100% Design: The Round Up

We are back now from 100% design and what a 4 days it was! The acrylicize 'bar' was open for business on stand L35 and it proved to be a busy few days. Several 100 Jelly Bellys later we're already looking back with fond memories at our first appearance at the show. As you will see from the pictures below, our stand featured a tribute to Jimi Hendrix made of 60 acrylic 'bricks' marking 40 years since his untimely death. We also unveiled a one off acrylicize neon logo commissioned specially for 100% design to mark our 7th anniversary. Music over the 4 days was served up by our very own resident DJ Missy Marks, we will be posting the playlist on our facebook page very soon so watch out for that...

So its all over now, we're already missing arriving at an empty Earls Court first thing in the morning, taking down the bar stools, sipping on a coffee, switching on the neon and waiting for the masses to arrive. We want to thank everyone who visited our stand for the interest and enthusiasm you showed us. Enjoy the pictures below. Until next time...

Greg Loading the Van

James putting some final touches to the camo

Sean's best camera face

Paul trying to contain the excitement of being up a ladder

A change to the front of the stand

Jeremy talking to some early visitors

The neon

The most popular item on the stand

The PR crew in town

Happy days

The acrylicize steps to success

Peter Newman pops in

Jez and Anna

A view from behind the bar

Mr Green Swings by

Our Fiends at Fulwell 73 come and say hello

Come and say hello at 100% Design!

Thats right, for the first time ever we will be at 100% design. Come and say hello, we will be at stand L35. Lovers of 60's rock n roll will especially love our stand. See you there!

PS) If you are interested in becoming a field agent then give us a nod and a wink and we will divulge the details of your secret mission.

Inside the Artists Studio: Volume 1

Hugo Nowhere // James Burke

What is Hugo Nowhere?

Red Tape Man or Hugo Nowhere as he was later named was commissioned by Esselco LLP for permanent installation at Warnford Court, a stones throw from the bank of England on Threadneedle street. He is a life size London Banker taped to the wall with his own 'red tape'.

What does it mean?

Hugo represents the mood of the nation towards the banking industry at the time. The country was in deep recession and the bankers were the guys taking all the blame. Hugo is probably the embodiment of what the vast majority of the public wanted to do to these guys as they were made to pay the price of the big banks antics. At the time the papers were dominated with headlines vilifying the banking sector and for me this was a tongue in cheek way of representing the story. Hugo's status as a banker is emphasized by his bowler hat and umbrella - two icons of the british banker which for me always conger up images of Mr Banks from Mary Poppins. I also wanted to play on the fact that the building Hugo sits in once had ties to the bank of England and is itself just around the corner from the main Bank of England building.

How did you do it?

It was important that Hugo looked life like. The shock factor of this piece was a key ingredient in it's impact so I wanted to get this just right. I enlisted the help of Sunita Parmar who is a special effect expert whose backround is TV and film. Together we agreed on a look for Hugo and she then set about working her magic

Everything from his hair style to his clothes were considered - his clothes come from Ede and Ravenscroft the oldest tailors in London and are styled specifically on the 'bankers' look.

Installation was a fun process as we started to witness peoples reactions to the piece. Hugo's location in also playful. As you come out of the lift on the ground floor he is there - you may even miss him the first time round as he sits quite high.

What has been the response to Hugo?

What's great is that in a building like this, there is no suggestion that there is going to be an art installation of this nature around the corner and the unexpected engagement you enter into with him forces a response, what ever that may be. Its fair to say that there has been a mixed reception to Hugo form the users of the building (mostly corporate companies) but it does force you to asses your views on the subject - either you sympathize with Hugos predicament or you feel perhaps he has had his comeuppance. This element of viewer response is the true nature of the piece.

Welcome!!

The lights are on... We are live!

Its been a long time in the making but we are finally here. It's with great pride that we introduce the acrylicize Website - Generation 3! It's seems fitting to launch the site as part of our 7 year anniversary celebration, as the site covers most of what we been up to over this period. The last 7 years have flown past, it really is true what they say, time flys when you are having fun.

Since the beginning of this project which started in a university art studio, we have worked to 1 unwavering core value: Innovation. It was this desire for innovation that led to the design of the acrylicize 'acrylic canvas' concept - a design language for art that challenged the convention of the standard art canvas and framed print and it is the same desire for innovation that has fueled the work we do today.

We are now working with all types of materials, for all manor of clients in all kinds of spaces and the creative possibilities are as wide as our minds can stretch. These truly are exciting times.

New additions to the site include our first ever online store, which allows you to click and buy authentic acrylicize art online safely and instantly. The ability to buy our increasingly popular gift vouchers direct from the store. Your very own favourites folder which gives you the power to send us images you like or may want to put forward for your project / client. An in-depth look at our recent projects with the ability to share these on all your favourite social media sites and a look at our very own Opus which is now available to view online.

Now the site is new, so please be patient with us if everything isn't working tip top. We have carried out extensive testing over the last few weeks but projects like this can always throw a curve ball. If you come across anything that looks like it's being naughty please let us know and we will do everything we can to fix it straight away.

So have fun, have a good play around the site and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy

James & Paul

London Calling

It was all fun in the sun on Saturday, as we headed down to Maida Vale for our latest installation for Pembertons...50 metres of ribbon and over 150 holes.

How to use our Favorites Folder

We've added this neat little feature to our store for anyone out there who would like to select lots of different images to show us what you like. This is designed to make your life as easy as possible. Here's how it works:

STEP 1:

Click the 'Like' button under the image you wish to show us

STEP 2:

A note will appear letting you know this image has been added to your 'Favourites' folder at the bottom of the page

STEP 3:

Your selected image is now in your Favourites folder ready to send us. You can add as many images as you like to the folder... Simple

Shortlisted

We've been shortlisted from a nationwide search of business's from all industries down to the last 3 for Business of the Year 2010. It's already been a busy year for us and its a real honour to be recognized for some of the work we are doing.