Loca Showcase 18th July - 8th August 2009 An up and coming show that I am involved in. Currently working on some new images for the show. No sneak previews I am afraid. I will post some of the images after the show.
A Collaboration Artwork 12 Artists - 12 Disciplines - All Done By Post
A collaborative arts project that has been developed between a group of creative businesses based in North Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.
In conjunction with the arts and regeneration organisation Loca as part of its Business Support Programme. For more information about Loca check out www.loca.co.uk
My baby sister is getting married to a top bloke called Lee. A truly lovely couple! They asked me to design their wedding invites. “An image of us, simple but different” is what they asked for. They wanted a postcard with the wedding details on the back. Here is the result. I am pleased to say that they loved it! Phew!
I recently teamed up with Andrew Warburton of Area Rugs www.arearugs.co.uk and we decided to work on a collaborative project. Andrew is a highly skilled and experienced carpet maker using hand-tufting methods in the production of his carpets and rugs. He has been designing and making unique and exclusive hand-tufted rugs and carpets since graduating in 1988 with a first class honours degree in carpet design.
He was intrigued by the style and technique of my illustrations and thought that they would transfer well onto into a carpet design. We decided upon an image to use that was both quirky and impacting and Andrew set to on interpreting the image with pure wool. The results are below.
Original Illustration
Emelbi and Design before Tufting.
The image is first sketched out onto clear vinyl so that any
minor correction can be made before work gets under way.
The image on the vinyl is then reversed and slipped behind a type of man-made muslin cloth. It is then marked directly onto the cloth.
Once the image has been marked out onto the cloth the tufting can begin. Wool is stitched/tufted into the Muslin cloth.
When the tufting process is finished the
topside is then cropped to get an even pile. This is done with a machine that works a little like a lawnmower.
Rugs can also be carved and sculptured by using a carving machine somewhat like the clippers used to sheer sheep.
When the rug has gone through all these processes it is then backed with a natural latex and hessian. This completes the whole process.
Finished rug entitled - Oi! Size: 1.7 by 1.2 Metres.
The rug ‘Oi!’ is currently on show in
the Laurence Batley Theatre (Foyer), Huddersfield, and will be displayed there until Sunday 21st June 2009.
Then it will be part of the ‘Loca Showcase Exhibition’ at Batley Art Gallery from Saturday 18th July to Saturday 8th August 2009.
I bought this book when it was first published in the UK back in 1984. I was heavily into the breakdance scene and used to carry a huge ghetto blaster around with me just about everywhere I’d go, pumping out electro boogie, hip hop and breakbeats at full volume. It was an exhilarating time with new and exciting music coming from across the pond born out of the Bronx in New York City. My friends and I would often be found body popping and breakdancing on a tatty bit of lino in the inner city, towns, streets and parks of Nottingham.
Graffiti was also becoming popular. This fresh form of art seemed to be inextricably linked with the hip-hop scene. As a young boy graffiti had a huge impact on me with its fantastic and intricate typographic scrawls, bold characters and dazzling colours. It wasn’t too long before I was filling sketch book after sketch book with my own designs and throwing up pieces in and around my neighbourhood.
Subway Art was a revelation. It was the first book of its kind to bring graffiti to the attention of the world. Apparently it was also the most stolen book at the time, going missing from shops and libraries everywhere. In fact, I remember the day I went to purchase my copy. I searched all over the store but couldn’t find it anywhere. When I enquired about the book the shop assistant said, “Ah yes, we have them in the stock room. I will go an fetch a copy for you.” When he returned with it he explained that they couldn’t keep them on display anymore because too many were being stolen!
For people like myself who were into the scene Subway Art was the bible. It got me drawing and designing and I will go as far as to say that it was this book that focussed my attention on art and design in general.
So, hats off to Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant for bringing us this beautiful and special publication. I have you both to thank, in part, for the career I chose to follow and the love I developed for Art and Design.
This year, a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the book has gone on sale. I for one will be purchasing a copy!
This is a collaboration cartoon.
I made the artwork and then sent the
image to Adrian Reynolds, a friend of mine who
is a bit of a dab hand with words.
I wanted to see what his response would be and I wasn’t disappointed.
You can check out his talent at www.youdothatvoodoo.com
