Guest post by Lisa Wisniowski (soon to be a regular here on this site)
So, I received a rather interesting invite the other day which totally lifted my spirits. An invite to the opening of a new collaborative space in Leeds run by designer Daniel Lancaster and creative duo Lord Whitney – CF Studios. It sounds like a wonderfully adventurous endeavour so, I thought you’d all be interested in a little chat with the trio involved.
Q: So, Daniel and Lord Whitney – seems like a match made in heaven? How did you get together?
A: We were all students on the Graphic Arts & Design course at Leeds Met graduating in 2006. We began working together naturally as we saw the potential that our different skills could help benefit each other. The collaboration has developed over the years and collectively we all have the same approach to work yet our physical output centres around different areas of the creative sector.
Q: In the short space of time you’ve been collaborating you’ve been involved in window displays, festival tents and set design – if you had to pick just one project, which has been your favourite?
A: Wow that’s a hard one! We love the variety of our work which means no two days are the same. Our favourite projects are the ones that encourage people to use a little of their own imagination and maybe walk away with a smile.
Q: You say you get your inspiration from the nonsensical, humorous and the everyday – what has inspired you this week?
A: Dan has developed an unhealthy obsession with religious flyers and Lord Whitney is currently very inspired by a bird cage we salvaged from the tip! Simple things!
Q: Launching a new studio is quite a challenge. How did you go about finding an appropriate site both in terms of size, location and budget?
A: The practicality of working from our respective homes and garages was becoming very difficult, and we needed more space so we set out on a hunt around the derelict buildings of Leeds. Initially we thought a studio was beyond our reach, but at the time we were surrounded by inspiring people creating their own spaces it really gave us the push that made it happen. With a lot of buildings empty and suffering from the economic climate it seemed the perfect time for us to be looking and finding a positive.
Q: The transformation of the studio space from what was a derelict warehouse is amazing. Where on earth did you source all the furniture and fittings?
A: When we first set eyes on the space we saw past the cobwebs and dirt and within a few weeks so could everyone else! It’s been an exciting experience making the space our own and receiving amazing support from friends, family and business contacts alike. Our scavenging skills have been put to the test on this one but Freecycle and the charity shops of Leeds have done us proud.
Q: At the studio launch, you’re going to be curating an exhibition called The Blank Showcase. How can people get involved?
A: We are asking our guests to use their imagination and create or collect anything in response to the initials CF, this can be taken as serious or as playful as they like. On the night we will be collecting the submissions and creating the exhibition live during the course of the evening. The exhibition should not alienate anyone as our whole ethos is to collaborate and bring a sense of fun to the event. We want everyone coming to be involved and not feel limited by artistic talent, whatever the submission we hope that it represents a personal response to the brief however time consuming or flippant.
Q: And finally, what are your hopes, fears and dreams for the future of CF Studios?
A: Our hope is for the space to become a place for exciting collaborations and to be used by anyone from established artists to recent graduates. We hope that by creating a space where people can come together to produce anything from an interactive event to a cardboard castle, it will help people to produce new and exciting work. As for the upcoming plans for the studio, well you’ll have to wait and see we’ve already had a few interesting proposals of how people would like to use the space and we’d love to hear some more – our studio door is always open.
CF Studios launch takes place on Thursday 21st April between 5-9pm. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP [email protected] to receive further details and a place on the guest list. Be aware though, there are a limited number of places available – it looks like it’s going to be a great do!
Congratulations on opening a new artspace!
Its been a number of years since the last artists were moved on from Carr Mills and the students were moved in, so its good to see the artists are back.
Carr Mills was home to Oblong Studios and Third Floor Studios for a good 9 or 10 years, Third Floor finally closed down and Oblong moved on to Burley…
Hi Jon
Thanks for your comment. It’s really interesting for us to hear more about the area as it was a bit before our time in Leeds. We are sharing the building with bands and musicians and there seems to be a vibrant little community forming. We’d love to have a chat with you sometime and learn a bit more about the history of the area.