Ros approached papergecko to set up a personal website to help spread the word about the work she’s doing internationally as well as to act as a platform for her other interests. Ros had commissioned North Wales based illustrator and artist Maria Hayes to produce a series of illustrations to use on the site and associated publicity material, which we used to develop an informal, attractive page layout using hand drawn elements within a formal structure.

The site uses Wordpress, our favourite publishing platform as a Content Management System, enabling Ros to have control over the majority of the content, with the addition of a couple of static pages for content which changes on an infrequent basis.

Website: http://www.rostennyson.info

Ros wanted to set up an informal but informative personal website to help spread the word about the work she’s doing internationally for the IBLF, Trigonos and others as well as to set up a platform for her other interests, writings and publications. Ros had also come across Maria Hayes, a North Wales based illustrator and artist (and client of papergecko) and commissioned Maria to produce a series of illustrations to use on the site and the associated publicity material.

The website address is: http://www.rostennyson.info

So, when Wobage came to update their site for the 2008 ceramics course syllabus, they got back in touch. We suggested that, rather than having to pay a web designer every time they need to update the site, we could redesign the site from scratch and build a user-friendly Content Management System at the same time.

We’re currently finalising colour schemes and page layout, and hope to relaunch a standards-based, accessible, user and search engine friendly site in the coming months.

MADE commissioned three artists and a horticulturalist in the West Midlands to develop a walk with local people, which explored local distinctiveness and ‘Sense of Place’.

The four linked projects were to result in four ‘alternative guidebooks’ to Dudley, Market Drayton, Rugby and Tamworth. The guidebooks were loosely based on the format of Lost in Ladywood, creating the beginning of a series which MADE (and Papergecko) hope to extend further in the future.

Working within the prescribed structure, and initially with Simon Whitehead’s input, we worked closely with the four ‘guides’ to put together publications which reflected a range of approaches to the project brief. Pamela Smith, a horticulturalist, developed a fascinating walk around Market Drayton, focussing on the flora to be found in every nook and cranny. To give the accompanying guidebook an additional use, we suggested including a series of blank blotting paper pages which the reader could use to collect their own botanical samples (after reading Pam’s guide to respectfully collecting plants).

Market Drayton Pressings Section

Claire Wood, an artist based in Tamworth, worked with young people, creating a route which led the walker around some of the young people’s favourite places, and gave an insight into how those young people experience their urban environment, and how it could be improved. The intention of this guidebook was to use it in an education context, so we added an extra section of cartridge paper for notes and drawings.

In Rugby, artist Eric Gaskell had worked with local people to examine the skyline of the town, developing a ‘walk through the town, looking up’. This publication comprised a concertina fold-out featuring a finely detailed drawing by Eric of the rooftop landscape.

Finally, artist Gerard Mermoz took ‘A Critical Path’ through the market town of Dudley, using the initial public walk as an opportunity to examine ‘what could be done to better serve the needs of the people who live or work [there]. As with Eric’s Rugby guide, Gerard opted for a concertina folded publication, the expandable format serving as a metaphor for Gerard’s situationist derive.

Making Sense of Places: Rugby

All the Making Sense of Places publications are available on Amazon (see below). MADE have also commissioned a website specifically for the Making Sense of Places Project.

Publication Details

Dudley: A Critical Path by Gerard Mermoz.
Paperback: 2 pages.
Published by MADE.
ISBN: 978-0955287916
More about Dudley: A Critical Path on Amazon.co.uk

Market Drayton: A walk in the company of a Horticulturalist by Pamela Smith.
Paperback: 48 pages.
Published by MADE.
ISBN: 978-0955287923
More about Market Drayton: A Walk in the company of a Horticulturalist on Amazon.co.uk

Rugby: A walk through the town, looking up by Eric Gaskell.
Paperback: 2 pages.
Published by MADE.
ISBN: 978-0955287930
More about Rugby: A walk through the town, looking up on Amazon.co.uk

Tamworth: A walk in the company of Young People by Claire Wood. Paperback: 42 pages.
Published by MADE.
ISBN: 978-0955287947
More about Tamworth: A walk in the company of Young People on Amazon.co.uk

Following the success of Walking to Work, Simon asked us to get involved in a project he was doing for MADE (Midlands Architecture and the Designed Environment) in Birmingham. As part of the project, Simon wanted to publish a pocket-sized ‘walking guide’ to Ladywood, an area of inner city Birmingham where the skyline is dominated by tower blocks.

