Creative Boom

Clerkenwell Design Week kicks off for 2013

2013-05-22T09:04:00+01:00

So here I am at my third Clerkenwell Design Week. I'm writing this in my hotel bedroom before I go and join my pals over at Material Lab in the Farmiloe Building where their creators Johnson Tiles have an interesting stand. Of course, the Farmiloe Building is one of many venues dotted around Clerkenwell where local designers and makers are showcasing their products and designs over the next couple of days. The whole event is sponsored by Jaguar, hence the beautiful Jaguar inspired artwork which has been unveiled in the Farmiloe's courtyard - designed and created by Royal College of Art students Ewan Gallimore and Claire Miller.

On my first day, I was happy to hang out at the Johnson Tiles stand - designed by Here You Are Studio - where they're unveiling the art of tiling and have special live screen printing workshops over the course of the week. Two more take place today - and another two tomorrow... details here. The pictures below feature Jim Biddulph from Material Lab and Here You Are Studio, using bespoke designs by Dan Heath and Surfacephilia. Get yourself down to stand VW3 on the ground floor of the Farmiloe Building between 12pm-1pm and 5-6pm today and tomorrow to get your mitts on a limited edition poster and bag!

In the meantime, I'd better get my makeup on because today I'm going to explore, discover and meet loads more designers and I can't wait to share my findings! See you later!

Henrik Adamsen brings models to life and persuades us to buy their wardrobes

2013-05-22T08:45:00+01:00

A decent fashion photographer makes you want to buy the clothes the model is wearing. A great fashion photographer makes you want to be the model. They make you want to live their life. They don't just persuade you to buy one outfit, they make you want to purchase the whole wardrobe. This is how I feel when I look through the portfolio of Henrik Adamsen. A photographer from Denmark, Henrik started out as a retoucher in the early '90s, before moving on to graphic design and art direction. Today, he works as a photographer, creating sexy, provocative images for fashion and beauty campaigns. This particular shoot was for a Danish fashion brand.

Photographer Tomoki Momozono reminds me why I love London so much

2013-05-22T08:27:00+01:00

I'm in London for Clerkenwell Design Week at the moment, and I couldn't be happier. There is something so wonderful to this diverse, pulsating, crazy city that has me coming back time and time again. Don't get me wrong - Manchester is my beloved home. But London is something else. I'm usually down here on business (like this week) so I never get chance to fully appreciate the capital. My time here is usually frantic, as I run and meet friends after a day of meetings and always end up in a Soho pub somewhere. I keep saying to myself I'll book a weekend away, so Tom and I can enjoy London at a less hectic pace. Maybe I'll do that for my birthday in August.

Most of all it's the people that make London unique. There are so many different cultures and characters that make up this diverse melting pot that you just want to live here and be amongst the throng. That's why I love these portraits of some of London's inhabitants. Shot by freelance photographer Tomoki Momozono, a Japanese creative now living in London. He mainly shoots in sports photography, especially European football like the UEFA Champions League. See more of his work at www.momozonophotography.com.

Readers' Studios: Dodo Flugge, Edinburgh

2013-05-21T07:02:00+01:00

Readers' Studios is a regular peek into people's workspaces and studios. It's a chance to see how other creatives work. From inspiring garden sheds and cosy home offices to stunning huge warehouses and converted chapels, I love taking a look at them all.

Today, I'm looking at the studio of Dodo Flugge - an artist based in Edinburgh who has converted an underground former wine cellar into her own studio, workshop and gallery space.

In Dodo's own words

"As far back as I can remember, I have been obsessed with painting, drawing and generally creating or transforming things. Until now, I’ve never had a dedicated studio, so when the opportunity presented itself to design and tailor one to my needs, I was over the moon! My studio is located underground in an old wine cellar. When I first saw it, I immediately fell in love with the space as it was not only big enough to fit in a big work area but also turn the other half of it into a gallery and shop.

"What i love most about my workspace is that it enables me to focus on different projects all at once: there is my desk for painting, drawing and other craft projects, a separate woodworking area and in general enough floor space to work on furniture. I also adore all the storage for paper, paint, pens, brushes and all those other pretty bits and pieces that will surely come in handy one day!"

"Having the second half of the place as a gallery and shop works incredibly well. I’ve never liked working in complete isolation, so having random people coming in during the day is exciting. You never know what unexpectedly wonderful conversations you might have with customers or other creative individuals.

"I wanted to create a space that is welcoming, relaxed, fun and as inspiring to the people who visit it as it is to myself. I am so happy when people come in and leave feeling inspired to make their homes more colourful and fun. I also want a place that is in constant creative progress. Currently everything here is my own work, but I am hoping to collaborate and feature the work of other creators, makers and transformers."

Find out more about Dodo Flugge

Facebook: Facebook.com/diedododa | Email: diedododa@yahoo.com

Think my readers might dig your creative space? Drop me a line with a minimum of six high resolution photos and blurb about why your studio rocks your creative world at studios@creativeboom.co.uk.

Workabout: Blueberry Bar & Kitchen, Shoreditch

2013-05-20T15:08:00+01:00

Photography by Andrew Florides // www.andrewflorides.co.uk

Workabout is a regular review of cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and co-working spaces where freelancers and creatives can enjoy a change of scenery or meet clients.

Today, I'm taking a peek at the Blueberry Bar & Kitchen in Shoreditch - a very cool and chic bar in East London that offers the very best in fresh food, entertainment and quality drinks. They're extremely passionate about fresh, locally sourced, organic produce and even have their own Tea bar with 30 different types of organic tea. With embellished wall, vintage furnishings and funky lighting - there's a real quirky atmosphere at the Blueberry. They do smashing cocktails, have a quality sound system for the party nights they host, and they have Ping Pong on Tuesdays, a Brazilian night every Wednesday and poetry readings on Saturdays. What more could you want to entertain clients, chill out after a long working week or pop along for some much-needed table tennis? Lovely.

Photography by Andrew Florides // www.andrewflorides.co.uk

Got a cafe, coffee shop, space, corner or area that you'd like me to review? Email workabout@creativeboom.co.uk and send me a few details on why your venue deserves a mention.

Capturing New York's spirit is never easy but Jakob Wagner nails it

2013-05-20T10:21:00+01:00

I've been lucky enough to visit New York on several occasions. Once for leisure - when I dragged poor hubby Tom around every possible avenue and block like an over-excited puppy - and another for business, when I stayed with a client in one of the richest city suburbs. If you've never been, New York is one of those places that you can never truly prepare for. I mean, I know it's huge. But when you hale a cab to zip across Manhattan and see all those skyscrapers either side for the first time, you're immediately overwhelmed by how enormous New York truly is. There's nothing quite like it on earth. So to photograph it, and capture its spirit in a series of shots - well, it's seemingly an impossible task but German photographer Jakob Warner managed to just beautifully. From that famous Empire States panoramic shot to the buzzing sidewalks... from the subway system to the city lights at night - this series really captures the atmosphere and excitement of New York.

Anthony Pappone reveals the last headhunters of Konyak

2013-05-20T10:10:00+01:00

I'm hugely envious of Anthony Pappone, a photographer from Italy who's living my dream life, exploring the world and combining the three things I love the most - travel, journalism and photography. Looking through his beautiful portfolio of work, you can see he's been to all four corners of the globe, discovering fascinating people and cultures along the way. This particular project is when Anthony photographed some old warriors in the villages in the district of Mon, in the region of Nagaland, India. The Konyak tribes have traditionally had a strong warrior tradition and are mostly famous because they were still headhunting until the end of 1960. Anthony took snaps of these particular men, as they are the last known headhunters from that time. You can discover more of Anthony's compelling photographs on Behance.

