News

The call of the wild - experimenting, designing, casting, moulding, carving, sculpting: multi-award winning sculptor, Jac Scott MRBS, an associate member of Royal Society of Sculptors, starts creating bird patterns for sculptures. This exciting new work is on its way for a an avian inspired collection of three-dimensional art - expect something different!

A 40 second glimpse into some of the creative design processes we use.

Getting Plastered at Utopia from Utopia: The Unexpected Gallery on Vimeo.

Drawing to commission has a different dynamic, one where the poetry of creativity has a tension. The management of that is where Utopia excels, as exemplified in the last twelve months when Jac has been commissioned by both corporate companies and private clients to draw a range of subject matter.

We thought you might be interested in both the process and the results.

What happens when I commission a drawing at Utopia?

• CONSULTATION

The first step is to have an in-depth consultation with Jac on what your ideas are and how Utopia might fulfil them. We also discuss options for developing the idea and find out your budget and deadline – key parts of working productively together.

• SITE VISIT                  

Secondly, a site visit is booked. From this, basic research material is gleaned and then a quote is provided. Utopia does not charge for these initial meetings.

• CONTRACT                  

A simple contract is drawn stating: the brief, financial terms and schedule. On signed agreement and exchange of the contract, plus receipt of the non-returnable deposit, the work begins.

• RESEARCH                  

Jac will need to make some site visits to collect research material (sketches, photographs etc) but exactly how many are arranged, depends on the brief. The visits are always arranged with the client in advance and at times of mutual convenience. Many of the site visits are outside and therefore dependant on suitable weather conditions.

• SKETCH

It is usual for a preliminary sketch illustrating the composition to be forwarded to the client prior to a full drawing being created. This ensures that both parties are clear about the brief and that both are heading in the same direction. Any amendments are then made.

• DRAWING                  

At this stage the exciting part commences as the full drawing is developed. On completion a low-resolution version is emailed to client for feedback.

• CHANGES                  

Any little changes to the drawing are executed, the final version is agreed, then this stage is signed-off by the client.

• OTHER MATERIALS

If developments like framing and printing have been asked for, then it is at this stage in the process that they are managed.

• COMPLETION

On receipt of the drawing (and other materials) the client pays the balance and does a final sign-off to show the commission has finished.

This process enables both parties to clearly understand what is happening and when, so there is little chance for misunderstandings. Jac has spent twenty-five years as a professional artist working to commission, so she understands the process well and finds it rewarding developing new works from clients ideas.

Please get in touch if you have a concept you’d like to explore further.

Here are some commissions from clients in the last twelve months.

Tips on enjoying making decorations with natural materials.

Deciding on a Christmas theme for the gallery is always a delicious dilemma. This year a local ramble with Moss across the fields provided the answer with bunches of giant dead cow parsley - perfect for a loose ethereal arrangement when sprayed with gold.

Have a go yourself if you like natural materials at Christmas

1. Pick the cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) on a dry day and strip off any leaves so that the stems are clean. Cow parsley is quite brittle so be careful handling it. Keep the plants dry.
2. Trim the stalks as required.
3. Choose a still, dry day for spraying the plant with metallic spray paint - its amazing how far the spray travels so its advisable to remove any objects you don't want covered, use protective sheeting on the ground and wear old clothes and shoes. Or for smaller pieces a cardboard box makes a great temporary spray booth. We recommend wearing a mask over your nose and mouth to prevent inhalation of any noxious fumes. We use an environmentally friendly spray, but it still smells awful.

TIP - It is better to spray several thin layers of paint, letting them become touch dry between each coat, as the paint will then be less likely to flake off.

4. Let the plant dry thoroughly before arranging. 

We'd love to see a photo of your results so please post them on our FACEBOOK page.

If you want to see our efforts then call by our gallery.

ABOVE: Arnolfini Marriage, 1434, Jan van Eyck

A chandelier, other wise referred to as a girandole or candelabra lamp, is a suspended ornamental light with multiple branches. The wealthy have been enjoying chandeliers since medieval times when rustic wooden structures with candles on spikes were de rigueur. Although rudimentary, these statement lights made imposing interior features in fourteenth century rooms. A mechanism for the frequent replacing of the candles was necessary, so a hoist incorporating ropes or chains was installed on a nearby wall.

