Hannah Atkins

Ok we admit it’s a bit early to be letting you in on this one but we’re very excited and couldn’t wait!  The Big Picture has been asked to create a site that mixes film and animation. Our client asked us to find a musician to work on the accompanying soundtrack. Ooooh! We reckon we’ve found the perfect creative match. Hannah Atkins is a Manchester singer songwriter whose looped melodies and heartfelt lyrics fits well with the dreamlike, imaginary website that will be launched next year. I know… it’s slightly premature but we’re very happy to be working with this talented lady and she recently performed at Matt & Phreds for her album launch ‘Falling.’ Go check it out (and for a limited time you can get the CD in a Fair Trade cotton bag- nice!)

Watch Dreams sung by Hannah at home

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.

Dare I say it… Karen Heald’s site is ready! The artist in residence is leaving residence from The Big Picture’s wing and flying out onto the creative scene armed with her new site, business cards, and stationary. Already making a splash with her new brand, Karen won a prestigious placement at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan, North Wales, working with patients and introducing them to the fascinating world of sleep, dreaming and film that Karen inhabits. Pop in for a cuppa still to keep us updated won’t you?

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!

Picture the scene you’re searching for ‘Money saving tips’ and then see this lurking on the right of your screen:

Adword Poetry

Ok it might make you laugh, might raise an eyebrow in annoyance or at worst make you think… hmm someone’s seriously lost it on the wrong page. What was really interesting was this chap’s research into how much google charge for popular keywords… anyone going through the process of optimising their website or spending cash on a adword campaign knows their presence makes the right ripples if the keyword is a popular one. (’Design Manchester’ is over £1 for each click through.. eek!) Click on the link and scroll down near the bottom of this page and see the costs of making adword poetry (including famous people’s names) for yourself:
www.iterature.com/adwords/index.html

Mark Pierce

I don’t know about you, but I find music is my kick start… whether that ’s getting ideas together for a new project, going for a run or surviving the mania that is Tesco market street at 6 o’clock. So when I stumbled across this little gem it was much to my delight that Mark Pierce was giving away his music for nowt.

Mark is an exceptionally talented singer/ songwriter from York, who’s lyrics are heartfelt and delivered with tender strength. His perfomances are out of the ordinary to say the least- gigging around prisons and talking to inmates about his life, the songs are reaching people who want to hear something honest sung about life.

In short Mark’s music is out of the ordinary, well worth a listen and you’re left wanting to hear more. Be prepared to be moved (of note: ‘Some Place New’ and ‘Out There.’)