Hong Kong illustrator Man-Tsun blows me away every time

2013-05-20T10:00:00+01:00

Imagine a world without illustration. Go on... just picture it for a minute. Utterly impossible isn't it! How could we do without it? It's an artform that touches every part of our daily lives. From comics, magazines and books to adverts, websites and special places - it's everywhere we look and brings a sense of wonder to just about anything. This morning, I discovered Man-Tsun, a Hong Kong based illustrator who specialises in art direction, digital art and illustration. The work on display here speaks for itself. Stunning, thought-provoking and with an exceptional, rare talent that would be hard to beat. More can be lusted after here: Manxtsun.com.

London photographer Chris Brock says 'Welcome to Nowvill'

2013-05-18T18:02:00+01:00

Having fiddled with the 'manual' setting on my Canon 550D for some time now and after getting the hang of what seasoned photographers might refer to as 'the basics', I'm always in awe of someone who can point their camera at something and make it look spectacular. But to take pictures and offer something different... something that makes me squint my eyes and turn my head to one side to try and work out what I'm seeing - well that just takes photography to another level.

So when Chris Brock emailed on this rainy Saturday afternoon - before I popped across to enjoy some food and wine with friends - I had to share his latest project Welcome to Nowvill. It's an ongoing, ever evolving series of images that describe a place that is at once familiar and equally alien. It is an individual's interpretation of their world; reality distorted by their own experience, personality, life and perspective. Nowville is a metaphor for the places we all inhabit, places that can seem lonely and melancholy, while simultaneously teeming with life and energy.

Chris is a London-based portrait photographer whose work has appeared in publications such as Vogue, Sunday Time Style and The Independent newspaper. His work has split critics, some who have claimed it is unsettling, others who recognise its humour and subversive subject matter. Undoubtedly, though, his vision of the world is unique, and disquieteningly raw. Thanks for allowing Creative Boom to share your work Chris!

Brian Luong takes muted colours and natural themes to create mysterious subjects from another world

2013-05-18T08:58:00+01:00

California based illustrator Brian Luong favours natural and organic subject matters, often building on what nature has to offer in order to create other worldly and mysterious subjects for his work. Using a muted pallet, meticulous hatching, and broad fills of colour, Brian creates work that has been honed and refined to best suit the silkscreen printing process. So beautiful are his artworks, you can really dive deep into the swirls, brushstrokes and tones and be taken away to another place. Take a look at more of his illustrations over at artofbrianluong.com.

Angela Rizza draws classic storybook illustrations

2013-05-18T08:48:00+01:00

Angela Rizza is a freelance illustrator currently living and working in New York. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2011 with a BFA in Illustration. Since then she has been featured in a number of magazines and shows throughout the globe. Her work is a combination of traditional and digital media which is reminiscent of a classical storybook illustration. Besides artwork, Angela enjoys travelling, birding and photography. She is open to comments, commissions, or questions and is currently available for illustration jobs of any kind and is looking for an art rep. Personally, I think she'll be snapped up.

How do you get your foot in the door with creative agencies?

2013-05-17T15:49:00+01:00

You know the drill. You've just graduated and you're keen to land that first job. Or you're already working full-time but want to move up the career ladder. Naturally, you'll want to approach as many creative agencies as possible to enquire about job opportunities. But what often happens is that you'll spend ages personalising an email that never even gets a reply. You're left scratching your head and wondering what you did wrong.

Being an agency owner myself, I get between five-six emails every day from people pitching themselves and asking if there are any vacancies. Speak to any other agency and they'll get the same. What happens to these emails? I admit, I don't usually have time to reply so I add them all to an email folder entitled 'CVs' so I can look at them later - should an opportunity arise. Or I sometimes send a generic message about no job opportunities being currently available and how I'll keep their details on file for future reference.

I'm not a bad person. I appreciate that we all have to start somewhere and I love supporting creatives - I do that through Creative Boom as much as I can. But I've only got eight hours in a working day and probably 15 hours' worth of work. Replying to emails can be time-consuming and I just can't afford to spend time doing so. Especially if there are no vacancies available. And other agency owners probably suffer from the same problem and find it challenging responding to everything that lands in their inbox. We don't mean to be rude. It's just we're all so busy and juggling so many things every day, it's impossible to reply to everyone. I admit, this goes against the friendly and encouraging nature of the creative industries.

So with this in mind, I received an email from a friendly creative this week, asking if I had any tips on how to overcome this problem.

He said: "I currently work full time but am looking to progress and have contacted a long list of agencies with job enquiries. I have put in the time and effort of personalising each email and am finding that a majority of the time there is no recognition of the email being received or appreciation of someone showing interest in the agency.

"I find this quite disheartening, and speaking to other creatives I find that it is quite a widespread problem. I appreciate that this is not only happening within the creative industry, but as an industry which is always promoted as friendly, open and always trying to encourage new talent, it doesn't give of the best impression or a lot of hope to new graduates, or people like myself who are trying to better themselves, of the industry.

"It would be interesting to see what other students/graduates/junior creatives think on this matter, as well as the views from agencies."

As this seems to be a common problem, I thought it would be good to ask other agency owners for their own tips and advice on how people can get their foot in the door when approaching agencies for job opportunities. It would also be good to hear how other agencies deal with these enquiries and if they have any systems in place that help.

What do I personally think? I do wonder - as emails are a very convenient way of communicating - are they perceived as something that doesn't warrant or deserve our attention? My point is - if a creative was to approach an agency by doing something unusual... would that help? Something that really got a reaction?

The unusual approach has worked with my own agency. The chap who designed my Boomerang logo (a boomerang that also looks like a little bird) didn't send me an email. He posted a pop-up banner with his CV cleverly printed on it. This resulted in me hiring him for several projects, and gained him some valuable experience plus a reference - which helped to land his first job. He stood out. He did something whacky. He gave me no choice but to meet him and see his portfolio.

But that's just my personal opinion. I thought this would be a good one to ask other agency owners. To provide their own tips on how to get noticed, how to get in front of them and be considered as a serious candidate? Can you help my community? I'd love you to comment below and share your own pearls of wisdom on how to get that foot in the door.

Equally, if you're a creative and you've been approaching agencies and getting no joy - comment below and share your thoughts!

Readers' Studios: De Anderen, Glasgow

2013-05-17T11:38:00+01:00

Image Credit: Tom Manley Photography

Today, I'm taking a peek at De Anderen, a creative space chosen to reside nestled into an empty arch beneath a disused railway line in Glasgow's creative Merchant City area. Designed by architect and artist Lee Ivett aka BAXENDALE, the space has been carefully planned and constructed as if an installation within the space, built out of reclaimed wood and timber palettes. It offers startup space to creatives wanting to make the transition from working from home to a more permanent solution, sharing the space with like-minded people...

In Lee Ivett aka BAXENDALE's own words

"De Anderen is a creative space conceived by myself, Tom Scholefield, and Joanna Nethery. The space has been created out of reclaimed timber that was donated by a fencing contractor, second hand timber pallets and packaging crates. I utilised these materials to construct a dynamic mezzanine space that sits as a piece of sculpture within the context of the existing railway arch incorporating a rather dangerous looking spiral stair made from the old timber pallets.

"At the ground floor level the space has been sub-divided through the design and application of a series of bespoke movable screens. These screens have been utilised to define specific workspaces for individual designers. We also have a meeting/presentation area, small model making space and a kitchen.

"It has been a dream come true to design and build my own space and share it with a talented group of people. It is a rare achievement to be able to go into work every day knowing that you will be inspired by your environment and your colleagues."

Find out more about BAXENDALE

Website: www.baxendale-dco.com | Email: lee@baxendale-dco.com

Think my readers might dig your creative space? Drop me a line with a minimum of six high resolution photos and blurb about why your studio rocks your creative world at studios@creativeboom.co.uk.

