Abby: It's something I'm proud of. I was born in Stockton, and Owen and I live there currently. I feel like Teesside is overlooked in a lot of ways but it has a lot to offer and there's so many beautiful spaces and landmarks. I feel proud to champion that and show Teesside is a fantastic place, too.

Pictured Roseberry Topping, a commission by Vintage Chartered Financial Planners

Chloe: What's that like to be looked at like a role model and have people reach out for advice and guidance?

Abby: It's really lovely and we've always done talks in the past such as BBC Bitesize and always really loved them. Sometimes the best way for someone to get a better idea of what they want to do and feel motivated is to talk to someone who's been through that. It's nice to keep that conversation open so they don't feel like they're alone and have to figure it out by themselves.

Chloe: I feel a lot of people don't think of Teesside as a successful place you can have a business in the arts, that's a stereotype I have had people say to me. So showcasing the fact you have been very successful and had pieces of art commissioned. Do you think that's a clear example of as long as you work hard, you can do anything if you put your mind to it?

Abby: To some extent, though I do find that saying hard to get behind. I feel like a lot comes down to the right situation, chance and other factors that are out of your control. If someone needs to work full-time to keep a roof over their head, it's going to be very unwise to drop out of that, and no matter how hard they work, it may not work out. That sounds like a negative slant, but there is an element of truth in that saying, we've really pushed and worked really hard and I think people in the area are recognising that. An example being The Globe who reached out and commissioned me, and I think a lot of local businesses would rather support a local artist.

Chloe: What would be your advice for young artists listening?

Owen: I think concentrate on your craft and the parts you enjoy doing, as that's where your passion is going to shine through. It doesn't matter what form your creativity takes, as long as it's something you want to do, and will keep doing it anyway, and with a bit of luck and preparation hopefully, things can work out for you. 

Abby: We're also very pro-education. If it's something you enjoy doing it's important to learn the craft in as much depth as you can. For the type of work we do, we felt it was important to get some sort of industry experience before going self-employed, as you're more equipped for it. 

Owen: Someone said map out your career but do it in pencil, and I think that's never been truer for creative people.

Abby: Yeah! and plenty of room to doodle in the margins

Partnership Announcement

“How can I add value?” - it’s the question I ask myself with every new project…

As a creative problem solver, it’s my job to help brands present the best versions of themselves to their audience. As a business owner, it’s my ambition to offer the best version of my company to my clients. 

When Owen and I met, ten years ago at The Northern School of Art, I saw potential...

Potential, not just for friendship and romance, but a strong professional partnership. Even as a budding artist, Owen's flair for technical drawing, his funny and original ideas, and his strong commercial voice were all very apparent. It wasn’t long before we began collaborating on freelance opportunities, thriving off the way our skill sets perfectly complemented one another.

In 2015 we both graduated from the Northern School of Art with First Class Honours Degrees. As graduates, we began to map out our future in pencil, leaving plenty of room to doodle in the margins.

But first, we wanted a taste of industry…

I landed a position as an in-house graphic designer, creating web and print materials, while doing freelance work in the evenings. Meanwhile, Owen got a job at a local creative agency, producing work for an array of clients. 

The opportunity to work together arose again in 2017…

In 2017 we collaborated on a competition run by Grand Central. Once again, the value that we added to one another’s work shone through- we not only won the competition, but were commissioned to produce a further six illustrations for Hartlepool railway station. The project even won a local Award for Tourism Potential.

Using this springboard, I leapt into self-employment…

I began building my business from the ground up, as Owen rose to the position of design director at the creative studio he had entered as a junior designer. 

Over the past two and a half years, I have poured my heart and soul into building a strong reputation for this business, through a portfolio of intricate architectural illustrations and striking branding designs. Not one to take success for granted, I began to circle back to that all-important question - how can I add value? What can I offer my clients, that I’m not already offering?

The answer was sitting in front of me…

In October 2019, Owen stepped down from his directorship role ready for a new challenge. We knew it was the right time to forge an official partnership, and in May 2020, ‘Abby+Owen’ was born. 

‘Abby+Owen’ is the sum of its parts...

It’s a creative powerhouse, bringing fresh ideas to the table. It’s an agile, two-person studio offering unmatched dedication to clients. It’s an organic development of our careers, but most importantly - it’s us, offering the best version of ourselves.