drawn to the south west


RIGHT Tom Hubmann, Birds of Paradise. www.brainwig.com BOTTOM David Biskup, Yuri. www.davidbiskup illustration.com


“I always knew I was going to be a struggling illustrator… I would rather struggle in Falmouth, with the sea on my doorstep”


more resourceful for trying to do things for themselves,” she says. “Statistically I think the South West has a larger percentage of small businesses and fewer large businesses – I think there’s that kind of ethos.” Not far from the Jamaica Street Artists studios is a


FOUR TO SEE Great illustration destinations in the South West


bookshop and gallery that has also helped many illustrators – both from the South West and further afield – on their way to an established career. The Here Gallery started life, fittingly enough, as a voluntary collective, set up by the now-owner, Ben O’Leary, and a group of friends. Ben explains that it grew “rather haphazardly” from a space where all kinds of artists and crafters could sell their work to the more focused, award-winning business it is today. The gallery regularly hosts exhibitions by both local


and international fine artists, illustrators and photographers, with a particular emphasis on new and up-and-coming talent. Meanwhile the shop stocks a range of art books, self-published ‘zines, underground comics and hard-to-find magazines. A few years ago Ben’s sister, Kate, who lives in


Jamaica Street Artists Open Studios 8-10 June at 39 Jamaica Street, Bristol www.jamaicastreet artists.co.uk


Here Gallery 108 Stokes Croft, Bristol www.thingsfromhere.co.uk


Bath Festival of Children’s Literature 28 September to 7 October, venues around Bath www.bathkidslitfest.org.uk


Falmouth, recognised the potential for a similar space in the Cornish town and so the Here and Now Gallery was born, with the aim of offering like-minded people a place to meet and see new work. Having a base in Falmouth has also helped the original Bristol gallery to connect with emerging talent from UCF, Ben explains. One of those who has benefitted from the Falmouth


gallery is illustrator Tom Hubmann, who graduated from UCF’s MA course last year and soon after secured an exhibition at Here and Now. He now works in the gallery part-time while building up his freelance career. Having worked in the music industry in London for


10 years, Tom decided to change tack in his career. He chose the Falmouth course both for its reputation and its Cornish coast location. Tom says the MA course seems to attract slightly older students who have maybe pursued another line of work, had some time out, or simply want to focus on honing their individual style. One of his contemporaries was a successful Cornwall- based children’s book illustrator (that he declines to


name), who had published about 40 books worldwide but was dissatisfied with the direction her career was taking and wanted to explore and develop her own visual ‘voice’. “She did the MA so she could take stock of everything,” Tom says. “Cornwall is a great environment to do that. There are none of the pressures of city living.” Having found an environment that gives them space


to develop their creative talents, many, like Tom, decide to stay. Others move away for a while but gradually find themselves migrating west again. As someone who is just starting out, Tom recognises


that there are challenges to staying in the South West, but, like many illustrators based in the region, he has ideas and plans for projects to help generate work and promote himself and fellow artists – and he’s excited about the prospects these could offer. The cheaper cost of living is an advantage, but


Here and Now Gallery 41A Killigrew Street, Falmouth www.heregallery.co.uk


26 Artists & Illustrators


perhaps of equal importance to creatives like Tom is the quality of life that comes from settling in the West Country. “I always knew I was going to be a struggling illustrator,” he says. “I would rather struggle here, where you have the sea on your doorstep.” That desire to live within easy reach of a beautiful


landscape is something that all South West illustrators – struggling or otherwise – would surely recognise. With thanks to Christine Hill at the University of the West of England (UWE) and all at Jamaica Street Studios


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