Image Credit: Tom Manley Photography

Favourite Things: Neil Scott, 2022NQ

2013-05-17T11:20:00+01:00

Favourite Things is a regular exploration of creative people's top five favourite things. It could be a book, a piece of artwork, a much-loved city, an ornament or a favourite hobby. If you'd like to share your Favourite Things, email things@creativeboom.co.uk. In the meantime, here's the latest Favourite Things with Neil Scott, one of the directors at 2022NQ in Manchester who also happens to be a DJ and promoter...

1. 2022NQ

I’m one of the directors at 2022NQ it has been the love of my life for over 18 months, including the all the ups and downs that go hand in hand with love! For those that don’t know it’s basically an events space, which has regular exhibitions, fashion events, club nights, vintage fairs and much more. We’ve just launched our print shop selling and showcasing artists and exhibitions past and present.

2. Madmen

I know I’m late on this but my girlfriend and I have been obsessed with it while we trawled through five series in the last month. We’ve just about caught up to the latest. It’s great to see the cool suits and how it reflects the fashions and attitudes of the time. Despite all the low down dirty things Don gets up to you can’t help but still root for him. Roger Sterling is the dude here though. He has all the best lines and is one cool bastard.

3. Music

Being promoter and DJ at El Diablo’s Social Club (which will be soon celebrating 10 years) and working at Piccadilly Records on and off for about six years, music continues to be a massive part of my life. At the moment I’ve been listening to a band called Gramme. I was gutted to have missed their recent gigs at The Soup Kitchen and Sounds From The Other City.

4. Croatia

This year will be my fifth time in a row at the wonderful Garden Festival in Croatia. Now in the lovely seaside town of Tisno. Croatia is a beautiful, so far unspoilt place, which I consider a special yearly clubbing retreat. It’s all about the music, the people, the sunshine, the grilled squid and - best of all - the boat parties.

5. The Curry Bible – Madhur Jaffrey

I love curry and I love cooking. This book truly is a bible of curry. It has helped me impress many a friend and saves me a bomb in takeaways. My favorite recipes are Chicken Saag or Duck Vindaloo.

Foreal shows us a surreal twist on planetary anatomy

2013-05-17T08:48:00+01:00

German design studio Foreal have created this series of free illustrations showing a surrealistic twist on the physical anatomy of our solar system planets. Founders Benjamin Simon and Dirk Schuster wanted to disclose secrets of the inside of our planets, revealing a strange and visionary world. It certainly caught my attention this morning. You almost get the sense that they're cutting into some sort of alien type fruit instead of using their imaginations and showing us what might happen if we sliced through an entire planet. Interesting project from a studio that describes itself as 'young' and has quite possibly the best 'About' web page I've ever seen. I think my next corporate photo is going to involve sunglasses and kicking back on a sofa. Check out more of their work at www.weareforeal.com.

Roundup: 16 May 2013

2013-05-16T16:50:00+01:00

Roundup takes place every Thursday and includes my top picks and recommendations for creative things to do each weekend (and the following week) at different locations across the UK. Here's what's happening this weekend...

Music Tech Fest, London

Stromatolite, supported by Ravensbourne’s DMIC, will once more be pulling the entire music technology ecosystem under one roof with the return of Music Tech Fest from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 May 2013 at Ravensbourne, Greenwich Peninsula. This year’s highlights include the launch of the Warp Incubator, an exclusive interview by WIRED with Tom Jenkinson AKA Squarepusher and live music sets from Tristan Shone, Thickear, Fakebit Polytechnic, XPRESS2, Jason Singh and more. An exciting 3D Music Hack Camp will create music with just about anything that can be turned into an instrument, a special screening of Jamie Cullum on the ROLI Labs Seaboard in a special film will push the boundaries of music, and product innovators and legendary labels will debate the future of Music Tech. An event not to be missed!

Where?: Ravensbourne, Greenwich Peninsula, London
When?: Friday 17 May - Sunday 19 May 2013
Cost?: Free
More info: www.musictechfest.org

Expression of You, The Divine Feminine, Leeds

Expression of You, The Divine Feminine is a living art exhibition, a celebration of the act of sharing. Featuring the stories and journeys of 150 women from age 9 to 79, Ashley Karrell is opening his project up to the public here for the first time. Over the next 30 years he aims to continue this journey, on a quest to find, explore and share the stories of 10,000 women and 5,000 men from all walks of life.

Where?: Leeds Gallery, Munro House, York Street, Leeds, LS9 8AG
When?: Until 16 June 2013
Cost?: Free
More info: Leedsgallery.com

Estuary, Museum of London Docklands, London

Image Credit: Southend Pier 2011 C Simon Roberts courtesy Flowers Gallery

The outer limits of the River Thames is explored in Estuary, a new art exhibition opening at the Museum of London Docklands on Friday 17 May 2013, as part of the museum’s 10th anniversary. In the largest contemporary art exhibition to be held in the grade-one listed Georgian warehouse, next to Canary Wharf, Estuary will contain the work of twelve London-based artists, each of whom have been inspired by the Thames Estuary. The free exhibition brings together new and existing pieces of photography, painting, printmaking and film from the last thirty years. Estuary is supported by public funding from Arts Council England.

Where?: Museum of London Docklands, Canary Wharf, London
When?: Friday 17 May - Sunday 27 October 2013
Cost?: Free
More info: www.museumoflondon.org

Moving Pictures: Animating Murillo, London

Dulwich Picture Gallery's successful Good Times: Art for Older People programme have teamed up with professional animators from Salmagundi Films, a socially-engaged film production company, to create stop-frame animation films with members of Jewish Care's Stepney Jewish Day Centre.

Yesterday the finished animations were shown at Stepney Jewish Day Centre to project participants, Jewish Care staff and members, Dulwich Picture Gallery staff and other special guests. Participants used works from the current 'Murillo & Justino de Neve: The Art of Friendship' exhibition as a starting point to write stories, create moving objects to photograph and then used digital software to animate stills. The project provided older people of all creative abilities the chance to participate and learn digital animation technologies, using Murillo's characters as a vehicle for their own stories and anecdotes, transporting the characters from 16th-century Seville to London's East End in the 1940s.

The animations will be screened on a continuous loop in the Gallery's mausoleum throughout the 18 and 19 May 2013 to coincide with the final weekend of the Murillo exhibition before being available to view on the Gallery's YouTube channel.

Where?: Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London, SE21 7AD
When?: Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2013
Cost?: Free
More info: www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Noisestock, Manchester

Sam Duckworth, headlining at Noisestock in Manchester

A unique gig at the People's History Museum in Manchester featuring headliner Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) along with Zimbo (One Mile Away), Envy (Unity Radio), Josiah Mortimer, Mushana and Stripez. All taking place at Noisestock - a 'sit-in' type festival feel evening of leading and emerging music artists, in the intimate setting of the Museum's historical Engine Hall, surrounded by its current Art of Protest exhibition. Not to be missed!

Where?: People's History Museum, Manchester, M3 3ER
When?: Saturday 18 May 2013
Cost?: Free to one and all, but turn up early as capacity is limited
More info: Noisefestival.com

London Photo Festival, London

The London Photo Festival has been set up to showcase up and coming talent and to build a photographers' community to share skills and information. And this weekend sees the event happening at The Crypt in Borough High Street, London. Pop along to see some local talent and discover new photographers. Entry is completely free!

Where?: The Crypt, Borough High St, London, SE1 1JA (Opposite Borough Station)
When?: Thursday 16 May - Sunday 18 May 2013
Cost?: Free admission
More info: www.londonphotofestival.org

The VICE Illustration Show, Shoreditch, London

Nick Gazin's Comic Book Witch hunt

Gathering together the most visceral and ‘challenging’ work on offer for the very first time, ‘The VICE Illustration Show’ is an essential guide to popular zine VICE’s unique visual history in print and online, and a preview of what’s coming next from this collection of highly unusual minds. Classic work from each artist has been unearthed from the archives and gives a unchartered insight into a pre-digitised process where beautiful, messy line drawings are king. This collection of original and unseen work will sit alongside new pieces created exclusively for the show, designed to give an insight into the modern illustrator at work.

