The Black Country Creatives
The Black Country Creatives
The Black Country Creatives Sarah McDowall
The Black Country is a region located in the West Midlands made up of four separate boroughs. It is traditionally known for manufacturing and coal mining industries. The adopted name of “The Black Country� can be dated as far back as 1846. It is suggested that it comes from the smoke and smog that was created by the machinery, which in turn painted the landscape black. Although some the traditional industry has been lost over recent years there are countless traditional crafts men and women scattered across the region. This book showcases just some of the talented creative population of The Black Country.
Jamie Hubbard Creative Woodworking
Jamie Hubbard is a creative woodworking artist based in Stourbridge. He was a boat builder for 25 years before setting up his own successful business. Jamie has clients from across the UK all in search of the unique and delicate techniques he applies to every piece he makes. “I’ve always wanted to make, so I make things for people rather than making them for myself. If I made things for myself I’d never get anywhere and I’d never make any money. So its quite nice to give people a bit more than they expected. Im going down a path now where I’m in control of every aspect of building something, every last angle and face. Its therapeutic, if I mess something up I live with it and take advantage of it.” “The best thing is making something to suit somebody then looking at their face when they first see it and them enjoying it.”
Rob Hand Ceramic artist
Rob Hand is a talented ceramic artist who has self taught himself all the skills he knows today bar a few night classes in the early 90’s. His patience and skill with clay are second to none and the results are truly beautiful. Rob works from his characterful workshop attached to his picturesque home located in Wall Heath. “As soon as I started pottery I felt an affinity with it. The methods I use are hand building rather than wheel throwing. Hand building is a lot slower and it’s a lot more contemplative, but it’s what suits me. You never stop learning with anything involving skill. I could be doing the best things I’ve ever done ten years from now. You don’t know what the future holds but I know that experience helps a lot.” “If someone had said to me ten years ago that I would have been doing this and a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, I just wouldn’t have believed it. There are a lot of very talented people about and I didn’t put myself in that category.”
Lorraine Bates Pottery artist
Lorraine Bates is a pottery artist who runs a highly successful business called Woodsetton Pottery. She has been throwing on the pottery wheel for over 25 years, everything she makes is useful yet beautiful. Lorraine produces work for museums and art galleries as well as running a huge amount of pottery classes from her own studio based in Dudley. “I photograph things and occasionally I draw things and keep sketchbooks. My inspiration is what I am, I’m a potter, I make pots. The inspiration comes from day to day living” “When I die it’ll be because something happens and I’ll go face down in a pot, I doubt if I’ll be anything but a potter. I don’t think I’m ever going to think right well my art is leading me in the direction of something else.”
Robert Perry Painter
Robert Perry is a born and bred Black Country painter who has been painting landscapes throughout the region, the UK and Europe for over fourty years. He travels around in his transit van turned workshop, turning beautiful scenery into unique works of art. “I’m very interested in history which inspires me in my work, I’m very anti war. So I’ve done a lot of work in the First and Second World War battlefields. I’ve driven across to Auschwitz in my van and done a fortnights work drawing in Auschwitz Birkenau. What I really like is rugged mountainous landscapes like North Wales or the Lake District, but any environment has got a beauty all of its own.” “What I’m trying to do is distill the spirit of the place I’m working in, that’s what I like to call it. To do what I do you need to be coming to the same environment for several days experiencing different weather and different times of day.”
Jo Naden Sculptor
Jo Naden is a sculptural artist who works from her studio in her beautiful home in Amblecote. Her creations are all carefully planned and articulated, gathering inspirations from all walks of life. She runs two workshops a week based around printmaking where all abilities are welcome. “Primarily what I’m doing now is developing a body of work that responses to the pre history period in particular the neolithic age and continuing into the bronze age. Im very fascinated by the reverence that particularly seems to be around the bronze age period and the cultural rituals and practices that are being explored now.” “The other parts of my practice is talking about design, I do tend to think things through by walking. I’m very influenced by the rocks, fields and hills. It’s that process of walking, your feet are actually the same as your hands in as much as exploring but in a slightly different way.”
With thanks to the kind community of The Black Country. Without them this book would not have been possible.
Additional thanks goes to the Ordnance Survey for use of their map.
Copyright Š 2016 Sarah McDowall www.sarahmcdowall.com