Creative Cargo - A Strong Island Project by claire sambrook

C r e a t i ve C a r g o

A Strong Island Projec t

creativecargo.co.uk

About the book We hope you enjoy this book, which is a showcase of the Creative Cargo project and the many businesses and volunteers that have helped plot its journey. We wish to thank Kate Smith and the following volunteers who have given up their time and creative skills over the summer to renovate some of the steamer trunks. Guilhem Brandy, Eva Navarro, Chris Webb, Elizabeth Allen, Matt Maber, Lou Bush, Joe Cavalla, Andrew Whyte, John Ainsworth, Angela Chick, Suzie Darcel and Andy Hall. Project devised and undertaken by: Paul Gonella & Tristan Savage - Strong Island Claire Sambrook - The University of Portsmouth and Strong Island. Project supported by: Portsmouth City Council The University of Portsmouth Anglepoise速 With thanks to Stephen Baily, Professor Catherine Harper, Alistair McDermott, Simon Terry, Penny Mordaunt, Carl Leroy-Smith and Parmiters Antiques.

CREATIVE CARGO

Creative Cargo draws together collections of Portsmouth manufactured, created and designed products, artistic works, creative artefacts and more, all contained within specially customised vintage steamer trunks. Portsmouth has a thriving cultural and arts scene with many individuals and businesses creating high quality, successful products and designs to an international audience. The creative sector both nationally and locally is dynamic, growing rapidly, bringing in investment and creating jobs. Local cultural resource Strong Island, with the support of Portsmouth City Council, The University of Portsmouth, Anglepoise速 and Penny Mordaunt MP, want to shout about what the creative sector of the city of Portsmouth is already achieving and its potential to grow. We wish to celebrate, promote and introduce these great creative businesses that call Portsmouth home to people and businesses nationally and internationally, through the Creative Cargo project. This Creative Cargo will signify the very best of what the creative community of Portsmouth can offer, ready to travel onwards from a city historically known to be the home port for journeys far and wide. Creative Cargo will be revealed at a very special London event before returning home to Portsmouth ahead of travelling across the UK and the world. Creative Cargo is a Strong Island project made possible with the support of Portsmouth City Council, The University of Portsmouth and Anglepoise速 creativecargo.co.uk

Ten steamer trunks containing art, craft and products from Portsmouthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative sector... the cases to be shared locally, nationally and internationally, the contents to be discovered and celebrated.

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THE CITY

Portsmouth is located on the south coast of England and is the United Kingdom’s only island city. With over thirty different districts located on Portsea Island and on the mainland, the city is the most densely populated urban area in the country, even more than Greater London. The city is flanked by the busy Portsmouth Harbour to the west, the quiet tidal bay of Langstone Harbour to the east and miles of pebble beach reaching to Eastney and Southsea in the south. In many ways due to this particular geography the city has developed its own unique identity which in part is linked to a nautical heritage going back for hundreds of years. The natural protection offered by the ancient Camber in Portsmouth Harbour has sheltered ships and sailors through the centuries before the city become the home of the Royal Navy. The presence of the navy has shaped the architecture of the city (such as forts, barracks and defences), inspired the city’s name ‘Pompey’ and also helping create the city’s very own dialect. Portsmouth also has a long history of supporting the Royal Navy through shipbuilding, a craft dating back over 500 years and leading to its importance in the development of the Industrial Revolution. Marc Isambard Brunel, the father of famed Portsmouth engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, established in 1802 the world’s first mass production line at the Portsmouth Block Mills, to mass-produce pulley blocks for rigging on the Royal Navy’s ships. At its height the Dockyard was the largest industrial site in the world and the city a major hub for sea transport with ships travelling to and from all the corners of the globe with sailors, travellers and cargo. Culturally, Portsmouth has been home to many famous writers and artists and continues to inspire both people born and bred and also the visitors who end up calling the place home.

Portsmouth... the United Kingdomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only island city and the most densely populated area in the country, even more than Greater London.

“Portsmouth has a history of being a hub for artists and ideas. In the last few years in particular our city has seen a real boom in the creative industries. We are bringing our artistic heritage to life – metaphorically and literally through the regeneration of our theatres, the creation of galleries from dockyard buildings and by recreating the old artists’ quarter in new studios in Portsmouth’s ancient hot walls. It is not only the quantity but also the quality of what we do that makes us stand out, though perhaps, above all, it is our passion that sets us apart. It is certainly true that art can be a powerful tool for growth and regeneration, but fundamentally it is about quality of life and enriching our experience. I am delighted to support our city and the Creative Cargo project at this exciting time.”

Penny Mordaunt MP, Portsmouth North, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Home I leave behind a day My tired memories of this morning The hours in between us Conversations. decisions Electronic trails of wonder Coffee cups and in-service announcements Busy trains Free newspapers And all those beautiful unexpected moments Not in my diary The child reading his book out loud Undercover poets who found words dancing In our smiles Clouds edged with silver gold metaphors Green fields and cornflower skies The music of branches dancing on the breeze Your voice This amazing city Our words The tapestry of poems that made their way to me Without any need for an appointment.

Inspired by travelling back to Portsmouth from London on a summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evening

Sam Cox Portsmouth Poet Laureate

THE STEAMER TRUNKS

In the 1800s, as travel distances increased with transport such as steam-powered ships, travellers were looking for something bigger and more useful for their luggage of choice. Steamer trunks, named after their often location of storage in the cabin of a steam ship, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;steamerâ&#x20AC;?, were constructed out of a wooden frame and covered in leather or canvas and were designed with a top for easy storage. It is widely believed that Louis Vuitton came out with the first design, but it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long before other manufacturers followed suit. They took off in the 1870s and lasted in popularity until the 1920s and beyond. Louis Vuitton designed the Wardrobe Case in 1876; a development of the steamer case which when stood on one end could be used as a wardrobe when travelling within a cabin. The design consists of two sides: one with space for hangers to hang shirts, suits and dresses plus storage for shoes and the other side containing drawers, drop down shelves and even an ironing board. Some cases also open up from the top to allow better access to the hangers with two chrome rods available to fold out and give the hangers more room when the trunk is open. With the development of travel by air these heavy and large cases slowly fell out of favour in the late 1950s and 1960s and now can only be found as vintage items or antiques, often just used for basic storage and display in the home.

One of the Creative Cargo Steamer Trunks restored with Southsea Deckchair fabric. The sketch above and opposite of the Steamer Ship are by Chris Webb. Who was also one of the volunteers. urbansketcher.co.uk

Louis Vuitton designed the Wardrobe Case in 1876; a development of the steamer case which when stood on one end could be used as a wardrobe when travelling within a cabin.

