Christmas at Heart

Well friends, it's been a while since I blogged for various reasons but the weather we have all had hasn't really helped matters has it? It looks so pretty when it first falls and covers the world but after a short while the picture fades as reality kicks in. Life as we know it seems to stop as people can't get to or from work, children are sent home from schools, public transport ceases and the media tells us all to stay at home!

It's at times like these that we really must, more than ever, support our small local independents to keep them in business providing a service to the community we live in.  I ordered the Heart Gallery Christmas Tree from Bob at William Holt, Greengrocer, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge. Two days later it arrived and not only was Bob prompt at getting the tree delivered round to me, he and a colleague walked round to Market Street with it, made sure it was secure and straight for me and then put the lights on it too as I couldn't reach to the top of it myself!

It's this type of Customer Service offered by the independents of Hebden Bridge that make a great town greater.... and doesn't it look all Christmassy?

Hebden Bridge has recently won the title of 'Best Town in Britain 2011' and we really do deserve this award.

The team behind the Totally Locally campaign in Calderdale have worked tirelessly to get their message across since launching and only last week won another award, this time for 'Outstanding Response to the Economic Downturn'. Invest in your town - invest in your future is their tag line and the people of Hebden Bridge do just that. As someone who has a business in the town I appreciate how important it is to support other businesses and try where ever possible to shop totally locally.

This beautiful Christmas Card by talented local artist and illustrator Julia Ogden is available at Heart Gallery. Julia has also painted a small canvas of Two Turtle Doves which is hanging proudly in Heart Gallery.   

This is part of the 12 days of Christmas trail around Hebden Bridge kindly organised by The Hebden Bridge Bookshop. This new family-run, independent bookshop opened its doors in June 2010 to pursue and share their passion for literature with the local book-reading community. Sadly 2 weeks ago Gillian and Ross were dealt a devastating blow when the flat above their shop flooded through their ceiling ruining more than three quarters of their stock and their fixtures and fittings.

With friends and family rallying round they should thankfully be open again for business this weekend so call in and show your support. This time of year is crucial for small businesses so we all rely on you, our loyal customers, to spread the word on how great Hebden Bridge is for shopping .... see you soon and don't forget it is Late Night Shopping on Market Street every Thursday in December, shop late until eight and bring Market Street alive after five!

So, as silly season fast approaches I hope you are all prepared and ready for Christmas and if you have a few pressies still to wrap this beautiful double-sided Robin paper is perfect!

Late Night Shopping at Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge

Christmas Cards at Heart Gallery

Last year, and the year before, and the year before, and even the year before that I noticed that people weren't really inclined to part with much money when it came to Christmas cards. In my opinion this is a real shame as I always try to seek out something different for my close friends and family. The cheap boxed sets which are mass produced don't really offer anything unique or different ... just convenience! Stick it in the trolley with your weekly shop and they're ready to write and post!

There are so many lovely cards out there by smaller companies or individual artists trying to carve a niche in the stationery industry and here are just a few that Heart Gallery is stocking this year, I hope you like them:

My favourite I think is still Nigel Hillier's award winning Hebden At Dusk, and he's had it printed as a good size card in case you want to frame it.

I also love the Rob Ryan cut-out card and I know a lot of you out there do too as there aren't many left now, so be quick if this is your card of choice this year!

  
Julia Brook's reindeer cards all have quirky captions on them.

  
I  love the Christmas pud

and also this one! I think my thoughts would be 'far from festive' too!

Rachael Taylor's textiles were introduced to Heart Gallery quite recently and her pinny's, oven gloves and tea towels are selling really well. Here are 2 of her card designs you can choose from:

Hazel Spatschek's fabulous red robin cards are really cute too, the red breast is stitched on embossed foil so it's really shiny:

Heart Gallery sells Clare Caulfield's original pen and ink city work as well as limited edition prints and canvases and this year there are 3 of her Christmas cards to choose from. Snow falling on West 34th is one of my favourites and always makes me want to be there!

This is her Winter Wonderland

 and I know there are a few dachshund lovers out there who would just love this card of Clare's!

 So, just a little blog about Christmas cards folks to get you in the mood, hope you enjoyed it and see you soon ❤

Crafts For Christmas at Hardcastle Crags

The National Trust at Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge are holding their first ever Craft Fair this Firday and Saturday 5th and 6th of November, Free entry 11am - 3.30pm.

Take a short walk to Gibson Mill and meet talented local designers and makers to choose something gorgeous for a treat or present for someone special. Please bring cash as there are no credit card facilities.

Buy unique Christmas Cards and wrapping paper by Rachael Taylor, a surface pattern designer living in Leeds.

Treat yourself to some sustainable, low-impact, eco-friendly knitwear by Todmorden based company Makepiece.

Think about lighting up your Christmas Dinner table using these contemporary candlesticks from Heart Gallery.

If pearls are your thing then this bracelet will be a perfect addition to your jewellery box.

How about a leather satchel by super talented local leather worker Catherine Edwards?

You will also find stunning felt corsages by Gail Myerscough and velvet and voile badges by Anne Crowther.

And of course, there will also be the fantastic cards by Award Winning Local Photographer Nigel Hillier available too!

So folks, guess we shall be seeing you real soon at Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge!

GORGEOUS GIFTS AT HEART

Yes, it really is nearly that time of the year again my friends - where does time go?

Planning for this exhibition started in January 2010 which might seem mad to some but I have to work about 10 months in advance to book new work in from makers. The small designer/makers Heart Gallery chooses to showcase throughout the year have to be able to timetable their work schedules in advance too.