BELOW: We spotted this magnificent crystal chandelier at Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk

Through the centuries the chandelier has gradually metamorphosized into grander and more embellished lights with the use of more exotic and expensive materials being incorporated including precious metals and jewels. Synonymous with the rich and powerful these ornate lights found a wider appeal with the development of lead crystal in 1674. Its arrival transformed chandeliers as the material supported cheaper manufacture, whilst retaining a beguiling refraction of the light.

Today, the grand crystal chandelier is still in vogue but it now has numerous cousins, many who hark back to the light’s origins. Here are Utopia we enjoy playing with old ideas and manipulating antiques into something different, something unexpected, so of course over the years we have reinterpreted chandeliers in many ways. Our latest design harnesses pairs of antique hames into various configurations.

We create these chandeliers from pairs of horse hames - in single or double pairs in a range of styles (brass - Raw 55 pictured, wood & iron and painted steel) depending on the original antiques. Prices from £500.

Raw 55  Antique Brass Horse Hames Giant Chandelier

A unique and stunning giant chandelier/pendant light with contemporary character transformed by Utopia from two pairs of antique/vintage solid brass hames. The antiques are in great condition - they form the branching structures of the chandelier.  Please note that the pairs are not identical but very similar.

Hames form the integral part of a heavy horse collar, usually made of metal and/or wood, they are often padded and with a leather casing. The collar is used to distribute weight around the horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a plough.

This striking light has been created using brass fittings including a large ceiling rose with 8 cable grips and a central hook for the chains, edison/screw lamp (bulb) holders, 4 brass ceiling hooks for the outer chains, welded brass link chain and old gold retro-style twisted cable. There is great flexibility with the height of this light as the chains and cable can be easily adjusted.

This light looks great with the modern retro-style LED filament that provides a great light at low cost, without any heat build up. 

Dimensions: Variable height. Diameter 160cm

How Unexpected

In these unpredictable times, we add to the craziness with some exciting news - we've changed how we price our lampshades and can now offer clients many at lower prices. Savings of up to £20 can be made.

The Classical Plain & Textured Shades Collection is now in 2 price bands which means that many of our most popular lines have been reduced in price.

Utopia's Classical Plain & Textured Shades Collection

Utopia's unique Classical Collection includes nearly 90 materials available from our interiors gallery including: plain linens, shiny metallics, textured hessians, smooth cottons, cork, parchments and a variety of vellums. On our website there is a special selection of these, all designed to enhance your lamp or room perfectly.

Classic Silver Lampshade |Handmade in Britain

Contemporary silver shade with silver solaris edging ribbon - handmade in Britain. This fashionable statement shade adds shine and reflective qualities to any interior scheme plus it adds a modern twist to older lamps.  Available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Prices from £20

Classic Ivory/Brown Linen Lampshade |Handmade in Britain

Luxurious natural linen in neutral ivory or mid brown to beautifully coordinate with most interiors  - handmade in Britain. Prices from £25

Classic Copper Lampshade |Handmade in Britain

Contemporary copper shade with copper solaris edging ribbon - handmade in Britain. This fashionable statement shade adds colour and reflective qualities to any interior scheme plus it adds a modern twist to older lamps.  Prices from £20

Classic Gold Vellum Lampshade |Handmade in Britain

Our luxurious textured gold vellum shades, with gold solaris edging ribbon, make a glamorous statement that easily coordinates with most interior design schemes - handmade in Britain. This shade is a great compliment to our antique metal lamps. Prices from £25

Cool Stuff

We also now stock a full range of coolie shades at the gallery - these are a great contemporary shape but are not available in printed designs. 

Size Matters

If you need a giant size shade then these are available to order and collect from the gallery.