For Creative Cargo we wanted a means of storing, transporting and displaying the many products and pieces of art designed and created by individuals and businesses from Portsmouthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative sector and steamer wardrobe cases were perfect for our needs. We also wanted the Creative Cargo containers to tie in directly with the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage as a port for people and goods for hundreds of years, to locations all around the world. Still to this day Portsmouth is a transport hub for people travelling by ship to and from Europe and is also a busy international cargo port for all sorts of items including motor vehicles, ballast, fuel oil, building materials and timber as well as fresh vegetables and fruit, with Portsmouth receiving 70 per cent of the bananas eaten in Britain. With steamer wardrobe trunks chosen for the Creative Cargo project we sourced ten vintage cases from Parmiters Antiques, located in Southsea. The cases were different sizes, designs, ages and condition and each had clues to their history and their previous journeys. One case is covered in travel stickers from many different cities all over France, Italy and Germany. Another case has two Cunard Line travel stickers for a ship that travelled to Quebec and back to Birmingham in 1957. We wanted to keep the exteriors of the cases exactly as they were, to let them continue to show the marks and scars of their past journeys, but we also wanted to bring the worn interiors back to life with a new look that unites them and also reflects the culture and heritage of Portsmouth.

Working with a team of local volunteers, seven of the ten steamer wardrobe trunks were first stripped back to their bare plywood base, with the original lining materials carefully removed. The plywood interior lining, drop down shelves, drawers and case dividers were sanded back before being painted with a single base colour which unites every case in the project. To refurbish the now painted steamer wardrobe trunk storage drawers and shelves carefully selected striped deckchair material was sourced from Southsea Deckchairs, the Portsmouth based manufacturer of deckchairs with their own, specific material designs. For some of the cases Portsmouth inspired hand-printed wallpaper and textiles were provided by artist Suzie Darcel, with the print showing local landmarks such as South Parade Pier. Three of the Creative Cargo cases are to be worked on in partnership with local community art and craft groups and organisations, each with a unique perspective on how to restore the trunks back to life, ready to be filled with the creative cargo from Portsmouth.

“Being involved with the Creative Cargo project has been both enjoyable and rewarding. I was asked by Strong Island to manage the restoration of the steamer cases that are at the heart of this project. It’s been truly remarkable watching the trunks transform from tired, well with Southsea Deckchair fabric) display cases. Not only has it been fascinating discovering where these cases have travelled by looking at the many stickers covering them, but it’s also been incredibly enjoyable breathing new stripey life into them. Being a Portsmouth resident myself, I’ve enjoyed seeing local people get involved with the of them with locally designed fabrics. I was delighted to have been asked to play such a large part in this project to promote my city, which has an ever growing and evolving creative scene.”

Kate Smith - Lead Volunteer.

Along with Kate Smith the other volunteers include: Guilhem Brandy, Eva Navarro, Chris Webb, Elizabeth Allen, Matt Maber, Lou Bush, Joe Cavalla, Andrew Whyte, John Ainsworth, Angela Chick, Suzie Darcel and Andy Hall.

THE CARGO

Founded in 1988, Climax is an independent video game studio staffed by a team of around 100 dedicated and experienced professionals, with most of the senior management team having worked alongside each other for over a decade. Since its inception the studio has shipped over 60 products and well over 100 SKUs across all major platforms. Widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent studios, Climax are licensed developers for all current and future platforms including PS4, Xbox One, Wii U and mobile. A great deal of Climax’s experience involves working with external IPs; handling them in a creative yet sympathetic manner that has resulted in working relationships with the same partners that have gone from strength to strength over the course of the company’s history. Recent examples of this are Climax’s reinvention of the horror genre with Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, which resulted in a clutch of “Editors Choice” and “Best Of Show” awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and a nomination in the “Online Innovation” category for Smart As in the 2013 Develop Awards Climax has worked with many national and international publishers including Sony, Codemasters, Konami and Square Enix. They are currently developing or in talks with a number of major publishers for games across a range of platforms including Xbox One, PS4, Vita and mobile. Although Climax has a history of providing AAA experiences with a unique indie feel and polished visuals, there are now

many smaller titles in development for digital download. Climax is constantly innovating and finding new mechanics for old genres and are often among the first to adapt to new technology such as VR. Portsmouth Harbour has been the home of Climax Studios since it was founded 26 years ago by Portsmouth-born Karl Jeffery. Portsmouth’s central location in the creative hub that is the South Coast, its connections to many game developments hotspots like Brighton, Guildford and London and the motorway right into Portsmouth has made it the ideal location for sourcing new talent and for developing new business leads. climaxstudios.com

Portsmouth...the ideal location for sourcing new talent and for developing new business leads.

First launched in 1932, Anglepoise® was the result of a collaboration between British automotive engineer, George Carwardine and spring specialists, Herbert Terry & Sons. Today, Terry’s archetypal Anglepoise® Original 1227™ table lamp, based on Carwardine’s pioneering perfect balance mechanism, is recognised as a British design classic. Over the years, the Anglepoise® brand has been developed by the Terry family - more recently in collaboration with pre-eminent British product designer Sir Kenneth Grange to create an incomparable series of instantly recognisable lamps that are able to deliver the intensity of light required by professionals. All the new designs remain true to Carwardine’s original design concept, whilst embracing essential modern features, including the introduction of LED options and use of energy efficient bulbs. Anglepoise® have collaborated with a broad range of people on numerous projects, these include Fashion Designer Margaret Howell, Jack Wills, musician Steve Hackett and more recently Fashion Designer Paul Smith. Their retail customers in the UK include John Lewis, Heals and Conran. Anglepoise® products are used around the world on everything from retail stores, hotels and offices, to domestic interiors. Their products have more recently been selected by the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in the US.

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, in 2009 the Anglepoise® Original 1227 was featured on a Royal Mail stamp; alongside such British design Icons as the Concorde, the Route Master bus and the Mini. The aesthetic and remarkably engaging, anthropomorphic quality of a lamp that can constantly change its form has inspired musicians, artists, designers and writers over the years. In 1979, post punk pop group, The Soft Boys, made it into the pop charts with the song “I want to be an Anglepoise® lamp”. The Anglepoise® lamp that sat on the desk of Roald Dahl was considered so much a part of the writer’s persona that, in 2004, a giant version of the Anglepoise® Original 1227 lamp was specially commissioned for the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre. The Giant 1227 has since gone into volume production. Anglepoise® lamps have also featured in many of the James Bond films, most recently seen in the dramatic set for the MI6 underground HQ in Skyfall. Today, examples of the Anglepoise®, a quintessentially British brand, can be seen in London in the Design Museum, the V&A and the Science Museum. anglepoise.com

“the project (Creating Balance) gave us unique insights as a business into the depth and professionalism of the creative community on our doorstep, many of whom are internationally recognised and we continue to work with a number of them on different projects.” Simon Terry, Anglepoise®

“Portsmouth has been home for us for 5 years. We have a special connection with the Creative Community around Portsmouth that was formed mainly through the Creating Balance Project that was delivered last year in collaboration with Claire Sambrook from the University of Portsmouth and community group Strong Island. The project gave us unique insights as a business into the depth and professionalism of the creative community on our doorstep, many of whom are internationally recognised and we continue to work with a number of them on different projects.

