I met Richard Foot, one of half of film-making duo R&A Collaborations via twitter and we’ve already worked together on a couple of things, so when he said he had a studio I might like the look of, I jumped at the chance to feature it. The Creative Studio is in a courtyard behind the medieval Abbots House in the centre of Shrewsbury, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the town’s main shopping area. Once a dance studio with ballet poles and giant mirrors, it’s now home to siblings Richard and Helen Foot. As well as R&A Collaborations, which he runs with friend Arron Fowler, Richard also runs Footprint Photography here. And he shares the space with sister Helen; a woven textile designer, commission weaver and lecturer. The studio is a base for her own label, Helen Foot Design, and Millbank & Foot, a creative partnership with fashion designer Kate Millbank.
The result of having such different businesses in one space is a really interesting working environment. Working in things as digital as film and photography have become these days, it must be nice to be surrounded by objects as three dimensional as Helen’s latest Loom ‘Levi’ pictured above with the warp on ready for a new set of scarfs to be woven…
… and even Millbank & Foot’s mood boards – this one is for their tweed project.
But there’s no replacement to a photographer for some gorgeous vintage cameras…
…and Richard describes these as “my favourite things”: some lego Star Wars (naturally!) and a camera illustration by Matt Sewell.
Richard’s favourite book is Keld Helmer-Petersen: Photographs 1941 – 1995.
I really believe in the power of surrounding yourself with things that inspire you – and in celebrating your successes. (Click here to tweet this.) Richard has a series of Polaroid images called “Journey” from an exhibition at the Brighton Photo Fringe in 2010 strung right across the studio on permanent display.
In the same way, Helen proudly displays her first weaving certificate, made by Emma Sewell’s daughter when Helen was the studio manager of Wallace & Sewell in Clerkenwell!
The studio has fantastic views across Shrewsbury for those daydreaming moments so crucial to creativity.
“We are really lucky to have found this space in the centre of town” says Richard, “The only disadvantage of this old dance studio is that it’s a bugger to heat in the winter, I had to move into a cupboard this year and have only recently moved back into the main space! Plus everything’s on a bit of a wonk!
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- creative spaces :: club workspace by tilt
- creative spaces :: falcon
- creative spaces :: bulldog drummond
- interview :: thorody (featuring a short film by R&A Collaborations)
Further eye candy for the especially visual:
There are more photos of this space and lots more creative spaces on the confessions of a design geek Pinterest page. If you’re not a member yet, click here to join, and start pinning the things that inspire you…
