Category: Art

  • The Poundshop

    The Poundshop

    Founded in 2010 and currently run by George Wu and Sara Melin, The Poundshop is a pop up shopping project based on the idea of selling quality designer products at affordable prices.

    The Poundshop’s mission is to make design accessible to a wider audience and all products are sold within the £1, £5 and £10 price bands. Working with a wide range of designers, most of whom are new to making products, The Poundshop is the perfect testing ground for them to experiment with new and interesting products. Over the years, The Poundshop have organised pop us shops at numerous spaces across the world, including Selfridges, Somerset House, Loft Tokyo and Science Museum in London.

    We talked with its founders to find out more about the project and what makes a perfect submission to the Poundshop.

    www.thepoundshop.org

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    Could you tell us a little bit about your background and what you do apart from running The Poundshop?

    Sara: I am from Sweden originally , but have now been here for 14 years! Studied at St Martins and then RCA in London, where I met George and Sarah. We pretty much set up The Poundshop shortly after leaving RCA .

    I do a lot of different things but most of it runs backs to The Poundshop. At the moment I am working as a consultant for a charity putting together a new product range for their online shop and also designing a pop up shop for them. I am also planning two workshop that will be take place in Brazil in October.

    George: I am originally from Manchester and studied graphic design in Bath before moving to London for work. A few years later I took part in the BB New Music Shorts and decided to switch to film so went to the RCA where we met. Now besides creating Poundshops, I am a director at Nexus Productions creating videos and installations. Currently I’m working on a new short film in collaboration with photographer John Short which should be coming out at the end of September.

    Poundshop

    What inspired you to open The Poundshop?

    Sara: The credit crunch I think and wanting to do something together.

    George: I always had the dream of having my own shop one day. Pretending to be shop keeper and stocking shelves! I think it’s because my family has always run businesses, it must be in me!

    Poudshop at Weiden + Kennedy

    What makes a perfect submission?

    Sara: Cleaver solutions to a small problem, beautifully designed with the minimal usage of materials to keep costs down.

    George: Something that you would definitely use yourself that’s has a real purpose which is a challenge at such a low price point.

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    How do you approach the interior design and visual merchandising of each of the spaces you use for The Poundshop?

    Sara: Generally I collect lots of images of things that I like the look of as a start. Shop interiors, patterns, colours etc. George is definetely the better one at coming up with ideas and she has a more graphic design / installation background than me, so she tends to take the lead on the design and then we discuss it.

    George: Yeah I think usually we have a big brainstorm. Because we don’t work together all the time it’s good to get to know what the other is into at that moment. Then the starting point can either be the venue: The Science Poundshop was inspired by equipment transit cases. Or by the function of the shop: The ICA shop needed to be set up in a very short space of time so we created it out of repurposed ladders. The most important consideration is that the materials are all low cost to compliment the idea of low cost design shop.

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    What are your ambitions for The Poundshop? How do you see it developing in the future?

    Sara: At the moment we are discussing a few changes and new routes but we tend to not plan to far ahead… So we will just have to see where this year will take us!

    George: I think our next challenge and always the biggest is the Christmas Poundshop, but the most exciting (and intimidating) is our forth coming appearance on Poundshop Wars on BBC 1!

     

    All images, courtesy of The Poundshop 

  • Why You Don’t Need Video Subscriptions as Much as You Think You Do

    In this day and age of high-speed internet connectivity and affordable computers, it’s easy to catch up on the latest shows and movies thanks to video subscription services like Netflix and Amazon Video. However, are they as crucial to your daily life as you think they are, or are they just being a nuisance?

    In this article, we’re going to take a look if you really need video subscriptions or if they’re just forcing you to spend money you could be saving.

    Photo via Unsplash

    Regular television still has great programs to watch

    It’s probably been a while since you’ve looked at a UK TV guide or seen a schedule for cable channels, but many of the latest and greatest shows are still exclusive to television and won’t come to video subscriptions for a long time if ever.

    There are plenty of fantastic shows on regular television broadcasts including news and sports. While video on demand is a great way to watch specific shows and movies, there’s still a lot to watch on regular television.

    Video subscriptions are surprisingly limited

    Sure, if you’re on a movie binge and you want to catch the latest films from the past few years then Netflix is a fantastic option. It seems like there’s a massive selection of things to watch and you’ll be able to get your money’s worth. However, once you’ve had the subscription for a few months, it really starts to show just how limited your video subscription service is.

    To make things worse, choices are often limited by regions as well. For instance, what you can watch in the United Kingdom is drastically different from the choice you get in the United States. In addition, movies tend to come and go as “exclusives” which can make you want to keep your subscription for longer.