Where?: Pure Evil Gallery, 108 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 4XS
When?: Friday 17 May - Sunday 2 June 2013
Cost?: Free admission
More info: www.vice.com

Creative Cities: Bristol

2013-05-16T13:00:00+01:00

Creative Cities is a regular feature where I focus on local creative scenes throughout the UK, giving a general overview of what's happening in each city and an insight into its creative industries and the people who work there. Next up, I'm looking at Bristol…

Clifton suspension bridge and Balloon Fiesta

So what's Bristol all about?

Oh how I love Bristol, or Brizzle, as the locals would say! It's one of those wonderful UK cities that has pretty much everything going for it. Great weather (one of the warmest cities in the UK), friendly people, world-class culture, stunning architecture and it's bursting with creativity. It is in fact the largest centre of culture, employment and education in South West England with a population of nearly half a million. And on speaking to Bristol creatives, it's absolutely clear that this city is one of the happiest places to live, work and play.

Bristol Cathedral, seen from College Square

Bristol Cathedral

Built around the beautiful River Avon and with a short coastline on the Severn Estuary which flows into the Bristol Channel, the city's economy largely depends on creative media, electronics and aerospace industries. There's also a huge digital industry here - gaming, web, mobile - along with a wealth of creative freelancers, particularly designers and illustrators.

Canal in Bristol with its waterside properties

The colorful buildings in the Hotwells area of Bristol. Image Credit: antb / Shutterstock.com

Bow of the SS Great Britain in Bristol harbour

The makers of Wallace & Gromit - Aardman are based in Bristol. The city is also home to the UK's largest permanent street art project, known as See No Evil. And famous street artist Banksy has many artworks dotted around the city.

Artworks on buildings in Bristol, most created for See No Evil. Image Credit: pjhpix / Shutterstock.com.

Police sniper by Banksy in Upper Maudlin Street in Bristol. Image Credit: pjhpix / Shutterstock.com

Film and music is big in Bristol. Since the late '70s, it has been home to bands from punk, funk, dub and political consciousness, with the most notable being Glaxo Babies, The Pop Group and trip hop artists (also known as 'Bristol Sound') such as Tricky, Portishead and Massive Attack. Amen. It's also a stronghold for drum and bass (Manchester! I may have to leave you!) with Roni Size, DJ Krust and More Rockers all coming from Brizzle.

The 41st annual Harbour Festival at Bristol. Image Credit: pjhpix / Shutterstock.com

Bristol is so wonderful there are 34 other populated places on Earth named 'Bristol', most of which are in America but also in Peru, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados and Costa Rica - all presumably commemorating the original.

And don't even get me started on the huge number of theatre and live music venues, listed buildings, festivals, art galleries and pop-up shops and events (check out Made in Bristol)! You can't move there are so many of them. It even has its own creative quarter at Stokes Croft. In fact, Bristol is so creative and interesting, I'm not sure this article will be able to cover everything. But, as always, I'll do my very best! Bristol, it's over to you…

What Bristol creatives say

"I've only been in Bristol for three years now, but it already feels like home. It's a mini happy London in my opinion! There are so many different areas to the city and heaps of places where creative people can find inspiration. There are the little cafes and pubs in Stokes Croft with artwork covering the walls, new creative pop-up shops every month, beautiful parks (with deer, amazing views, and hot air balloons covering the sky), amazing graffiti (with Nelson Street becoming a little hotspot for tourists now), great canals gleaming in the sunshine and festivals popping up all the time! What's really nice about Bristol is that people seem to want to create - it's not all about the money which often kills the beauty of art. From the teams of creatives making free zines to the bloke that powers his boombox by riding his bike around, it seems like everyone is genuinely happy. There are lots of creative companies in Bristol and it seems like more and more people are being tempted by Bristol's happy lifestyle."
Katy Davis, illustrator and animator at Gobblynne

"I'm born and bred in Bristol and I love this city. It's hugely creative and that's evident from the amount of creative people and firms who come and stay here long-term. Bristol has fantastic places like the Arnolfini and the Watershed showing great art, music, film and other events and exhibitions, you can always find something to do. We also have a great city museum as well as the Royal West of England Academy, which is Bristol's first art gallery. Events such as Bristol Balloon Fiesta, Brisfest, Harbour Festival make it a fantastic place to come visit and these events really emphasise the talent within the city. From July to September this year, Bristol is going to be invaded by 80 massive Gromit sculptures for the Gromit Unleashed exhibition, which are individually designed and created by invited artists. At the end the exhibition, they will all be auctioned off and money raised will go to Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal. I walk round this city every day and I always feel inspired. There is a buzz around Bristol for creatives that makes you feel like you can achieve anything here, and everyone is keen to help, collaborate and show off the talent we have."
Tom Stutt, founder of Antic Creative

"Bristol has a buzz that I haven't found in any other UK city. There's a great community of creative businesses and we all pull together to help each other out, and pass on opportunities. New ideas are supported and helped to grow in Bristol - people will do everything to ensure you achieve your goals. Plus everyone knows everyone, which makes meetups great fun!"
Claire Snook, Wired Media

"Bristol is a city that you can never be bored of - it's a creative hub that on every corner of the city there is something different going on. You can go to one of the many local venues and check out one of the local bands, you could go on a boat trip around the harbour front or go and discover one of the many bars, restaurants or cafes. Bristol has become home to me over the years; the reason I love it is the fact you never feel out of place. Even though it is a city, you can be walking down the street and bump into someone you know. When the sun is shining you can sit and enjoy it with friends in Castle Park or Victoria Park, or sit out at a cafe and pub. Even when you live in Bristol, there are always new things to discover; it really is the city where you can carry on discovering and making new friends along the way."
Jodie Humphries, founder of Bristol-based music zine Live Music Scene

Where to study in Bristol

Looking to go to university or further your studies? Bristol is a fantastic place to study. And I mean fantastic. It's a relatively small, compact city with plenty to keep any happy student entertained. And there are nearly 50,000 students making up part of the city population each and every year. Home to two major institutions - the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, both of which offer a wealth of creative courses.

The neo-classical towers of the Cathedral and University dominate the skyline

The Faculty of Arts at University of Bristol has courses in drama, art history and music. While the West of England has a department in Arts, Creative Industries and Education, offering art and design; english, writing and drama and screen, media and journalism. Plus it has the Bristol School of Animation and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Bristol also has two further educational facilities, including City of Bristol College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. There's also three theological colleges.

Bristol's startup scene

They don't call Bristol Silicon Avon for nothing. The startup scene is thriving here. There couldn't be a better place to get your idea off the ground, as Bristol has a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem that brings together startups, essential support, partners, future clients and, of course, investors. Bristol is notably where MyBuilder, Glasses Direct and DataSift began.

The Watershed, Bristol

So where do you go for startup support and a local community? The Watershed is a digital media and arts complex in the heart of the city that has been mixing up creativity and technology for more than 20 years. And the place for startups is at its iShed venture, which aims to produce talent, ideas and knowledge sharing.

It includes the Pervasive Media Studio where creative tech collaborations happen. It's a kind of sandbox offering, designed to help get ideas off the ground and has heavy backing from Bristol's two universities, University of Bristol and UWE. There's also Media Sandbox and Theatre Sandbox - both of which aim to develop ideas using new technologies.

One of the many events at South West Founders

To network and get out and about with other startups, check out Dorkbot and BathCamp - both offering a good mix of tech events for geeks. While South West Founders is a monthly meetup for tech startup founders. The next event is happening in June 2013.