The local geography as Portsea Island containing Portsmouth and Southsea, plays a big part in the inspiration for creative thinking and businesses in the area. The combination of one of the most densely populated cities in Europe with the close proximity to the sea from nearly every part of the city, gives the area a unique identity. Also the fantastic heritage that the Historic Dockyard has over the area, really helps to link the present to the past.” Simon Terry, Innovation & Brand Director Anglepoise®

MY DOG SIGHS Portsmouth based street artist My Dog Sighs’s style is characterised by the combination of melancholic and often naive portraiture with the use of found materials including abandoned food cans.

After 10 years of giving his art away for free as part of the now infamous Free Art Friday project, My Dog Sighs has this year finally found himself strapped in to a well-deserved meteoric rise. With an incredible international following in Israel, USA and of course the UK, Sold out solo shows in London, Telaviv & New York, and a strong following of staunchly loyal fans on social media; My Dog Sighs is fast becoming an important figure on the contemporary art scene.

“My Dog Sighs’ work forms a narrative based on counterpointed poignancy that resonate with those that have the opportunity to find them. Moments of loss and then being found echo the materials used. Tin cans, once the receptacle of our sustenance, all too quickly rejected, thrown away, abandoned by a materialistic society keen to gorge on the new” mydogsighs.co.uk

Opposite Top - Studio Portrait by Jack Daly | jackdaly.me Bottom - Can Man out on the streets

My Dog Sighs out on the streets in Chicago Photo credit - Tori Torsion Howard | toritorsion.com

I have lived in Portsmouth all of my life, I was born here. My father, a seaman and former salvage diver, has worked in the dockyard since he was 16. His father, who also worked in the dockyard, lived on a sailing boat in Langstone Harbour. My family have a deep connection to the sea and Portsmouth. Branches of my ancestors have lived in Portsmouth since the 18th Century. Some of my earliest memories are of visiting my grandad in the harbour, having a sweet cup of tea and the smell of the salty sea air. The city and it’s rich history has inspired my work from the very beginning. Whilst studying illustration at the University of Portsmouth, many of my projects were inspired by Portsmouth’s visual culture, it’s community and history. It even influenced the writing of my dissertation on Thomas Rowlandson’s engraving of “Portsmouth Point”. In fact, I’m sure I spent most of the final year of my studies in the city’s Record Office & History Centre.

“There is so much inspiration to be found right on your doorstep.”

Emma Nicol

Since graduating with a first class honours in 2013, I have worked as a freelance illustrator for Tesco, and gained invaluable experience at Tigerprint’s Yorkshire studios, designing and creating greetings cards, as well as completing commissions for local businesses and privately. Much of my current work is created by embroidery and machine stitching, I find it such an expressive way to create images and adds so much texture to my illustrations. In recent months my business has evolved to developing a line of high quality illustrated products such as homewares, accessories and greetings cards – with some inspiration taken from Portsmouth, of course! I have been trading at markets, online and have started to approach retailers to stock my products. A majority of the products show illustrated scenes of Portsmouth and Southsea’s varied architecture. I hope my products evoke all kinds of emotions for my customers; sentiment of their hometown, nostalgia, memories of childhood or even to serve as a

memento of a great holiday in Portsmouth. In the future I will also be developing a line of products around other cities, like Brighton and London. I have always enjoyed travelling, but can’t imagine living anywhere other than Portsmouth. Many of my friends came to the city to study and never went home after graduation. We have such an amazing, developing creative culture here. Residents are always looking for ways to showcase local creative talent, recently a night market was arranged throughout the summer on Southsea promenade and a local volunteering charity, Community Fusion, hosts monthly markets at a local music venue, promoting artists, crafters and musicians. emmanicolillustration.co.uk

“The Portsmouth Tea factory in the heart of Portsmouth City Centre churns out 6 tonnes of the best traditional English-style tea available in the UK every month, hand-blended and packed especially for Portsmouth’s hard, chalky water.”

Most of us can’t live without our regular cup of tea each day. What a pity, then, that there are only a small handful of traditional tea importers, packers and blenders left in this tea-addicted nation.

Within Portsmouth, All About Tea are proud to supply many of the city’s best businesses with their tea - well known names such as Pie & Vinyl, Southsea Coffee, the Tenth Hole, the Queen’s Hotel, Southsea Gallery and many others.

Supermarket tea has declined in quality over the last 50 years to become a flavourless hot grey liquid and the only surviving source of quality tea - tea that our grandparents might have enjoyed - is a tiny surviving group of traditional tea merchants, of which All About Tea is one.

They enjoy playing their small part in Portsmouth life by producing Portsmouth Tea - a blend that is now winning renown many miles beyond the watery bounds of this island city. Their teas are drunk in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as far North as the Shetland Islands and as far South as the Lizard. Their teas are sent to China, India, Russia, South Africa and throughout Europe, with the list growing on a weekly basis as people and businesses rediscover the simple pleasure of a good cup of traditional English tea.

All About Tea is perhaps unique in producing high-quality loose teas and teabags of the traditional style for the catering, retail and connoisseur markets. Portsmouth Tea, their flagship blend, is an excellent example. It’s full-flavoured, rich, strong, and refreshing, like tea used to be many years ago. Unfortunately, most of us have forgotten how delicious tea ought to be, and Portsmouth Tea is usually a revelation. It’s blended especially for Portsmouth’s hard, chalky water - just as the old grocers of years gone by would have made a special local blend. There’s a whole stable of local teas - Southsea Breakfast, Southsea Grey (with pure, natural Bergamot oil - quite different from any Earl Grey you have tasted before), Southsea Afternoon, to name a few. Naming their best blends after their home town was a careful and deliberate decision. The teas are for the local people and the local water. Portsmouth is a city full of skilled workers and talented artists and writers, with a rich maritime and industrial history. It’s telling that many people who move here temporarily for work end up staying. The sea, the people, the convenient location, the compact arrangement of the town and the relaxed, friendly feel of the place all contribute to making it a comfortable and pleasant place to live and work.

allabouttea.co.uk

UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries

“I am enormously proud of the energetic and energising role University of Portsmouth students and graduates play in the creative and cultural life of this unique city: many remain as part of its creative workforce, incubating their to the city’s culture and economy, while others travel out across the globe as ambassadors of this community of design businesses, creative collaborations, entrepreneurial partnerships and creative practices.” Professor Catherine Harper, Dean, Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries.

BA Graphic Design student Jack Macrae won commendation in the YCN award for the Department of Energy & Climate Change and Andy Lethbridge (below) won Creative Graduates to Watch award presented by Strong Island. He also won New Designers Webb deVlam Associate Prize.

The Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth is located in the city centre, with a £14m new Eldon West Building housing architecture and interior design and recently opened by Chancellor Sandi Toksvig; a soon-to-be opened £9m media and performing arts building adjacent to the New Theatre Royal; and an outstanding learning environment supporting design subjects – fashion, graphics, photography, illustration, and creative technology disciplines including computer animation, games and music technology, digital media, television, broadcasting and film production. Collectively, the Faculty forms a creative, vibrant and diverse community of practice and vocational-academic enterprise. Cross-disciplinary practices emerge from the co-location of our subjects, nurtured by academic staff who lead high quality provision, and encourage innovation, creative-risk taking, external social and employer engagement, and the generation of industry-standard work. Students have opportunity to undertake work placements and live industry projects, growing their confidence and shaping their creative vision. We support individuality and authenticity in our students, and endeavour to make sure our Portsmouth graduates are linked to the city forever by their experience of living and working here, and engaging with the rich environment of this island city, with its museums, creative and digital businesses, sports and shopping facilities, popular and cultural entertainment venues, historic dockyard, proximity to London as well as to the sea and the global connectedness that engenders. We celebrate success, and we are proud in 2014 to see Graphic Design graduate Eric Downer awarded the title of Designer of the Year at New Designers, London, and Andrew Martin, Computer Games Technology graduate, embark on the national New Entrepreneurs Foundation programme.

The Faculty benefits from mature networks of industry professionals, with recent keynotes from film producer Jon Thompson of The Worx, Soho; fashion commentator Caryn Franklin; Susan Ellis, Digital Producer of the Royal Shakespeare Company; with our most recent honorary degrees awarded to John Akomfrah of Smoking Dogs Films and Simon Ward, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council. Close partnerships with global brands such as IBM and Avid; local and regional bodies like Portsmouth Festivities and Creative Network South; and accreditations from RIBA and Creative Skillset, ensure our provision is both current and relevant to our Portsmouth students’ employability.

BA Graphic Design student Eric Downer was awarded New Designers - Designer of the Year Award for a book he had created for his ISTD (International Society of Typographic Designers) submission. The book ‘Pylon’ is a lavish and detailed exploration of the functionality and beauty of british pylons, including technical

As with the Creative Cargo project, quality and integrity matters to our Faculty. Our students test their own values and capabilities by undertaking ‘grand challenges’ like the 24 hour student broadcast; the annual public fashion catwalk; the Game Jam with French partners Exia.Cesi; live broadcasts via The Big Screen in Guildhall Square, now programmed by a graduate of our Television and Broadcasting course in partnership with Portsmouth City Council; working for real clients through our Architecture Project Office; and funding and curating their own showcases in Portsmouth and at multiple London venues. And our staff teams demand excellence of themselves too, securing external funding for applied and collaborative research – like the Technology Strategy Board’s 2014-16 award of £1.45m to the Faculty’s Institute of Industrial Research, and the presentation of our pilot animated feature film, Stina and the Wolf at the computer graphics industry’s major world conference, SIGGRAPH 2014 in Vancouver. The Faculty of ‘CCI’ at University of Portsmouth is delighted to be associated with the Creative Cargo project, both through inclusion of graduate work and through direct sponsorship, and we wish these unique steamer trunks and their precious creative cargo bon voyage on their travels ! port.ac.uk/cci

created at the University of Portsmouth in collaboration with staff, students and alumni. The project utilises modern production techniques to emulate the current The project is managed by an in-house studio FOAM Digital and has all the departments of a traditional VFX student lead and ‘staffed’ by students.

The Scroll of Portsmouth by BA Illustration alumni Arran Mackintosh

‘Artworks’ book by BA Illustration at The University of Portsmouth

Changing Faces exhibition at The University of Portsmouth by Anglepoise速 working with students across several courses in The Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries. It was originally created for the Kenneth Grange exhibition at the Design Museum in 2011.

creatingbalanceproject.co.uk

SADIE TIERNEY “The quality of light here, in Britain’s only island city, makes it such a magnet for artists.”

Artist Sadie Tierney graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with an MA in Printmaking. Portsmouth is now her home: “Portsmouth fuels my subject matter as an artist. My artwork tends to centre on places where I’m from and linked to emotion, metaphor and movement or change. The layout of Portsmouth means that wherever you are in the city, you’re always aware of the sea. I’m constantly sketching the ships’ comings

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and goings, and the other things you find here like fairgrounds, imagining all the passengers, their journeys and destinations. It makes me feel connected to the rest of the world. I also think about the importance of ships in this country’s history. The seascape and weather here is constantly changing and always fascinating to me. It’s close to London for all the big galleries but plenty of other artists and musicians live here too, which gives Portsmouth an amazing creative energy”.

Primarily a painter and printmaker, Sadie Tierney has been the recipient of two Arts Council Grants for the Arts Awards for her digital videos and her moving image work has been selected for the London Short Film Festival, BBC Big Screen Film Festival, Halloween Short Film Festival & The Bigger Picture curated by Cornerhouse, Manchester.Â In addition to being an artist Sadie Tierney has a visiting lecturer profile at institutions including Brighton University, Lincoln University, Kingston University, Kent Institute & Falmouth College of Art, Rabley Contemporary, as well as previous lecturing and teaching posts at Eton College, Glasgow School of Art andÂ Swindon College. sadietierney.co.uk

Pie & Vinyl is an experience for all of your senses. An independent record cafe based in Southsea, Portsmouth. The idea of Pie & Vinyl is simple, they have combined their love and passion for music with one of England’s favourite old fashioned comfort food in a stylish cosy location in Castle Road, Southsea. Pie & Vinyl warmly invite all of their brothers and sisters who currently inhabit this historically significant, fashionably vibrant culturally exciting city, to explore, enjoy and revel in this unique experience. They are proud to live in Southsea and want to support all local like minded businesses. They offer great teas produced by All About Tea in Portsmouth, and fantastic pies from Buckwells Butchers and Leaves Cuisine of Southsea. They also offer a chance for local bands and artists to showcase their work. Even the furniture has been sourced from the Portsmouth and Southsea area. Their aim is to specialise in new music and new artists. They have a policy of stocking albums released within the last two years, which are available on vinyl. Vinyl has come back in a big way, and not many people know that it’s become almost industry standard to include

a free mp3 or cd of the album when purchasing an LP. For Pie & Vinyl, this is the ultimate way to purchase music as you can hold the product tightly, admire the artwork whilst being able to play the music on your hardrive device. A little piece of history you own, with a story of how you bought it or maybe a memory attached to it forever. When you visit Pie & Vinyl you can explore the Record Room at the back of the building. But before you do, take a moment to look around...the artwork on the vinyl records is as important as the music. Their new releases are found displayed on the wall as you enter Pie & Vinyl, while a selection of current favourites are found towards the back room where they hold the majority of their collection. The venue is stocked with plenty of music poster art on the wall. These posters have been created by artists all over the world. Poster art collecting is a movement which has become extremely popular in the last few years, with the idea being that bands and artists work together to create a poster to promote a gig at a venue on the bands tour. Each show has a separate design and it is never repeated again. With the help of Southsea Gallery they can frame the posters in any style you desire.

