Sally A Turner

This woman isn’t easilydefined by one label. In her own words Sally describes herself as “Artist, Poet, Teacher, Painter and Mis-cheif Maker.” I take it a fair few of those comments were from other people? “I’d like a website that shows community artists in a different light- there’s so many rubbish ones out there! People think it’s all potato prints and collage. I’d like the kind of webiste that appeals to other artists, writers, teachers, councillors even local MPs.”

Thinking of starting something revolutionary there Sally? (It sounds like breaking the mound with your website is a good place to start)… We’ll have to see what we can muster but I’m sure it’ll be an effort to keep Sally’s ideas to the space of one site… Her life story, interest and passions drawn on many themes and anecdotes relating to nationality, identity and femininity. It’s a diverse and rich story to tell but we look forward to the collaboration.

Ice Tray 24 Hours by Chris Bird-Jones

Chris Bird-Jones and Karen Heald are two artists who’s paths were bound to cross at some point. A fascination with the trace of something, the underlooked and beauty in the details, forged the basis for the pair’s working relationship. Karen and Chris have created artwork in some interesting locations to date: a Spanish Castle, a Mongolian artist’s space and glass blowing in a wheelbarrow… sounds intriguing? You have to see their work to guess the context and find out more.

Beth by Karen Heald

The best place to see the results of their collaborations are in the flesh- and thankfully The Big Picture has the chance to keep you in the know at BirdJonesandHeald.co.uk… don’t look yet- there’s nothing there. We’re working on it at the moment. When they are ready to launch don’t be surprised if you have to take a second glance, something very subtle is in store. In this case whispering is better than shouting about great ideas.

Kuel is best described as a forward thinking illustration agency with its roots in modernist design. Snappy description?! Well you can have a look at their showreel here. Kuel needed a means of showcasing the best of their design, art direction and illustration for high street and fashion retailers. Elegant peek-a-boo windows reveal a big on colour attitude and illustration with finesse. The Big Picture was more than happy to help get Kuel’s marketing strategy kick-started.

Alternative education for Leeds teenagers

What a project: a client with a big vision, a chance to create something new for a grass roots organisation, and building a people focused theme. That’s a winning recipe for a Big Picture collaboration! Involve help young people in South Leeds get on the right footing with their education if they leave a mainstream school. Involve have hit the ground running and are gaining a good reputation fast. The Big Picture has been part of the journey, creating a memorable brand identity, website, stationary and signage… they loved their new image so we got to deliver the whole sherbang!

We’re rather pleased with the results!

This was a real before and after story

The National Centre for Diversity's Old Site

The Big Picture gave a major makeover treatment, rebuilding a new site onto the existing CMS so the folk at NCFD still had complete control over their content.

A key focus of their business is the Investors in Diversity kitemark, an award the organisation was keen to promote, and therefore a service to take centre stage on the website.

Using the analogy of a journey to communicate the Investors in Diversity process, The Big Picture created illustrations depicting people from all walks of life in settings from the urban jungle to rolling hills. The site has great functionality as well as looks, with a fully editable content management system, latest news feeds and an email sign up.

The results have seen increased click throughs onto key pages, and has raised the reputation of the brand in line with the values and vision the company pride themselves on.

She's worth it

Karen Heald is someone worth waiting for… her website has been a year in the making! Ok not to big us up too much, but actually she is a very busy international artist who has been in the thick of researching sleep for her PhD, travelling a lot and making interesting films. Karen might sound like an academic diva but in real life she is a very down to earth, talented, funny, thoughtful lady.

Her artistic endeavours began in painting, and although these days she’s much more likely to be creating conceptual films, performances and photo shoots, her work keeps a painterly, light quality. You can experience her work on a beautiful, peaceful level… but if you delve a bit further there’s so much more to do with our psyche, needs, human make up and identity.

Have I spent too much time talking art with Karen? most probably.

Am I a fan of her artwork? more so now I’ve had time to understand it.

Someone good to make a website for? definitely, a pleasure to work with and a great client to share and learn ideas from. It flowed!

Michiko Fujii is on the ‘fun’ client list. An artist with an appetite for all things creative and pushing the boundaries with child learning and adding an Ooo to educatiOoon! Her workshops and artworks are imaginative and massively children influenced… the imminent website will hope to capture Michiko’s ideas and values, and of course unveil her work to a wider audience.

We can’t wait

Fashion Meets Fair Trade

The lovely people at Teach a Man to Fish have started another ambitious project. This time it’s raising funds for a community in Paraguay by selling beautiful leather bags. (That’s in the middle of S America between Brazil, Argentina & Bolivia- I didn’t know either!)

The bags are made locally, hand crafted from regionally sourced leather, imprinted with historically styled artwork, and also fairly traded no less. You get to buy a gorgeous travel bag that won’t fall to pieces after a few trips away (won’t mention other shops’ efforts!) and also contribute to a local industry. The bags aren’t on sale yet… just waiting for the Paraguay delivery! The Big Picture proudly designed their mini shop site – the launch will soon be annouced.

Get ready all you ethically minded fashionistas!