And if you're looking for extra support, you must visit SETsquared. It accelerates early-stage, high-tech, high growth startups but it also offers free meeting rooms, workshops, business mentoring, investment readiness training and much more. It's a not-for-profit that's based at the University of Bristol but is open to outside businesses.

Where to network in Bristol

For all you wonderful illustrators, Bristol is one of the best places to be! Have a gander at the Drawn In Bristol website. It supports and profiles local illustrators online but also curates exhibitions, pop-up shops and events. For animators and creatives, get yourselves down to Westivus or check out Animation Nights.

Drawn In Bristol, one of many recent exhibitions

Love photography? Have a look at Bristol Photography Group - a regular meetup for budding photographers all across Bristol. Bristol Web Folk is an informal gathering of web developers, designers and anyone else interested in what makes the web tick. To get social and make the most of Bristol's cultural scene, join the friendly Bristol Movie & Theatre Fans group.

If you're looking online, then you should sign up to Bristol Media - it's one of the biggest creative networks in the UK with over 1,700 members and supported by the local city council. And Bristol Creatives, along the same lines.

Where to work in Bristol

With such a buzzing creative scene, Bristol quite naturally has its fair share of co-working spaces and communities. Mild Bunch is a co-working studio for designers and developers on the border between Stokes Croft (Bristol's art quarter) and Montpelier.

The Mild Bunch HQ. Image Credit: Jon Tangerine

Bridewell Space is another co-working hub for creatives and entrepreneurs, which has studio, desk, band, art and even gym space - all under one roof! Wilder Studios offers a little hot-desking at very affordable prices over at Stokes Croft. It also has virtual office services, making it a good launch pad for people starting out.

There's the Tobacco Factory in Southville, a multi use space for performing arts and creatives with workspace, desk space, meeting rooms, live/work and cafe bar area. It's aiming to be at the centre of Bristol's cultural revolution.

Bridewell Space

The popular Tobacco Factory

Spike Design is the largest design incubator in the South West, offering creatives an open-plan studio/office space, along with business support. The Create Centre is a vibrant place which hosts regular events and exhibitions and also features flexible office space.

77 Stokes Croft lies at the centre of Bristol's most creatively driven quarter and offers space, business support and networking within its vibrant community. Then there's Brave - at The Coach House where offices and shared workspaces are available to rent. Brave also offers business support and lots of helpful facilities, such as meeting room, wireless internet and postal service. Hamilton House is another creative hub in Stokes Croft.

The wonderful home of 77stokescroft. Image Credit: Matthew Lord

Last but not least, check out Urban Design Studios - self-contained workspaces in Stokes Croft for creative and tech firms. It's a community of artists, photographers, web designers, architects and animators, all based in converted warehouses. Spaces are available on flexible terms. Per-fick!

Where to hangout in Bristol

For some essential recharging, wifi remote working or a chance to meet clients - then you can't beat the good old coffee shop. And Bristol is conveniently awash with them. Primrose Cafe gets my first recommendation. It's an independent, best-loved cafe and restaurant with a great sun-trap outdoor space to enjoy in summer. The Boston Tea Party on Princess Victoria St in Clifton does great coffee. And you can't beat Lahloo Pantry for its Afternoon Tea. Full Court Press is worthy of a mention. Located on Broad Street, the coffee is to die for.

Breakfast is served at Lahloo Pantry

For some lunch/dinner and client entertaining, The H Bar is a nice little spot for some Latin American tasty treats. Wilks in Redland offers something a bit more impressive but still at affordable prices - definitely somewhere to show off. And if you fancy some tapas, Bravas is extremely popular with locals. There's also The Old Bookshop for something a bit more intimate and creative. To enjoy Bristol's harbourside, then take a look at riverstation. It has daily changing menus, created using locally sourced, fresh ingredients and it has the most amazing al-fresco terraces overlooking the water with wonderful views.

The Riverstation, Bristol

And to enjoy the end of each week for those essential wind-down drinks, Bristol has the best choice of bars and pubs to suit every creative. A good selection of beers (plus good food) can be found at the Hope & Anchor on Jacobs Wells Road & the Grain Barge on Hotwell Road. For cocktails, Hausbar is one of the best bars. Amoeba also does cocktails and is a little hidden gem over in Clifton.

The Grain Barge - a pub on a barge! Awesome

Grab a cocktail at Hausbar

To finish things off and dance the night away, you can't go wrong with Bristol. It's known as the most musical city in the UK for its wealth of local talent and its array of music venues. You have Colston Hall - named after Edward Colston and Bristol's largest live music venue. You also have the Bristol Academy, The Exchange, Fiddlers, Trinity Centre, St George's Bristol and a number of pubs from the jazz-loving Old Duke to rock at the Fleece and Firkin and indie bands at the Louisiana. Wow! Absolutely spoilt for choice.

What to do in Bristol

This is fast becoming the biggest Creative Cities feature to date. I can't get my head around everything that's happening in Bristol! There's too much to cover in just one article.

For art and inspiration, there are so many galleries to enjoy in Bristol. The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery houses some amazing collections of art, ceramics, natural history and archaeology. Arnolfini is one of Europe's leading centres for contemporary arts.

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Spike Island is a fantastic hub for contemporary art and design, and home to a gallery, cafe and working space for artists, designers and creative firms. There's always something happening there - definitely worth a visit! And of course, I can't miss out the Royal West of England Academy - Bristol's first art gallery and one of only five Royal Academies of Art in the whole of the UK. Paintworks is another art gallery and event space that has many exhibitions, all year round.

Jessica Warboys at Spike Island

As mentioned by Tom Stutt previously, Gromit Unleashed is happening this summer with a trail of 70 Gromit works of art dotted around Bristol. And if you love discovering street art dotted around the city, go on a Banksy Walking Tour or check out the famous Nelson Street where See No Evil has created a permanent cultural legacy for the city.

Video credit: See No Evil

From major West End shows, to stand up comedy and performing arts festivals, Bristol has plenty of plays and productions to suit all tastes. The Watershed offers a lively programme of independent film, digital media and events - all in the heart of Harbourside. The Tobacco Factory has a popular theatre with touring and in-house productions, children and music events. Bristol Hippodrome is one of the UK's top provincial theatres and stages all the major West End and Broadway productions. Bristol Old Vic is Britain's oldest working theatres, which is newly refurbished.

Nick Park with Gromit, ready for Gromit Unleashed this summer

To get your shopping kicks, Bristol's Shopping Quarter lies in the heart of the city with Cabot Circus, Quakers Friars, The Galleries and Broadmead bringing together over 500 stores. There's also an out-of-town complex at The Mall Cribbs Causeway. But if you're after the more independent type of boutiques, then Clifton and St Nicholas Market in the Old City is for you.

Cabot Circus shopping centre

To check out more of what Bristol has to offer, take a look at the Bristol City Council website. Or you can go to the official local tour guide at Visit Bristol.

A little video about Bristol

Video Credit: Courtesy of Visit Bristol

Latest Jobs in Bristol

Digital Designer, Dare
As a creatively led agency, the folk at Dare are always on the look-out for outstanding talent to join its team. From conception to production, they are always keeping an eye out in the creative community for Digital Designers with visually spectacular work that can really excite and inspire. Vacancies for digital designers do not come up often at Dare, but when they do, it’s really nice to lave a small list of talented folk on our candidate “hot file”. If you are a Bristol based designer with an impressive portfolio of digital work, Dare would love to see it and might even get in contact to arrange a chat. More details on Dare

Conceptual Designer - Packaging/Branding
Henry Nicholas Recruitment's client is a global, strategic, brand design consultancy that creates and builds inspiring, powerful and commercially effective brands through passion, commitment and smart thinking. Their diverse, enthusiastic and down-to-earth team of brand strategists, client service professionals and designers understand brands intuitively and apply fresh thinking and creative approaches to client briefs to produce outstanding results. They are on the lookout for a Middle Weight Designer to support design projects from start to fruition whilst liaising with the Creative Director, ultimately creating fantastic design results that deliver against the brief and the agreed brand objectives. More details on Henry Nicholas

Favourite Things: Adrian Flores, Evidently

2013-05-15T14:09:00+01:00

Favourite Things is a regular exploration of creative people's top five favourite things. It could be a book, a piece of artwork, a much-loved city, an ornament or a favourite hobby. If you'd like to share your Favourite Things, email things@creativeboom.co.uk. In the meantime, here's the latest Favourite Things with Adrian Flores, a creative director at Evidently, a creative content agency in London...