There is also plenty of music magazines and papers for you to read, so you can relax and embrace this unique experience and start sharing the things that are passionate to you. Since their inception in April 2012, they have doubled their retail premises, acheived national exposure through Radio and Television, and in 2013 were awarded the Audio Technica Independent Record Store of the Year. They have also added Pie & Vinyl Records and Pie & Vinyl Presents... to their roster. Most recently however, they proudly opened Pie & HiFi, a one stop shop for all your High Fidelity equipment needs. “There are many wonderful, creative and likeminded businesses in Portsmouth, and it is an huge honour to be just a small part of this wonderful island city.” pieandvinyl.co.uk

Pie & Vinyl

Photos opposite & this page bottom by Josh Knill | joshknill.com

NEAL LAYTON “I like living on an island set apart from the rest of the mainland. I can walk out of my and sail out towards the horizon. My imagination can run free.” Neal is an award winning illustrator and author of children’s books. He has illustrated more than 80 titles to date, working with authors such as Michael Rosen (ex Children’s Laureate) and Cressida Cowell (How to Train your Dragon) and won several prizes including a Gold Award for ‘That Rabbit belongs to Emily Brown’. He also writes his own books including the pop-up book ‘The Story of Everything’ and the best selling ‘Mammoth Academy Series’. His books are currently in print in more that 16 languages worldwide. He lives in Portsmouth with his wife and two daughters. ‘Creatives in Portsmouth collectively group themselves under the banner ‘Strong Island’, because unbeknown to most, Portsmouth is an island, surrounded by sea on all sides. I like living on an island set apart from the rest of the mainland. I can walk out of my studio to the shore and have space to think. Sea birds fly past. Ships come into harbour, and sail out towards the horizon, my imagination can run free. But too much isolation and self reflection can also be bad for creativity, and therein lies the beauty of Portsmouth; it’s also a vibrant thriving city, and one which is linked directly by road and rail to the mainland, and London. So in this way Portsmouth is the perfect place for me to work creatively, and also have a good quality of life with my family.’ His books have also been shortlisted for the Red House Book Awards, the Blue Peter Book Awards, the Booktrust Early Years Award, Funfzig Jahre

Deutcher Jugendliteraturpreis and New York Public Library’s annual list of Children’s Books. Emily Brown and the Thing has also been made into a stage production by Tall Stories (creators of the hugely popular Gruffalo stage show) and is currently on a national UK tour. The Story of Stars was made into a stage show by Theater Oberhausen in Germany, and is due to run for 2-3 more seasons. Selected Publishers: Hodder Children’s Books, Walker Children’s Books, Penguin, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Orchard Books, Candlewick Publishing, Random House. neallayton.co.uk

Sweetie Pie Bakery was established in 2013, based local businesses and creative makers as possible, at in the heart of Southsea. It specialises in whipping the forefront of its operations. up delicious home baked sweet pies and cookies all of which are entirely gluten free and entirely vegan. In the last 12 months they have formed a formidable All of their bakes are lovingly home baked in a gluten partnership with local business Southseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pie & free, vegan family kitchen too! Vinyl, who exclusively stock their bakes. Sweetie Pie are also proud to source most Passionate about providing delicious of their ingredients from other local desserts to those the market has businesses and continue to collaborate largely forgotten, despite of the with celebrated local artist Ooh La burgeoning market for allergen Lapin on several food and art related free produce, there is still very little projects, including their Toyshop on offer for those wishing to enjoy Bakery Wonderland. affordable, cruelty free and allergen free deserts. Sweetie Pie now boast an extensive range of classic pie flavours such as Key Those behind sweetie pie wanted to take Lime, Bumbleberry, Raspberry, Cherry Pecan, an internationally recognisable and deeply loved Mince Pie, Chocolate, Banana and Lemon Cream pudding, such as the desert pie, and create delicious Pies, all of which taste absolutely delicious! Staunch gluten-free vegan variations of these much loved vegan and loved music legend, Johnny Marr, even classics whilst adding more ideas and energy to gave his seal of approval recently, after enjoying the blossoming local creative cuisine scene, of several Sweetie Pie Miniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at show in Portsmouth! Portsmouth & Southsea. sweetiepiesouthsea.com Since conception, Sweetie Pie has always held the intention to support and work with as many other

We wanted to create a shop which was intrinsically linked with its community, to provide a place where people could meet, share ideas and collaborate. Coffee shops draw free thinkers and creatives and we have been fortunate enough to find a regular hub of writers and artists using our shop and sharing their ideas and thoughts with us and each other. We feel that it part of our role to provide a welcoming space in which people can come together – in essence this is our shop.

Southsea Coffee is an independent coffee shop in the heart of Southsea, Portsea Island. The shop was based on the idea of third wave coffee – with a deep connection to the product that we serve – presented in an approachable and friendly way. We have an ever changing seasonal coffee menu and prepare our drinks using a variety of contemporary brewing methods – with an emphasis on care and quality. Single origin beans and coffee kit for home use are available for purchase, and always sold with unbiased and honest information. The idea of origin has spread through to all of our products with an emphasis towards using local produce. We use many local suppliers whose products form the basis of our unconventional menu. This has organically developed through our own ideas and feedback from our customers and has now found its own unique style. We have developed raw cakes (vegan+gluten free) and a range of homemade products that suit diets from gluten free and vegan to those just wanting a healthier option. We are not afraid to push boundaries or expectations of “cake” or “food” that you might expect to find in a coffee shop and like to discover and present the unexpected. Photos credit - Jack Daly | jackdaly.me

Our art wall project is focused on bringing out what is already hidden –local artists have been invited without bias to paint a mural of their choice, displaying their unique style, onto a wall in the shop. This is documented, then painted over ready for the next piece. The idea is to present artists to a new audience in an unexpected location – creating a transient piece which by its very nature is a talking point and can promote the artists in a positive manner. southseacoffee.co.uk

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are born and bred Portsmouth which is why being from itself rooted in a community of creative people who share ideas with each other, often ending with immense collaborations. Portsmouth is unique, it has its own identity and is full of passionate people who love their city, the sea and each other.

The Portsmouth community which we belong to has helped shape our shop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is a unique place formed through conversations held over coffee.â&#x20AC;? Tara and Martin - Southsea Coffee

Bored opened its doors in 1997 and is an independent business selling footwear, clothing, skateboards and cameras in Southseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lively Albert Road. From day one Bored has helped to support local skateboarders and bring events such as film premieres, skate competitions and pro skater store signings to the city. This has allowed like-minded people to meet and share their passion for skateboarding and inspire the Portsmouth youth. Bored has also worked with a large number of major brands and produced collaborative footwear and T-shirts which have been sold internationally. These projects have brought another dimension to the businesses allowing the store to showcase some of the creative talent Portsmouth has to offer. Examples of recent products inspired by the city include Mizzenmast skateboards and a Portsea Island range of clothing. The 2c Albert Road is a recent venture for Bored with a new shop dedicated to more limited edition and premium brands. boredofsouthsea.co.uk

ALISON GARDNER

Alison is a well loved and much collected illustrator with a range of giftware. She originally trained as a textile designer at West Surrey College of Art and Design, England. Best known for her successful Christmas range, including advent calendars, candles, china and decorations, she also has a growing reputation in the bespoke heritage market. Her collections include bespoke china, tea blends and souvenirs for many well-known heritage destinations, including Royal Collection, Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthplace Trust, Canterbury Cathedral, Mary Rose Museum and The National Trust. alisongardiner.co.uk

Cell Block Studios before renovation.