The result is an 80 page guidebook which invites Ladywood residents and visitors to re-experience routes through and places in Ladywood, to see the area from another perspective. The book includes a walk seen from the perspectives of tower block residents, three walks guided by local holy men and a ‘lost’ walk which invites the walker to find steel cable ties engraved with quotes from local residents.

Working with photographer Phil Martin, we again developed a distinctive approach to the project, using Simon’s handdrawn maps and Phil’s finely detailed and quietly humorous photographs to subtly contravene the conventions of the walking guide and as with Walking to Work, we were helped in tying down the finer details of the print process by Spectrum in Cardiff.

Details:

Lost in Ladywood by Simon Whitehead.
Paperback: 80 pages.
Published by Shoeless.
ISBN: 978-0-9554020-1-2

More about Lost in Ladywood on Amazon.co.uk

23 Towers Walk - example spread

Ladywood Allstars (Walks with Ladywood holy men) - example spread

The book documents an exchange between west Wales based artists collective ointment and Boreal Art/Nature, who are based in the wilds of Quebec. The exchange involved two residencies: one in the stunning, moss covered Ty Canol woods near Pentre Ifan in Pembrokeshire in a balmy April; the other in the ice-bound frozen landscape of Reserve Faunique Rouge Matawin, Quebec, in February.

The book gives the projects a new dimension, continuing some of the discussions begun during the residencies and enabling the artists to revisit and reflect on their various working processes.

One thing we’re very pleased about is the book format, which avoids standard practice for artist’s catalogues, instead opting for a pocket sized, 112 x 180mm. Shrinking the format necessitated an increase in the page count and, at 116 pages there’s plenty of room for an exchange of views.

We’re hoping to go to print early in February and will, of course, post details as soon as the publication is ready.

With contributions by Wallace Heim, Barnaby Oliver, Heike Roms, David Williams and others. The publication also includes 23 medium format colour photographs of project artefacts by Phillip Martin.

The book also includes a sound piece on CD: Dulais, made to accompany the publication. The CD constitutes two pieces, Wade and Duck both recorded by Whitehead in Spring 2006 as live compositions on the Afon Dulais river, close to his home in West Wales. The mix and final treatments are made by sound artist and long time collaborator Barnaby Oliver.

Working closely with Simon, we were involved at all stages of the production of the book, helping to develop an approach to the different project materials and a structure within which the various strands of Simon’s practice could sit. During the production phase of the publication, we worked closely with both Simon and Phil Martin, a Wales-based photographer whom we had commissioned to photograph the project artefacts in situ in west Wales. We also liaised closely with Spectrum in Cardiff, identifying suitable paper stocks for the different sections and sourcing a robust but elegant solution for the CD, which was to be mounted on the inside back cover.

Publication Details:
Paperback: 80 pages
Published by: Shoeless, 15 Sep 2006
Language: English and Welsh
ISBN-13: 978-0955402005
Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 18.8 x 1.2 cm

This book is available on Amazon.co.uk

Sample Spread - Pages 12 - 13 (2mph)

Sample Spread - Pages 64 - 65 (Somasonic Spirit)

On Mary’s advice, the Islington boutique changed it’s name from Comfort and Joy to Handmade & Found, adopted a new colour scheme and logo and created a new shop layout. They needed a website too, so they got in touch with papergecko. At the moment there’s a temporary holding page, but we’re looking forward to working with Ruth and Anthony to maximise their exposure.

Website: http://www.handmadeandfound.com

The site features a user forum, a searchable news service and a accessibility features such as a style sheet switcher and skip navigation links. As with all papergecko sites, the work complies with AAA levels of Accessibility.

Website: http://www.mcil.org.uk

Partnerships and Projects Page

User Forum

Peter was also aware that he may not find time to update his site as often as he wished, so we provided him with a front page which featured two images of his work. The images are selected at random each time the page is reloaded.

Website: http://www.peterbodenham.co.uk