1. Basketball

I started playing organised basketball when I was 5. I’m a lot older than 5 now. I’ve been playing so long it’s hard for me to pin down exactly what it is I love about it. The way it allows for the countering of athleticism with strategy, individual brilliance with teamwork isn’t the sole preserve of basketball, but I like to think that few other sports can match the compelling way basketball delivers it. There’s also the narratives involved in following the NBA. In terms of place, history and personalities, the NBA does a great job of cultivating and promoting these larger themes that make each game about much more than just that game. Above and beyond that slightly wanky, pseudo-cerebral take on a game, it’s fun to watch and great to play. Both of which you can do over beers.

TL;DR Basketball is ace and goes well with beer.

2.Brown Cardigan

I love internet. I love the internet too, but internet is different from the internet. If you don’t understand what that means, then you probably have a much healthier approach to the internet than I do. The gold standard in internet has to be BrownCardigan.com. It’s run by a DJ mate who lives in Bondi and a couple of guys he met over beers at Ravesi’s. I’ve literally seen every single post on there, and I plan to keep it that way.

3. New Places

I was trying to conceptualise getting away and experiencing new places and the different ways people live, but it was making me realise how much of a twat I am. So I picked this photo of my passport collection. Which is still pretty twatish, but you get the idea. I like exploring.

4. Tacos

Surely the greatest food. And not those crappy hard shell tex-mex things, I’m talking the real deal; those mexican taqueria, LA taco truck style handfuls of goodness. Perfect for late nights, starting the night, quick lunches, afternoon tea and even breakfast. There’s nothing as versatile as the taco. If you disagree with this statement, you’re lying.

5. Banter

Banter entertains those around you and it keeps you honest. If you take yourself too seriously, your mates should be there to cut you back down to size. As a load of mine undoubtedly will after they find this interview.

Malina Corpadean shows us why she is one of Canada's best fashion photographers

2013-05-14T21:32:00+01:00

Fashion photography is art in my book. The way a model holds a pose. The way the light is captured on their face. The way the photographer makes us desperately want to be that model and wear those clothes. But it's only the very best who can make us lust after fashion. Because they know how to make the model come to life. They help paint a picture behind each pose, leaving us wondering 'Who is this woman in the photograph?' Malina Corpadean is one of them. Born and educated in Romania but pursuing higher education in art history and photography in Canada, Malina's aesthetic style is largely tinted by her academic background and her inner fascination with art history. With 15 years experience behind her, she helps to tell a story in each and every photograph. And when you look at her impressive list of clients - The Aldo Group, Marcelle Cosmetics, Jacob, The Bay, The Mimran Group, Dove, Elle Magazine, Nylon - you can see why she's one of the most sought after fashion photographers. A member of the The MeatMarket you can also see more of Malina's work at www.malinacorpadean.com.

Workabout: Le Bureau, Battersea, London

2013-05-14T21:10:00+01:00

Workabout is a regular review of cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and co-working spaces where freelancers and creatives can enjoy a change of scenery or meet clients.

Today, I'm taking a peek at Le Bureau, a beautifully designed office in Battersea that provides shared workspace for independent professionals, startups and small businesses. This is the kind of work environment that not only offers desks from just £79 per week, it also has beautifully designed meeting or quiet rooms and the kind of facilities that make working away from home worthwhile. I'm talking full air con, high tech fingerprint security, lockable storage, a 600 DVD film library, high speed internet, a selection of daily newspapers and magazines plus access to a bar/cafe with breakout area, leather sofas, pool table and foosball. Oh yes. And all set in stunning surroundings to give you that real professional edge. I love it!

Got a cafe, coffee shop, space, corner or area that you'd like me to review? Email workabout@creativeboom.co.uk and send me a few details on why your venue deserves a mention.

Workabout: Tamper Coffee, Sheffield

2013-05-14T20:24:00+01:00

Image Credit: Photography by L.Surr

Workabout is a regular review of cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and co-working spaces where freelancers and creatives can enjoy a change of scenery or meet clients.

Today, I'm looking at Tamper Coffee, a New Zealand owned and operated coffee bar, serving gourmet coffee, speciality teas, pies and pastries, sandwiches and delicious homemade cakes and treats. Based on Westfield Terrace in Sheffield, it's owned by Jonathan Perry - a trained coffee barista from, yes - you guessed it, New Zealand. During his career he has worked with the top coffee companies and coffee bean roasters in his home country and is proud to bring that knowledge and passion to Sheffield. Great coffee but also a popular spot for local creatives to meet and greet, take a break or simply catch up on some work. Find out more at www.tampercoffee.co.uk or check out their friendly Facebook Page.

Image Credit: Photography by L.Surr

Got a cafe, coffee shop, space, corner or area that you'd like me to review? Email workabout@creativeboom.co.uk and send me a few details on why your venue deserves a mention.

Ed Clews shouts lights, camera, action on his film and music illustrations

2013-05-14T20:02:00+01:00

The Beatles, obviously!

I always love a good caricature of my favourite film stars or musicians but it's got to be decent. You can't just draw, paint or illustrate a celebrity without somehow placing your own take on them. This is why I admire York creative Ed Clews and these unique illustrations, which show his specialism in capturing famous people from the worlds of film and music. He designs, he illustrates and he photographs - Ed is a jack of all trades and does quite a few private commissions for people, so if you fancy your own caricature sitting proudly on your lounge wall, you can contact him via his website at Edclews.com.

Can you really contain and control creativity?

2013-05-14T15:45:00+01:00

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

In a world where we've never before experienced so many opportunities to connect and be discovered thanks to the magic of the Internet, it's entirely possible for any creative to start their own business and attract clients from anywhere across the globe.

How we do that is through various digital means. We seek exposure either by launching our own website and dealing with SEO or by creating online portfolios with popular networks such as Carbonmade or Behance. We find blogs, communities or forums where we can raise our profiles and get noticed. And we get social to drive people to us and build relationships that lead to those much-needed contracts.

It's these two essential ingredients - exposure and connections - that really help to drive business forward. But even though it would seem we have all the tools we need to easily be discovered, we haven't quite got there yet.

Let me explain why...

If you're going to be found by potential clients, you've got to be online, right? You've got to be showcasing your work somewhere, irrespective of whether you've got a Twitter account or LinkedIn profile. So you've got two options to get started - a website or an online portfolio.

If you go down the relatively inexpensive route of an online portfolio, you'll find your 'exposure potential' can be very limiting. That's because online portfolios don't offer the same SEO potential as your average website. You can't really optimise for 'graphic designer Manchester' with a portfolio page, for example. And people won't necessarily know that you're looking for work - unless you either a) tell people about your portfolio or b) attract clients from the actual network. That's assuming of course that clients will be on that specific network… Because most of the time, they won't be! Portfolios often lie with niche networks and not everyone will know about them. And with so many networks to choose from, how do you know which one will offer the best exposure?

And when it comes to websites, they can be very expensive to get up and running plus SEO can be a competitive minefield. Especially if you're trying to optimise your site with niche keywords that are already dominated by other local creatives.

In a word, it's really tough making a name for yourself online and it's tough getting exposure... It's no wonder many believe that 'referrals' still offer the best chance to win new work, rather than waiting around to be discovered.