“Cell Block Studios is an exciting project that represents real potential to stimulate creativity in the City. A fantastic and inspirational building that breathes the history which it has endured, it is the ideal place for us to help the next generation of Creative businesses start-up and succeed. Cell Block Studios will be a key driver for growth in the City, supporting our efforts to help people develop strong, sustainable and successful businesses.” Alistair McDermott, Director of Innovation Services at the University of Portsmouth.

Cell Block Studios will open in early 2015, providing : A home for creative businesses A place for client meetings A focal point for creative innovation Wider creative community access (eg, Studio Providers’ Network)

For further details please visit the website: cellblockstudios.com

The ARTches

The Council believes that the city’s growing creative sector will be at the very heart of Portsmouth’s long term success. “By cementing a strong commitment to cultural development and the growth of the creative sector in Portsmouth, the Council aims to increase and promote Portsmouth’s ambitions as a creative city.”

The ARTches project will create affordable workspace and exhibition space for creative businesses and practitioners in the historic Victorian Arches of Old Portsmouth, which have been used as an informal art space since the 1960s, falling into disrepair over time. This innovative development has recently been awarded over £1.7 million from the government’s Coastal Communities Fund and will embed a creative hub alongside catering facilities in a beautiful historic areas. As well as revitalising and regenerating one of the city’s most loved spaces, the ARTches project will deliver 13 artists studios and one exhibition space, provide support for new creative businesses and support over 100 jobs. The ARTches project is one of the many strands of Portsmouth City Council’s work to support and nurture local creative industries. The creative sector is a key growth area for Portsmouth, acting as a catalyst for technical innovation, attracting increased local spending on leisure, culture and entertainment and sparking a desire among residents and visitors alike to engage in and share new experiences.

collaboration, and the Council aims to support such partnerships wherever and whenever it can. By cementing a strong commitment to cultural development and the growth of the creative sector in Portsmouth, the Council aims to increase and promote Portsmouth’s ambitions as a creative city. Organisations like Strong Island and high profile events like the Victorious Festival act as ambassadors for the growth of the city’s creative industries, and the growing strength of the creative sector helps to attract more and more entrepreneurs and investment to the city. Supporting our creative sector also contributes to the growth of employment, skills development, productivity and adds incredible value to our existing industrial sectors in marine and advanced engineering. Most of all, the creative and cultural sector plays an increasing role in raising Portsmouth’s profile on the national and international stage, drawing visitors from all over the UK and the world and offering our communities access to creative experiences and all the joys and benefits they offer. portsmouth.gov.uk

The Council works in active partnership with local creative businesses, the University of Portsmouth and budding creative entrepreneurs to develop and retain our creative talent in the city. This includes increasing the number of work spaces for new and existing creative businesses, offering business advice and support, and investing in the city’s overall cultural infrastructure, including the New Theatre Royal, Kings Theatre, Aspex Gallery and Portsmouth Guildhall. The creative sector is particularly dependent on small businesses and the Council has worked hard to offer active and ongoing support to our creative SMEs and start-ups. The local culture of Portsmouth’s creative economy encourages and facilitates partnership projects and

PETE CODLING

“Portsmouth is my hometown; we have grown up together over the last 40 odd years and lived like bickering siblings desperate to be independent whilst time regardless binds us closer together. I have grown, learnt, loved, worked and bred here. Although I was born in a far off land; a time will come when my bones are chalk of the Portsdown, sand of Southsea and the dust of this city….. My art is forever Portsmouth.”

If you look around our city you find the finger prints of this Portsmouth artist in every corner. He has worked across the South coast of England on major Public Art projects and travelled extensively with fellowships, international residencies and sometimes purely for the sake of getting ‘lost’ in the search of inspiration. Pete Codling has worked in range of materials and scale from the epic to the miniature. From landscape design to architecture, from street furniture and school art projects to major landmark sculptures and street art interventions. He is owner of ‘Atelier’ a traditional artist studio and gallery based in an old pub on Castle Road Southsea. He teaches drawing and fine art in his own ‘mini art school’ whilst he studies for his PhD in the ‘Philosophy of Drawing’. A passion he has returned to with huge charcoal drawings and surreal oil canvases. This is Pete’s hometown having gone to secondary School at St Edmund’s in the city centre, Portsmouth College of Art, Portsmouth Polytechnic and twice to The University of Portsmouth. He has been self-employed for over 25 years working in and around ‘Pompey’. You will find his artwork in the very fabric of the city; in the high street, housing estates, community centres, hospitals, cafes, restaurants, offices, homes and gardens. He has artwork in private collections around the world and is currently working on a body of new work for a major exhibition in 2016. Examples of his artwork include the infamous One Million Pebbles project spanning 20 years starting in 1994 to make Hand- made and numbered ceramic pebbles for Southsea Beach. The city knows him for dramatic statements like The Turfing of the Guildhall Steps back in 1996 to the award winning landscapes and furniture of Wymering Public Art project, Arundel Street Precinct and the integrated artworks of The John Pounds Community Centre. More recently his epic wall drawing Dust to Dust is claiming some international recognition. All these are part of Codling’s ‘Portsmouth Portfolio’. petecodling.co.uk

Southsea Deckchairs was founded in 1991 by a deckchair attendant, Stephen Davies. Working with deckchairs since 1980 on Southsea seafront in Portsmouth, Stephen took the best elements from the basic types of deckchairs that he worked with on the beach, set up his own small workshop in Portsmouth and designed a range of classic deckchairs which are now being sold worldwide under the brand. Roma Davies (Stephen’s wife) joined the company in 1998 and helped to develop the fabric range which now offers over 100 different colour choices! Some of the Southsea fabrics are still woven on 1930s looms, made in the old-fashioned way with beautiful yarns whilst others are performance fabrics for the contract market. The company is still based in Portsmouth and has had continuous growth since 2003. Southsea Deckchairs, the last deckchair maker in the UK, has recently worked with Fred Perry in the design of a mainstream clothing collection: the “Classic Southsea Deckchairs stripe” and collaborations with Clarke’s shoes and Liberty of London. This British icon has become a statement for fashion! Southsea Deckchairs survived in a declining market in the 20th Century by adapting to changing demand; a shift from the seaside to high-end products but continuing to supply it’s traditional market for strong, tough and durable deckchairs. The company began exporting several years ago and continues to export to new markets: in the last few years Japan, South Korea and all the Scandinavian countries. New products include: beach bags, shoppers, parasols and cushions and there are further products being created every year. deckchairs.co.uk

Top - Fred Perry collection in collaboration with Southsea Deckchairs. Bottom - Wide Boy Deckchair and Bag.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Southsea Deckchairs is part of a growing creative business community in Portsmouth which works closely together with The University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council. Designs, ideas and inspiration join together in this tight island business community to create some real leaders within the UK.â&#x20AC;?

