PRETTY VACANT RSS

Welcome to Pretty Vacant, a forthcoming arts collaboration between artists Christopher Guest and Darren Washington based in Newcastle under Lyme, UK.

The project has been funded by The British Arts Council and will see the two artists from differing creative backgrounds coming together to create work in empty shop windows in Newcastle Under Lyme.

The project will be a celebration of the “Local Heroes” of Newcastle Town. Local heroes are not the recognised celebrities we all know about, ie Stanley Matthews, Robbie Williams, but rather those individuals who are of unique character and make the area what is it..and what it is- is not what you read in the national press!

Taking place in the large empty windows in a vacant unit in Warner Village, in the heart of the town, the artists will hold regular research workshops around specific venues we have identified- meeting the public and talking through our ideas with them. In a way this project will be shaped by the public as it will be their character traits and vivacity that will make this project successful.

We will use our respective creative practices in graffiti and drawing, photography and digital media to create large scale projections and cut out forms, inviting the audience to look for the humorous, beautiful and fantastical aspects of those around us.

Over the coming weeks and months we will be posting regular updates on this blog,keeping you up to date with our venue visits, interesting people we have met and also documenting how us as two artists from very different creative backgrounds can learn together.

For more information on Pretty Vacant you can email us at prettyvacant2010@hotmail.com

And you can also text your interest through to the Pretty Vacant Hotline on 07504005980

Archive

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Meeting with Paul Wood Pretty Vacant co artist Darren recently met up with Paul Wood- who was Managing Director of Spode, a massive ceramics manufacturer, based in Stoke Town, Stoke on Trent. The meeting with Paul was very relaxed, sitting in his conservatory drinking tea and having some biscuits at his home only 2 minutes away from the factory. Paul spoke generally about the area, including interesting thoughts and feelings of Stoke Town and its direction for the future. We hen we spoke about his life and work; starting with his apprenticeship as an engraver within the industry, up to how he became MD of Spode Ltd and his life as a Managing Director. Paul came across a really interesting person who has a very genuine and easy-going nature. He has a dry sense of humour and likes to share banter with people. On the flip-side he showed he could be a very strong yet fair disciplinarian as he explained his style of reprimanding fellow workers, not by (in Pauls words) “giving them a bollocking”, but by just telling them he was very disappointed in their actions. I admired Pauls way of working with people regardless of his Managing Director status. He then explained that he was a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Stoke on Trent; this role is of by royal appointment, whereby nominations are made by secret selection. Once appointed to this role your term of service is until you leave the county of Staffordshire. For this role he has attended many exclusive events.  Interestingly, Paul told me the other Lieutenant was Mr Dudson owner of Dudsons China. Paul then talked about his transatlantic travels and lasting memories of his career; from having the original appointment of approval for Spode ware to meeting Queen Elizabeth. It was great to see some of his photographs from this time. Paul also had poignant emotions regarding the demise of the factory and vowed never to go to back it . He expressed his great sadness to see the closed venue that I felt was very close to his heart. He also told me about lots of other personalities within the Town such as a lady who grabbed Prince Charles during a royal visit to the factory and kissed him bang on the lips! It’s stories like these that made us start the Pretty Vacant project, to celebrate the true personalities of the Town and City. As the project progresses we will talk to more Local Heroes from Stoke Town and post updates here, If you know of any interesting and unique individuals that deserve to be celebrated at the Pretty Vacant project please email us at www.prettyvacant2010@hotmail.com

Meeting with Paul Wood

Pretty Vacant co artist Darren recently met up with Paul Wood- who was Managing Director of Spode, a massive ceramics manufacturer, based in Stoke Town, Stoke on Trent. The meeting with Paul was very relaxed, sitting in his conservatory drinking tea and having some biscuits at his home only 2 minutes away from the factory. Paul spoke generally about the area, including interesting thoughts and feelings of Stoke Town and its direction for the future. We hen we spoke about his life and work; starting with his apprenticeship as an engraver within the industry, up to how he became MD of Spode Ltd and his life as a Managing Director.

Paul came across a really interesting person who has a very genuine and easy-going nature. He has a dry sense of humour and likes to share banter with people. On the flip-side he showed he could be a very strong yet fair disciplinarian as he explained his style of reprimanding fellow workers, not by (in Pauls words) “giving them a bollocking”, but by just telling them he was very disappointed in their actions. I admired Pauls way of working with people regardless of his Managing Director status.

He then explained that he was a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Stoke on Trent; this role is of by royal appointment, whereby nominations are made by secret selection. Once appointed to this role your term of service is until you leave the county of Staffordshire. For this role he has attended many exclusive events.  Interestingly, Paul told me the other Lieutenant was Mr Dudson owner of Dudsons China.

Paul then talked about his transatlantic travels and lasting memories of his career; from having the original appointment of approval for Spode ware to meeting Queen Elizabeth. It was great to see some of his photographs from this time.

Paul also had poignant emotions regarding the demise of the factory and vowed never to go to back it . He expressed his great sadness to see the closed venue that I felt was very close to his heart.

He also told me about lots of other personalities within the Town such as a lady who grabbed Prince Charles during a royal visit to the factory and kissed him bang on the lips! It’s stories like these that made us start the Pretty Vacant project, to celebrate the true personalities of the Town and City.

As the project progresses we will talk to more Local Heroes from Stoke Town and post updates here, If you know of any interesting and unique individuals that deserve to be celebrated at the Pretty Vacant project please email us at www.prettyvacant2010@hotmail.com