This is where Behance founder Scott Belsky wants to change everything. He wants to solve this problem in the hope that one day discovery will far outweigh referral.

Scott explored this theme in a recent talk at Adobe MAX. He said that the creative industries have always been quite chaotic and uncontrollable with niche communities, websites and networks all over the web that aren't currently connected. And it's his passionate dream to make sense of it all by bringing everything and everyone together in one big all-encompassing network, so all creatives can be connected, gain that crucial exposure and be easily discovered.

Scott Belsky of Behance, talking at Adobe MAX 2013

But the problem with this dream revolves around an assumption that we should all sign up to Behance. It's a convenient viewpoint that follows Adobe's acquisition of Behance and the two brands trying to offer a one-stop solution under the banner of Adobe's Creative Cloud.

Yes, Scott will no doubt want to make Behance the biggest and best network - for profitable, corporate reasons. That much is obvious. But he could also be passionate about solving the ultimate creative problem - and that's to control creativity. Making it all work harmoniously together. Allowing creatives to gain exposure, be connected and ultimately be more discoverable.

But if there are so many niche communities and networks already out there, how is Scott going to convince everyone to join Behance when surely it's another network in itself? A network that might well face the same limitations as other networks? Isn't it a bit naive and silly to assume everyone will want to use his network, and his network alone?

There are various obstacles Behance faces in creating the ultimate creative network, of which I'll now try to explore.

Firstly, how are they going to convince everyone to join Behance? Particularly when the obvious corporate goals of the company will put many off? Because by trying to get people to buy into what essentially is a profitable monopoly, are they arrogantly forgetting that creativity, or indeed economics, has no bounds - and that alternatives will always find a way to feed a demand that agrees with this sentiment and wants to go elsewhere?

Of course, Adobe recently added fuel to the flames of this sentiment after it ditched its Creative Suite products and instead moved to a subscription-based model with its Creative Cloud venture. Something that has angered thousands and thousands of customers. Over 12,000 people have already signed a petition over at Change.org, calling on the company to keep selling its packaged software.

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen announcing Creative Cloud at Adobe MAX 2013

Although many see the Creative Cloud service as a positive and necessary move, disgruntled customers are worried that the change will end up costing them more long term and give them less control over their applications.

The consequences of this recent move are now unfolding. Because when brands like Adobe rise to the top, they sometimes fall - or they have to adapt to move with the times. When changes occur, smaller companies rise up below them and pick up the customers they've lost. This is what's already happening with lower cost Photoshop alternative Pixelmator or open source image editor GIMP. Make no mistake, there will be network replacements and alternatives to Adobe/Behance. It's the way basic economics go. Not everyone will want to buy into something. It's just not how things work. Just look at Facebook and its recent loss of millions of users here in the UK. If people aren't happy, they'll go elsewhere. If products become too expensive, they'll find cheaper alternatives, etc.

Secondly, how do you inform those outside of the creative industries about Behance? If only the creative industries know about Behance, how are its members going to be found by all those potential clients who are simply looking for a freelance illustrator or web developer to support them? How does anyone else know that Behance exists? For instance, I've spoken to three or four clients this week and out of curiosity asked them if they'd heard of Behance. Met with the same blank expressions, it was clear they hadn't.

This leads back to the same issue with networks. Can Adobe and Behance convince the creative masses to sign up with them, and them alone - solving the problem of exposure and connectivity all in one hit? Getting in front of the right audience? I'm not so sure. This relies on everyone using Behance and everyone knowing about it - a bold ambition even for the world's largest creative network.

Thirdly, it's also a creative trait to want to choose the best tools (or networks) for the job. That means creatives won't want to put all their eggs in one basket, as that one-stop solution might not provide everything they want or need. It makes things inflexible almost. It causes restraints.

Creating a single network that everyone uses and everyone knows about is impossible, in my humble opinion.

Don't get me wrong. I love Adobe products. And I understand the sentiments of Scott Belsky's ambitions. But I'm not sure creativity can be controlled. It's not as simple as that. Creativity can only be controlled up to a certain point, and then it finds a way to break free and innovate, push forward and seek better solutions.

You can't also make the naive assumption that everyone will feel and think the same way. You can't assume creativity can be controlled. And, more importantly, you can't control the people. Essentially, it will be up to the creative industries whether they choose to make Behance the biggest network, not the other way around.

And one final point - haven't we already got a network that's working beautifully? Isn't it called the Internet? Is this desire by Behance to get us all on board and buy into this sentiment that we must control creativity to achieve true connectivity and exposure a corporate lie? Are we being fed a manipulation to fall for their network? What are your thoughts?

Are you on Behance? Do you think they're trying to achieve great things? What do you think of the recent acquisition with Adobe? Do you think its Creative Cloud is a good thing along with the subscription model for its software products? Or do you feel as though it's going in the wrong direction?

Do you think creativity can be controlled? Or is this a problem that will never be solved? Or is it even a problem in the first place? Do you think Adobe/Behance are achieving great things or do you think this problem of exposure and connectivity can't be solved through another network? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Ricardo Bessa tells beautiful stories through his dream-like illustrations

2013-05-10T15:31:00+01:00

Little White Flowers

I first came across Ricardo Bessa on the Gallery of Mo last year and have since followed his work. He's a Portuguese creative based in London who has been working as a freelance illustrator and storyboard artist, as well as working on and off for D&AD. Some of the work I'm sharing was carried out for the Gallery of Mo, which was in aid of the annual Movember movement to raise money for cancer research. Also featured is Little White Flowers, the winning entry for a postcard competition by Fox Searchlight & Curzon Cinemas, based on the movie Stoker. The Light Eater was done for Popshot Magazine, for the short story by Kirsty Logan. And The Kill List is his most recent work, created for a fan show in Paris to celebrate the beginning of the third season of Game of Thrones. More of Ricardo's work can be found at www.ricardobessa.com.

Workabout: The Brink, Liverpool

2013-05-10T15:07:00+01:00

Workabout is a regular review of cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and co-working spaces where freelancers and creatives can enjoy a change of scenery or meet clients.

Today, I'm checking out The Brink, a place to eat, drink, hang out and meet up – without the booze. There aren’t many places like that are there? The Brink is a revolutionary new venue that’s so much more than your usual café bar. They've taken alcohol out of the mix to provide a truly welcoming, creative and intelligent space where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can dine, hang out, socialise and relax. They even like to do their bit to promote the health and creativity of their local community, and work closely with local artists, musicians, poets and performers to put on a wide range of amusing, entertaining, educational and inspirational events! How cool is that! Best of all, The Brink is a recovery social enterprise, which means that all their profits go directly back into the community to fund support for those who have suffered through alcoholism and addiction. Wow! Find out more at The Brink.

Got a cafe, coffee shop, space, corner or area that you'd like me to review? Email workabout@creativeboom.co.uk and send me a few details on why your venue deserves a mention.

Phil Hansen, an artist who wants you to help create his next piece of artwork

2013-05-10T11:27:00+01:00

During the recent Adobe MAX conference, I was thrilled to discover Phil Hansen, an inspiring multimedia artist whose story reminds us that when we face limitations in our lives we shouldn't allow them to hold us back.

Phil faced his own limitation in his early days of doing art when he became obsessed with pointillism (the process of making lots and lots of tiny dots) but years of doing this caused permanent nerve damage in his right arm. He had to give up pointillism and almost gave up on art completely, as he developed an uncontrollable shake in his right hand. But he soon found ways to get around his condition and it was fascinating hearing his personal story. It's a story he has shared recently on TED and during Adobe MAX about 'embracing the shake'.

From embracing his limitation, Phil has created the most beautiful pieces of artwork. Finding different ways to continue his passion and the results speak for themselves. From creating a painting of Bruce Lee from only doing karate chops onto a large canvas to drawing on lots of individual coffee cups from Starbucks.

