Thursday 19th June 2008
New Gallery Opens to Showcase Emerging Artists.
Young artists in north Cornwall launch a new space to promote contemporary handmade art and crafts.
A new gallery in north Cornwall has opened to provide a showcase for emerging artists and leading exponents of the handmade crafts movement.
Hooper & Shaw in Port Isaac is the concept gallery dreamt up by two talented young artists - illustrator Nicole Heidaripour (27) and sculptor Daniel Scott (29) - reflecting their passion for using traditional artistic techniques to create contemporary items.
“At Hooper & Shaw we wanted to create an accessible and exciting setting to promote the original and the handmade,” said Daniel. “We have hand-picked some of our favourite artists, designers and makers to supply the gallery with work that is creative, eccentric and always of the highest quality.
“All the work in the collection has its roots in traditional and skilled techniques, yet explores unusual and contemporary styles and ideas. We think we have an exceptional array of innovative and creative products - from exclusive artwork and limited edition prints and books, to beautiful screen-printed cushions, sketchbooks and stationery, as well as handmade creatures, creations and toys.”
Both Daniel and Nicole have considerable experience in artistic disciplines which blend the traditional and modern.
Daniel’s work as a sculptor has seen him work on high-budget films including the Batman franchise and the Harry Potter series, as well as creating waxworks for the Tussauds Studios. He has also assisted the acclaimed Australian hyperrealist sculptor Ron Mueck over the past six years.
Nicole’s illustrations are regularly commissioned for use commercially and in books and magazines, including the Royal Horticultural Society’s magazine The Garden, and BBC Gardens Illustrated. Her marine and botanical illustrations appear in Hooper & Shaw in a variety of forms, from limited edition prints to coasters and screenprinted fabrics.
“Both Daniel and I get disheartened by the cynical and the mass-produced, so at Hooper & Shaw we are striving to create a space that is genuinely unique,” said Nicole.
“We’re giving smaller artists the opportunity to show their work often for the first time – some are just starting out, or do it part time, while others make very limited runs of product which are too small to be stocked by shops with high turnover. For example, we are the only shop in the country selling Rosie Short’s handmade dolls, the Bobby Dazzlers, and we have commissioned her to produce seafaring folk and circus folk specifically for the gallery.”
Both Nicole and Daniel continue to work in their respective disciplines, and it is this experience that provides them with a unique link between the artists who create the work, and the customers who take it home.
“We have found that people are genuinely interested in how the work is made, and because we both make things ourselves we completely understand the processes involved, and can communicate to the customers exactly what goes into the work,” Daniel continues.
“We’re both totally committed to what we’re doing, and we are really excited to see a burgeoning movement amongst like-minded artists. It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to showcase a new generation of young artists in Cornwall.”
Hooper & Shaw is open every day at 60 Fore Street, Port Isaac from 10ish to 5ish. Telephone: 01208 880845. Website: www.hooperandshaw.com
About some of the artists at Hooper & Shaw
Joe McLaren studied Illustration with Nicole at the University of Brighton. Inspired by Eastern European folk legends, Joe creates distinctive limited edition wood block prints hand-finished in watercolour, and handmade books.
Taking their own original illustrations of iconic items (vintage mini, routemaster bus, dalek), Stabo screenprint onto vintage fabrics to make a range of unique scarves, ties, wallets, t-shirts, and even oyster card holders.
Rosie Short creates ‘Bobby Dazzlers’ - quirky caricature dolls - at her home on a London barge. Her ‘proper’ job as an animator has clearly influenced the 3D handmade dolls, who could most neatly be categorised as circus folk or seafaring folk.
Finnish textile designer Nina Matsiner makes exclusive screen-printed accessories for Hooper & Shaw inspired by Finnish folk tales.
ENDS
Images
High resolution images for print use can be downloaded here.
Notes For Editors
An “emporium of wonderful things”, Hooper & Shaw showcases the work of emerging and established artists from Cornwall and beyond. Artists Nicole Heidaripour and Daniel Scott preside over an ever-evolving curation of original, hand-made work that is both accessible and exciting. The wide-ranging media encompass original paintings and illustrations; limited edition prints; screen-printed and knitted cushions; sketchbooks and stationery; as well as hand-sewn creatures, dolls and toys.
Hooper & Shaw, 60 Fore Street, Port Isaac, Cornwall, PL29 3RE. Telephone: 01208 880845
www.hooperandshaw.com
Nicole Heidaripour, 27, is a freelance illustrator and designer. Nicole’s illustrations have been commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society’s magazine The Garden, RK Alliston, BBC Gardens Illustrated magazine, and Weardowney. Her design work includes shop window displays, logo design, museum exhibits and brand development work. www.nicoleheidaripour.com
Daniel Scott, 29, is a freelance sculptor. Daniel has worked in the TV, film and waxwork industries for the last ten years. He has balanced working on large film franchises (such as Batman Begins and the Harry Potter films) with smaller independent films and adverts (Grolsch Beer and Volkswagen). Daniel has worked as a portrait and body sculptor for the Tussauds Studios for the last three years, and has also worked as a studio assistant for the acclaimed Australian sculptor Ron Mueck. www.mrdanielscott.com Media Contact - PR on behalf of Hooper & Shaw.
For more information and images contact: Jim Michell at Barefoot Media.
Telephone: +44 (0)1208 895089 Email: jim@barefootmedia.co.uk |