Edwardian Deckchair with Footstool by Southsea Deckchairs

ilovedust is a multi-disciplinary studio founded back in 2003. Based in Portsmouth (with studios in London and Portland USA), they create fresh, innovative design which makes up their award-winning portfolio. Collaborating with a diverse range of international brands they have been delivering world class illustration and graphic design for over 10 years. Recent projects for ilovedust have included the Risk Everything campaign for Nike Football created for the World Cup 2014 and including artwork for the England football team and some of the best footballers in the world. Other clients include IBM, UPS, Redbull, Gatorade, Bacardi, The Grammys and creative collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld.

ilovedust.com

ilovedust

Roo Abrook shares a love of design, art, nature and the history of objects around her. She is a passionate collector of ephemera and books, embracing these interests to create original and unique artworks using traditional and contemporary techniques. Hand drawn illustrations are combined with photography to generate her own distinctive imagery. Prints are produced, using archival inks, onto actual pages of vintage and antique books. The result of this process is a complete one-off with no two book page prints the same. Roo also produces collages using antique papers combined with screen printing, drawing, watercolours, etc. Over the last few years Roo has worked with her partner Barry Abrook to produce historical book concepts, artwork for internationally renowned musicians, interior design for a museum’s interactive mural & various gallery shows.

She recently collaborated with the successful Creating Balance project between The University of Portsmouth, Anglepoise® and Strong Island highlighting Portsmouth’s blossoming creativity. Roo’s prints retail online and in various boutique gallery lifestyle stores across the country. Works have been used by stylists for publications such as The London Evening Standard, The Independent, Ideal Homes, Country Homes and Interiors and Period Homes magazines. Roo studied at Portsmouth Art College and has resided here since and lives in Southsea with her family.

rooabrook.co.uk

“The sea’s ability to clear the mind, and the city’s unpretentious honesty create an inspirational force that makes a mark on us all.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Portsmouth has a collaborative spirit that is historically ingrained in the city, there is a willingness to share creative ideas, across the age spectrum, regardless of success or experience. of contemporary energy whilst the relaxing seaside atmosphere gives time to think and contemplate new approaches.â&#x20AC;?

Photo credit - Martin Gardner for AnglepoiseÂŽ

A truly unique insight into Creative Portsmouth featuring interviews and contributions from over 60 artists, designers, makers, photographers and businesses. Funded and supported by The University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council, the book gives an insight into the people and the place. Designed by I Love Dust and published by Tricorn Books creativeportsmouth.co.uk.

RACHEL LOWE Portsmouth. After winning their Enterprise Challenge I received so much support from the business community and the public. The local sponsorship raised really helped to hit the support and warmth I felt from the people of Portsmouth was over-whelming. Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth - it was a fabulous day! With everything that has been achieved I can honestly say I am very proud to live and work in Portsmouth. You only have to see the support the Football club have to see what an amazing community we have. I now employ local people and often have students working with us on internships and university projects.â&#x20AC;?

Above - Destination Downton Abbey will take you on a journey back in time. The board has been beautifully designed to give players a real insight into the world of Downton Abbey. As a Maid or Footman starting in the Servants Hall, you will complete tasks within the Abbey earning Downton Bell points as you go. Will Carson help or hinder you, and will letters of good fortune come your way? The player with the most Downton Bells wins.

The Destination series of games started with the launch of Destination London and Destination Portsmouth in the winter of 2004. 10 years later the brand has over 30 editions in its portfolio including versions for Walt Disney, Harry Potter, the London 2012 Olympic and of course the most recently NBC Universal for Downton Abbey. SHE WHO DARES is an inspirational fragrance gift brand MADE IN BRITAIN. Every penny of investment has been paid into British companies and several British factories are involved in producing the final product.

With the gift concept of acknowledgement being inspired by a visit to Buckingham Palace and the brand colours inspired by a pair of shoes, SHE WHO DARES makes the perfect gift for any woman who deserves a bit of recognition for all that she does. Both brands are owned by She Who Dares UK Ltd, set up by founder Rachel Lowe MBE.

SWDfashion.com destinationboardgames.com

Above - SHE WHO DARES Eminence eau de parfum: Includes top notes of bergamot & pink peppercorn with rose & peony at the heart and a seductive base of sandalwood, soft musk & sensuous patchouli. The bespoke bottle and cap have been modeled on the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic contemporary rose and symbol of recognition.

JODIE SILSBY I am a teaching Fellow in Graphic Arts and a graphic designer specialising in print and typography. I am compelled by all areas of language and its visualisation. My aim is to challenge the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception and understanding of its interpretation.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pompeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has always been a culturally rich environment that continually inspires me; the people, the architecture, all contained on this unique island.

I have worked for over 6 years in an international multidisciplinary studio called Ilovedust collaborating with global brands such as Bacardi, Nike and Karl Lagerfeld, focusing on brand identity, print & packaging design.

jodie-silsby.com

“Portsmouth should feel proud of its diversity, culture and the fantastic landmarks that are available to everyone. I wanted to celebrate a small part of Portsmouth’s history by challenging its unique having lived in Portsmouth.”

Portsmouth Vernacular map by Jodie Silsby

Timeless Tides by Sam Cox (Portsmouthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poet Laureate). This book contains many poems inspired by Portsmouth and The Solent.

A Hundred Seas Rising by Suki Chan. Kindly donated by aspex Gallery from one of their high profile exhibitions.

Born from a simple conversation between Paul Gonella & Tristan Savage in Albert Road in 2008, the idea for Strong Island came from a passion about the city of Portsmouth. At this time the city’s arts and culture were beginning to bloom but as this was before the rise of popularity in the UK of Facebook people were missing certain events, gigs, exhibitions etc. The Strong Island website launched just 8 days later on the 27th September. Unfunded and independent, Strong Island has managed to keep the original ethos of quite simply being the best local resource, designed to promote, showcase and inform people about the incredible arts and culture Portsmouth and Southsea has to offer. Strong Island is updated regularly, featuring original, quality photography & films, interviews and articles about the city, produced by the growing team of volunteer writers and contributors. From 2010 Strong Island began to work on original & innovative cultural events that brought together different aspects of the city’s culture and community in new and exciting ways. In 2011 Strong Island collaborated with the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council in curating and managing the Strong Island Round Tower Exhibition, which brought a local ancient monument tower back to life and saw it filled with art, design and photography by local

creatives. After other community arts projects 2013 saw Strong Island as a key collaborator in the hugely successful Creating Balance Project with Anglepoise® and the University of Portsmouth. In 2014 Strong Island is behind the Creative Cargo project as well as working on many other community arts projects within the city. In 2012 Strong Island grew dramatically in some new directions such as the introduction of Strong Island Media, which brought together their own creative skills and services in offering graphic design, photography, film production, web design and creative education/training. SIM have worked with many different clients all over the South Coast and London including M&C Saatchi, Anglepoise®, Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council, Chichester Harbour Conservancy and more. Strong Island also launched Strong Island Clothing Co with a range of original, Portsmouth inspired designs for clothing and accessories. Strong Island Recordings is also a new boutique record label that strives to find, promote and release the best in underground music not only in Portsmouth but from all over the UK and further afield.

strong-island.co.uk strongislandmedia.com strongislandclothingco.com strongislandrecordings.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Portsmouth and the people who live here are a creative inspiration in so many different ways: a noisy, urban city yet with large public spaces, miles of beach, rich heritage and surrounded by both busy and quiet natural harbours. More than ever people in the city are striving to express themselves in different creative ways with many raising the

“The sense of creative community and support is what makes Portsmouth a very special place to be an artist.” Ooh la Lapin was established by artist and maker Lou Bush in 2011. She began creating her world of soft creatures and fanciful illustrations whilst living in rural Germany in her early twenties. Upon returning to the British Isles she settled back in Portsmouth. She now devotes every spare moment to creating a little imaginary world filled with creatures, stories and illustrations.