Now Phil is embarking on a new project and he wants you to get involved. He said: "In telling my own story and hearing stories from others, I became curious about how we perceive and deal with limitations. In this art project and short documentary, I’m looking to create a public dialogue about the stories of our limitations.This is how it works: you share a story with me, and I will write many of these stories on a huge canvas to create a piece of art. I hope to more deeply examine the essence of our limitations, and shed some light on our struggles and our triumphs. I believe connecting through these stories of hopes and dreams, fears and lessons learned will inspire and influence the outlook of our limitations. In the end, there’s a greater story to be told as we reflect on the stories of our lives collectively."

Want to get involved? Call Phil on 651-321-4996 as he would love to hear your story about facing a limitation. Your stories will then be written to create one massive piece of art - like the example above. You can also donate towards the project via Kickstarter. Even better, you can watch Phil live on his webcam at Philinthecircle.com.

Photographer Lewis Noll shoots lifestyle pictures you won't forget

2013-05-10T10:57:00+01:00

Good photographers shoot people beautifully. Great photographers do more than just that. They manage to capture something that no one else thought of. They turn their work into art. Lewis Noll is someone I came across recently. He's a lifestyle photographer from London who also happens to work for Nexus Productions. He's in the running for 'Best Job in the World' for the Tourism Australia competition, hoping to become a photographer for Timeout Magazine in Melbourne. He is now amongst 150 candidates from 35 countries still in contention for the prize. He also happens to shoot beautiful pictures. Go check out his work.

Icelandic spirit and nature is captured beautifully by Maria Kjartans

2013-05-09T14:32:00+01:00

Iceland is one of those places that completely fascinates me. It's somewhere I've not yet been to but it's definitely on 'the list'. A list I've had since my parents bought me a children's atlas when I was knee high. Icelandic born artist Maria Kjartans gives us an astounding insight into her home country with an exhibition at London art gallery DegreeArt. Called ‘Spiritual Landscapes’, it connects the audience directly with the feral aspects of human nature, instinct, passion and curiosity of places that we interact with physically and spiritually. As much an explorer as a photographer, Maria’s fascination and obsession with life cycles and events, across cultures, dominates the subject matter of her pieces and drives her to visit often remote and unusual locations. Find out more at www.degreeart.com.

Richard Combes ROI blurs what we believe is reality with his award-winning oil paintings

2013-05-09T13:50:00+01:00

Richard Combes’ stunning oil paintings explore the relation between architecture and people, examining the subtle dialogue created between space and the occupier. The inclusion of a solitary figure, combined with the employment of intrusive perspective, plays with the bounds of personal space and the subject-object relation. Blank walls and abandoned objects are given a presence through detailed rendering and an association that is encouraged by the absence of human interaction.

Following his election as a full member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 2004, a feat which exemplifies his skill as an oil painter, Combes’ award-winning work has received international acclaim. Combes studied painting at the New York Academy of Art, graduating with a Master of Fine Art (cum laude). He previously studied architecture at the University of Liverpool, an influence which profoundly effects his work, demonstrating mastery of technique and material.

See new work by Richard Combes ROI at 2022nq Manchester from 7–15 June. See www.2022nq.co.uk/contact for directions.

Roundup: 9 May 2013

2013-05-09T12:21:00+01:00

Vanilla Ink at Dundee Contemporary Arts, Scotland

Jewellery by designer Victoria Kelsey

Vanilla Ink Studios will be taking part in Dundee Contemporary Art's (DCA) Craft focus until 16 June 2013 and will feature the work of the studio's nine jewellery designers. The show will offer an exclusive 'sneak peek' at the start of their collections for International Jewellery London (IJL) set to take place at London's Earls Court in September. Along with the exclusive IJL collections, Vanilla Ink will be showcasing work made throughout the first year of its mentoring programme and will be available to buy throughout the month.

Where?: DCA, Dundee, Scotland
When?: Until 16 June 2013
Cost?: Free
More info: www.dca.org.uk

How to create a Brand | Class 101, Shoreditch, London

Learn how to brand with DreamWear

DreamWear in collaboration with RMediaCircle is set to host a masterclass 'How To Create A Brand | Class 101' for ambitious and creative entrepreneurs and also students with a passion for fashion, design, product design and the creative industry, who are thinking of starting up their own brand. The session will look at the conceptual beginnings of starting a brand right through to production processes and product development.

Class 101 is a brand creation workshop on May 11th at The Cube London, with influencers and creative educators who have worked with brands from Levi to Diesel and House of Holland. This initiative is project based and takes a collaborative learning approach, where you will learn how to move through various production stages- from the spark of an idea, through to product development, design, visual branding, critical thinking and customer acquisition. In addition to new portfolio material, including your own branded limited edition, students will benefit from new contacts and a unique learning experience, within a class of well networked and aspiring creatives.

Where?: THECUBE, London, 155 Commercial Street, London, E1 6BJ
When?: Saturday 11 May 2013 between 12pm-4pm
Cost?: £30 per ticket
More info: EventBrite.com

Festival Forge In, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Sheffield

See the traditional crafts and skills of local blacksmiths

Join the British Artist Blacksmiths Association, some of the most skilled blacksmiths in the country, at their forges for a ‘stainless’ twist on forging hot metal at this 18th century scythe and steelworks. Enjoy a showcase of traditional crafts and skills, try your hand at woodturning or lacemaking or join Mr Tyzack for a tour of the Hamlet.

Where?: Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Abbeydale Road South, Sheffield S2 7QW
When?: Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 May 2013, 10am - 4pm
Cost?: £3 per adult; accompanied children - free
More info: www.simt.co.uk

Newbridge Arts Trail, Bath

Painting by local artist Richard Varley

The annual Newbridge Arts Trail takes place in Bath this weekend. It's an event where local artists living in the Newbridge and Lower Weston areas of Bath open their homes or studios to the public. The purpose is to create a community event and showcase the diverse range of work produced by local artists. Visitors can see the work, talk to the artists and have an insight into their creative processes. The work includes painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics and jewellery, much of which is offered for sale at affordable prices.

A printed trail map, showing all locations, will be available from sponsors Chelsea Café, Chelsea Road Greengrocers, Interior Harmony Flooring and hairdressers ‘Naughty But Nice’ (all in Chelsea Road), Andrews Estate Agents and the Weston (Newbridge Road), Genesis Lifestyle Centre (Station Road), Frontier Picture Frames (Locksbrook Road), Minuteman Press (Walcot Street) and the Bath Library. It can also be downloaded from the Newbridge Arts Trail website.

Where?: Various locations in Newbridge and Lower Weston areas of Bath
When?: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May 2013
Cost?: Free to one and all
More info: www.newbridgeartstrail.com

Through American Eyes: Frederic Church, Edinburgh

Frederic Church - Autumn. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The major exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery this summer will celebrate the work of one of the greatest of all American landscape painters. Through American Eyes: Frederic Church and the Landscape Oil Sketch will bring together 25 works by an artist who revelled in the grandeur of the natural world, and whose dramatic paintings of far-flung locations from Newfoundland to the Middle East made him extremely popular in Europe as well as the US.

Where?: Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
When?: Saturday 11 May - 8 September 2013
Cost?: Free to one and all
More info: Nationalgalleries.org

Richmond May Fair, Surrey

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

This weekend sees the 43nd consecutive Richmond May Fair. Based at Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and The Green, Richmond, Surrey with over 100 charity stalls plus a quality craft marquee, vintage carousel & helter-skelter. All day free entertainment including the crowing of Richmond May Queen and some good old Maypole dancing.

Where?: Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and The Green, Richmond, Surrey
When?: Saturday 11 May 2013
Cost?: Free admission
More info: www.richmondmayfair.org