Special Projects
Outside of commissioned and commercial work I've always done lots of other projects.
These are usually created and executed with my partner Leigh,
and are usually things we want to try out, do for the sake of doing, or experiment with.
They’re neither designed to make money (though they sometimes do), nor to satisfy any brief but our own.
They’re also, sometimes, collaborative, and are almost always for the entertainment and engagement of other people.
This is just some of them.
Tinselsnakes
A 7" record in an illustrated storybook telling a specially-commissioned story, with narration and bespoke musical accompaniment. Released as a product to buy, but also sent to clients as an extra-special Christmas greeting.
Project site: tinselsnakes.net
The Secret Members Show
We asked 18 artists, plus ourselves, to create work asking what the male member means to them. Rejecting tired clichés, this collection of deeply personal, surprising work was shown in our own Factoryroad Gallery.
Project website: Factoryroad Gallery
Altar Ego
Madness. So mad we did it three times - a straight 72hour uninterrupted radio broadcast on FM and online, with DJS stationed globally, covering all genres and moods, 24/7.
A technical, design, musical and logistical challenge, we loved every exhausting second of it.
Project website: altaregoradio.tumblr.com
Also, this Medium story
Stupid Enough
We made a film about creativity in business - and the very real and unique paths to a professional creative career taken by 8 of our friends and colleagues. The film premiered at annual creative event Schmiede, in Austria. Watch the whole film
Watch the trailer
Watch the whole film
Project website: stupidenough.org
If A Girl Writes Off The World
The words of a beloved lyricist, rapper and poet are interpreted by the scribbler he inspires. The man writes beautiful pictures - can she paint beautiful words? 'For when a boy writes off the world it's done with sloppy misspelled words, if a girl writes off the world it's done in cursive...'
This body of work was inspired by the work of Sage Francis was shown in Manhattan, Providence and London.
Dreamweaver-built, animated gif-heavy 2006 website: writeofftheworld.net
BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA Records
Our micro-label - technically still active! - releases music and when it takes our fancy. Home to the unplayable, the niche, the brave or the totally uncategorisable. If we've liked it, we've released it!
Project website: BFT records
The Witches
A multi-media exploration of what would happen if The Pendle Witches...all came back.
The work was shown at three UK locations: London, Manchester and in our own Factoryroad Gallery.
Project site: theyallcameback.org
Gentleman Practice
With renowned US poet Buddy Wakefield's European tour imminent, we secretly invited 18 international artists, including ourselves, to create work responding to one of Buddy's poems. The work was shown in our own Factoryroad Gallery on the eve of Buddy's tour.
He had no idea we were doing it...
Project websites:
A review of the show
The amazing old-school Flickr gallery
Solid Egg
Between 2012 and 2018 we made and sold the world's only true, solid adult-sized chocolate Easter egg - a half kilo of chocolate - to a rapidly expanding, international following!
Project website: solidegg.co.uk
Flint & Food
We curated and hosted an exhibition of the work by DJ Food, collaborating with comic artist Henry Flint, created for the cover of his new album The Search Engine, encompassing album-themed art, food, and sound.
Project website: Flint & Food
DJ Food's review of the show
45rpm Record Adapters
For 15 years we manufactured and sold 45rpm record adapters, or 'dinks', to an international audience of vinyl lovers. We had a great time doing it, and sold the operation in 2015.
Project website: 45rpm.net
Dick H099 @ Factoryroad Gallery
We curated and hosted a show of our friend Dick Hogg's prints and illustrations, with a working preview of his new game Hohokum, food and pumpkin carving!
Project website: DICKH099@FRG
Photo archive: Flickr, bless it