    Video subscriptions are also fairly outdated

    While some shows are fantastic and exclusive to their platforms, most films are actually somewhat outdated. This means that you’ll be able to catch up on old films, but there’s nothing recent that you can watch unless it wasn’t popular and went straight to a video subscription service.

    This means that if you’re looking to watch films, you’ll have a surprisingly limited library to pick from and this isn’t such a great choice for movie lovers.

    You don’t own any of your movies or shows

    Sooner or later, Netflix is either going to be taken down or the licenses for certain shows will be stripped away. This means that you’ll end up in a situation where the shows you love are no longer watchable and you’ll either need a physical copy (such as a DVD or BluRay) or you’ll need to hope another video subscription service has it.

    DVD and BluRay copies can be relatively cheap, especially during sales periods, and you can always buy them second-hand from sites like eBay. In short, if you really want to preserve your favourite films and watch them at any time, owning them is the best option.

  • Simple Ways To Feel Good About Yourself

    Everyone has aims in life and we all have good days and bad days where those aims seem miles away. The key to life? Have a plan. Identify what it is you want and make a plan to get there and with the right habits in place, you can boost your mood when you are feeling down. 

    Some people feel good about themselves by setting career goals. Those who want to go to the army cadets often feel closer to their goals when they buy Tactical Clothing. Those who want to become airline pilots do what they can to be in the sky. The idea is that if you can find things that make you feel good about yourself in life, you’re already halfway to happiness and you can reach your goals. Let’s take a look at some other simple ways you can feel good about yourself.

    Image Source: Pexels

    1. Spend some time outside if you want to feel fantastic. You need to feel motivated and you need to feel like you are achieving something, and being cooped up inside can make that very difficult. Get outside and spend time in the sun. you will naturally feel good and feel like you can do anything. The brain changes when you are healthier on the inside and the outside.
    2. Feel good on the outside by wearing what makes you happy. If you want to be a powerhouse in the boardroom, wear power suits and look the part. You need to dress to be the person you want to be. This will enable you to feel like you are achieving something!
    3. Stay as active as possible and do it to feel good, not necessarily to get fit and lose weight. If you want to boost your mood, then being active is the best way to do it. Feeling good hormones and chemicals in the brain makes you feel euphoric and happy, and exercise doesn’t have to be anything massively strenuous. A brisk walk can have the same effect!
    4. Where possible, practice being kind. You will feel excellent about yourself if you can just show the world that you are a good, kind person. Developing compassion for yourself is going to make a world of difference.
    5. Plan to help others. If you know that you need people around you to feel boosted, be that person for other people. You can volunteer your time where you can and help others – just to be nice. You can help yourself, and studies have shown that those who complete three to four acts of kindness per week are better off within themselves overall.

    Feeling good about yourself is important. You need to be able to hit those goals you have in life while looking, feeling and acting good – which you already do day to day. Keep on with it and you will be able to achieve anything you want to achieve. Goals are there to be met, and you can achieve those goals with some action on your part!

  • One of Many by Wesley Verhoeve

    One of Many by Wesley Verhoeve

    Created by Wesley Verhoeve, One of Many is a monthly series of photo essays about twelve cities across the US and their creative communities. Wesley immerses himself in each local creative community and profiles some of the most interesting creatives of the area: artists, makers, chefs, writers, brewers, entrepreneurs and others.

    People around the globe choose to work for themselves, to freelance or work for small companies. This project captures this creative movement that is currently reshaping the global economy and culture, inspiring and encouraging others to make the leap and pursue their desired craft.

    Wesley, who is co-founder of handmade men’s accessories and home goods company GNTLMN and art curator at WeTransfer says: “Being a small business owner or a creative independent is exhilarating, but it can also be quite lonely and stressful. One of Many is a reminder that we are not alone. We are part of a growing movement. We are one of many.”

    www.oneofmany.co

    FP-Ruthie-for-web FP-Michael-Moran-for-web FP-Martha-Lou-for-web FP-Josh-Ulmer-for-web FP-Allison-Merrick-for-web
    All photos by Wesley Verhoeve

  • Made By Hand by Tatanja Ross

    Made By Hand by Tatanja Ross

    Made By Hand is a mini documentary by Tatanja Ross, which discusses the revival of handmade approaches in the art world. The director showcases a glimpse of this movement through work of emerging artists based in Melbourne, Australia. The portrayed illustrators, paper crafts, screen printing and textile artists discuss how the handmade movement inspires and benefits their work.

    As Tatanja mentions in the documentary, “the DIY culture is less of a simple art trend but a lifestyle that many makers encompass and put back into the world”. In the world of mass manufactured products, the director hopes to inspire other young artists to work with their hands and show that supporting local artists and makers is important and worthwhile.

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    Made By Hand from Tatanja Ross on Vimeo.

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