It is always an incredible selection journey choosing pieces handmade by the cream of British talent ... here is a sneaky peak of what you will be able to buy at Heart Gallery already or coming soon:

 Porcelain t-light holders by Stef Storey

Fairytale silver jewellery by Xuella Arnold

Oak Jewellery box by Frances Smith

Silk/cashmere scarves by Alison Dupernex

Pen and ink originals and prints by Clare Caulfield

Award winning photography of the Hebden Bridge area by Nigel Hillier

Quirky silver jewellery by Helen Noakes

Rob Ryan Christmas cards and boxed notelet sets

Jan Constantine embroidered cushions

Award winning kitchen/dining products from Joseph Joseph

Luxurious silk scarves by Taisir Gibreel

Delicate little t-light holders by Cerys Boyle

I hope that's a little taster of what's in store for you in the run up to Christmas and don't forget that Heart Gallery is now offering the Arts Council’s Own Art scheme which is designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy contemporary works of art and craft including paintings, photography, sculpture, glassware and jewellery. 

Simply choose the pieces you like, give us about 15 minutes of your time and you could be taking them all home on this great scheme - pick up an Own Art leaflet next time you visit Heart Gallery or call in for a chat.

Own Art to take home

Buy art at the Heart Gallery on interest free credit*

The Arts Council’s Own Art scheme is designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy contemporary works of art and craft including paintings, photography, sculpture, glassware and jewellery. You can borrow from as little as £100 up to £2000, and pay back the loan in 10 monthly instalments - interest free.  

Arts Council England has established the Own Art scheme for the following reasons:

• to encourage new buyers and audiences for the visual arts
• to develop the visual arts economy by encouraging an increase in the sale of work by contemporary artists
• to support a breadth of practice from traditional to the innovative, by artists at all stages of their career.

The visual arts include craft, printmaking, glassware, painting, sculpture, installation, artists' film and video, media arts, architecture, live art and photography.

*Typical 0% APR

*Offer subject to age and status. Terms and conditions apply.

 

Baby Hair Ring Commission

This is a really short little blog for you which I have wanted to post for nearly a month but it is so personal to my customer I had to get permission first.


Towards the end of summer my customer came to see me about possibly incorporating some baby hair into a ring for his wife. I knew immediately the jeweller I wanted to use for this interesting commission as her work is incredible.


Helen's silver work previously at Heart Gallery has included this Easy Tiger necklace. Helen sets miniature models in resin and incorporates them in handcrafted silver jewellery. 

Helen spends hours dreaming up little resin scenarios to preserve these highly detailed finely crafted figures in desirable and wearable handcrafted jewellery pieces. The simplicity of the designs belies the hours needed to create the collection but to see a piece come to life at the final resin polish is a revelation every time!

It was for this reason I chose Helen to do this amazing but extremely sensitive commission. My customer and his wife had unfortunately lost their daughter and they had cut some of her hair and taped it into a memory book. He thought that trying to place some of this hair into a piece of jewellery for his wife to wear would be a good way to preserve their daughter's hair should anything ever happen to the memory book. So he secretly removed the very small lock of baby hair from their memory book to bring in to me, a ring of his wife's to take a size from and an idea of how he wanted the finished piece to look and so the design process began.


Helen and I were under pressure as there was a timescale to finish it in and he didn't want all the hair set in resin so that he could put some back in their memory book. I think this was an important thing to do so that the hair could still be touched should they feel the need to.


Helen finished it with only 5 days to spare before my customer was doing a charity bike ride over to Paris. His wife was then flying out to meet him on their Wedding Anniversary where he was going to take her up the Eiffel Tower and present her with the ring! When he came to Heart Gallery to collect it there were hugs and tears all round and I felt so proud that he had trusted myself and Helen to take his thoughts and ideas and turn them into a reality.

What isn't visible here is that inscribed on the inside rim of the silver, with the hair, is their daughter's name. The baby hair and Hannah May are one, encapsulated together to be worn by mummy. 

What is also really lovely about this ring is that no-one looking at it knows that it contains baby hair; this is something personal to my customers and they alone can choose to tell the viewer or not.

My customer and his wife will soon be back from their holiday in France so I am looking forward to meeting them together at Heart Gallery when she feels the time is right to show me.


I want to thank my customer from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to share this story with you.


The picture below is another recent commission Helen completed for customers that I want to share with you proving that romance is not dead! Wedding rings - the inlaid resin has fragments of sea glass, sand, shells and stones from the beach that they first met on...

Sizzling September at Heart Gallery

Now that the summer holidays are over and we all try to get back into a routine, I thought it was time for an  update.

September deliveries are arriving weekly as a little drip feed of sizzling goodies in the run up to Christmas.

The first to be delivered this week is two sizes of notebook by Rob Ryan, A5 and A6.


'I Am The Notebook of ...'

A very pretty plain notebook to write and draw the most wonderful of things. I've already treated myself to one to keep at the side of my bed for doodles and both sizes have been popular so I have had to place another order already - they arrived yesterday!

On their way soon are more Rob Ryan products including this fabulous 'PLEASE SMELL US' vase 



and 'TOGETHER' mugs 



and 'LISTEN TO THE WORLD' mug.


My lovely, thoughtful  hubby knew that I was eagerly awaiting Rob Ryan's licensed products for Wild 'n' Wolf at Heart Gallery and so kindly, and secretly, bought me this wall decal for our bathroom. It is stunning and just perfect for the wall under our 'LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL' sign. 



Thank you Bart ❤

Please bookmark this blog as it is getting regularly updated and the MEET THE MAKER pages are proving really popular. The main Heart Gallery website is going to be updated to include an on-line shop but in the meantime this blog is the best way to keep in touch.

See you in Heart Gallery soon ❤