Ooh la Lapin is now stocked in Boxpark, Shoreditch and Lou has been offered the opportunity to design a toy for Liberty of London. She often collaborates with Portsmouth’s Pie & Vinyl who also hosted her first solo exhibition. Lou is currently collaborating with internationally published comic book writer Angelo Tirotto on her first children’s book.

With no higher education and being a single parent at a young age Lou has worked incredibly hard to forge a creative career. She now works with young people from troubled backgrounds and areas of social deprivation to raise there aspirations and inspire them. oohlalapin.co.uk

Photo by Josh Knill | joshknill.com

&UDI

“Etch is just like Portsmouth… It may seem small from the outside but its capabilities are huge!”

Etch is a new laser cutting and design studio based in Portsmouth and founded by Seb Bagnall, a graduate from the University of Portsmouth, The service is for artists, agencies and generally anyone with a creative flare to personalise and manufacture customised products. They are able to offer a variety of professional services, from complete product design, fabrication and lasering services to an online store offering unique products to consumers. Minimal limitations (materials and scale mainly) allow for local production for local designers as well as mass production for international clients. The business has grown in the creative surroundings of Portsmouth and this has continued to reinforce their belief that everyone should have access to manufacturing techniques that allow production of any sized project. For local designers and businesses, having such local manufacturing possibilities to hand helps speed up development and increases local productivity. Seb worked in London for a few years and although he mostly enjoyed his time there it was apparent that it was saturated with creative companies. Competition was high, creative spaces came at a premium and although it seemed that everything was close by, it just wasn’t. Portsmouth’s creative community was on the up and Seb admits he started to miss the clean sea air and the peace and quiet Portsmouth offered, as well as the convenience of cycling safely around the island between meetings!

Technological advances helped Seb realise that he could run a business from anywhere and still have clients on the other side of the world; so back to Portsmouth he came to establish Etch. This has proven to be a great decision, he says, and one he does not regret! Etch has had the luxury of working with now famous artist My Dog Sighs from the beginning and many other creative individuals in the city who have helped one another develop and grow, something Seb says would not have happened in the same timescale if Etch had been established in London. As a result they have worked with local creatives and artists, jewellery designers, architects, engineers and model makers as well as various design agencies and large companies, to produce a wide range of products that include a range of bamboo menu clipboards and servers for a restaurant chain, oak tree plaques for a lottery funded project, branded gear levers for a motorsport company - the list goes on! Etch is very excited about its future in a city where there are so many varied developments going on. It hopes to acquire one of the units in the new ARTches when complete so their talented team can showcase their work and techniques to the public. Alongside this they aim to have a second space, the master workshop, for the majority of larger projects. etchwork.com

Bread Addiction - a new artisan bakery on Elm Grove Road, Portsmouth run by Nikola Ondrouskova and her partner Ladislav Adamek | facebook.com/BREADDICTION

ALLOTINABOX速 are based in Portsmouth and provide a wide variety of seed boxes and other gardening delights to enable you to grow your own herbs and vegetables. allotinabox.com

The Company of Makers is a joint project between NeBMedia Ltd and ROOD vintage CIC and is funded by the Armed Forces Community Covenant Fund in Portsmouth.

Tender Loving Care, a new play from acclaimed playwright Vickie Donoghue (Royal Court) and Portsmouth theatre company Old Salt, tells the secret story of the women of the D-Day invasions.

The aim of the project is to encourage greater levels of understanding between the armed forces and civilian communities.

The show was directed by Portsmouth-born Ian Nicholson who has established himself as one of the best up-and-coming directors in the country.

Examples of work by The Company of Makers is shown above.

His company, Old Salt, is a proudly Portsmouthbased enterprise, focusing exclusively on stories related to Portsmouth and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s citizens.

companyofmakers.org.uk facebook.com/oldsalttheatre

This page - Aquamarine torque bangle

quality precious gemstones. Barbara is well connected to stone dealers who search the world for the finest quality gem stones for her designs. Barbara’s passion for precious gemstones is reflected in her choice of unusual and exceptionally beautiful stones. It is the quality and rarity of these natural elements which make many of Barbara’s creations precious, timeless and unique.

Barbara Tipple is a prominent and respected name in the world of fine jewellery, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Barbara has consistently pushed the boundaries of jewellery design earning her four world renowned De Beers Diamonds International Awards, an achievement which gained her membership of the prestigious diamonds international academy, Freedom of the city of London and an honorary degree from the University of Portsmouth.

This British award winning partnership not only create outstanding individual and artistic one off pieces but also vibrant core collections. Barbara prides herself on her bespoke service where she works closely along side David to create the perfect design and treasured piece. There is a wide choice of Barbara’s work in the window but clients frequently want an exclusive piece designed and handmade for them, which Barbara is very happy to do, giving the client designs that are exclusively Barbara’s work, subtly incorporating something personal to the client. barbaratipple.co.uk

Barbara’s work is inspired by nature, born in the mind, drawn onto paper and crafted by hand. Barbara works along side her husband, Master Goldsmith, David Ward who hand makes pieces in the workshop below the showroom in Mayfair London. Like Barbara, David is gifted with craftsmanship and artistry that gave him early recognition. His flair to recognize a concept in a seemingly incongruous blend of materials at the highest standard of workmanship makes him the ideal craftsman to realise Barbara’s vision. All of Barbara Tipple’s jewellery is designed and handmade in London using only the highest

Top Left - Night and Day fully reversible pendant. Bottom Right - Perspex Diamond necklace. Diamonds International Award Winner 1998

FROM HERE . . . Creative Cargo will be launched in September 2014 at a special VIP event in Byron Chambers, Albany, London by MP Penny Mordaunt to an array of high profile dignitaries from fashion, film, politics and business, many of whom have links to Portsmouth. Seven of the ten steamer trunks will be completely refurbished by autumn 2014 and three other trunks will be worked on in partnership with different community groups. An eleventh trunk will be restored by students in The Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries at The University of Portsmouth with a cargo of work produced by the students. In 2015 many of the trunks will be distributed to selected ambassadors who are influencers, leaders in their field and catalysts to help promote awareness of Portsmouth’s creative offering and to increase investment in the city’s creative sector. Some Creative Cargo trunks are destined to travel across the UK and internationally to other port cities, connecting with other creative communities resulting in ‘creative exchanges’ of art and products. We wish to also discover what people everywhere might describe as their own home town/city’s Creative Cargo.

C r e a t i ve C a r g o

A Strong Island Projec t

creativecargo.co.uk