Lampshade specifications

• British professional manufacturers with over 25 years experience make all our shades.
• Only 100 shades are created from each design regardless of shape.
• Every design includes the designer’s signature.
• All designs are available in lamp or pendant fitting.
• Each shade carries a bulb wattage recommendation label as standard.
• All lampshades comply with BS EN 60598-2-2:2012 - the British Standard for Luminaries. All shades have passed the glow-wire test and are made from fire-retardant materials.
• Each shade is wrapped in protective, clear cellophane and includes a trademark Utopia wooden label.

Other shade configurations, to those listed, can be arranged through placing a special order.

We recommend using low-energy/LED filaments with all our shades and lights.

Also many of our Limited Edition (100) Collection of printed designs are lower too.

Discover the unexpected and inspiring handmade antique poetry book behind Utopia: The Unexpected Gallery's 'Literati Collection' limited edition (100) lampshades, 'Open Book' design. War poet Rupert Brooke's memoir is revealed in all its deckle edged splendour.

Poetry in Motion from Utopia: The Unexpected Gallery on Vimeo.

Looking after yourself is always on the agenda, but it doesn’t always get attention – we know first hand how hard it can be. So, we have devised a suggestion of a day trip to somewhere that will rejuvenate you. This idea does come with a serious health warning that you may leave feeling inspired, exercised, relaxed and well fed!

2. Top up your art-fix by visiting Norfolk By Design’s curated selling exhibition that runs all summer in the atmospheric stables. Here you'll find affordable art from the cream of the county's artists and designers. Plus you'll see our responses to the wonderful landscaped grounds in the form of two new drawings - now available as limited edition fine art prints framed and unframed. ‘Houghton Hall: West Perspective’ and ‘Houghton Hall: East Perspective’ reveal vistas where dynamic avenues of planted beech and lime punctuate the country estate. The trees act as a dramatic counterpoint to this historic hall - creating sight lines with a powerful perspective.

3. Unwind and lose yourself in the impressive sculpture garden with pieces: 'Skyspace’ by the American artist James Turrell, Anya Gallacio, Zhan Wang, Stephen Cox, Jeppe Hein, Rachel Whiteread and Phillip King.

4. Sharpen your eyesight with a stroll around the parkland spotting herds of deer - the unusual white deer are a particular treat.

5. Relax in the 5 acres of the picturesque walled garden - one of the Hall's favourite places.

6. Get inspired by one of England's finest Palladian houses - built in the 1720s for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole.

Then take some sustenance at the Stables cafe.

If you’re not replete then pop down the road to see us at Creake Abbey for more art, food and history.

Here at Utopia we are still amazed at the plethora of effects that different types of light cast on colours, even after so many years of studying the concept.  This enchanting power, that alters one's perception, is a wonderment we want to share with you. Here are a few useful pointers about the basic concept.   

• Consider the direction of the sun and its relationship to the walls at different times of the day. A north facing room will have a very moody and intense version of the colour, whilst a south facing room will have stark shadows and light moving around the room during the day, changing both the strength of the colours and the mood of the room.

• The type and strength of artificial light is a major factor in colour perception too. The range on offer is vast including: incandescent bulbs, fluorescents, halogen bulbs, neon, light emitting diodes, candles and oil lamps. The possibilities and variations are endless with cool and warm options (see below) colour changing and sequential, and then of course dimmable - all will affect the colours you choose.

BELOW: one of our transformations where an Edwardian brass chandelier is given a contemporary twist with giant globe dimmable LEDs. 

 https://www.utopiatheunexpectedgallery.co.uk/collections/raw-collection/products/raw-5-antique-brass-chandelier

The colour of artificial light has impact too - it is measured on the Kelvin temperature scale where the lower the number the more yellow the light quality and the higher the number the more white or blue the light.

Warm white - 2500K-3000K is the standard colour of incandescent bulbs.

ABOVE: warm white pearl bulb

Bright white/cool white - 3500K-4100K.

Daylight - 5000K-6500K

• Ambient light is atmospheric and thus creates moods and emphasises the dark tones of a colour.
• Task lighting creates flashes or spots of intense colour fading out to shadows.

The Winter Paint Box

As designers we seek inspiration from the world around us and living in beautiful North Norfolk provides a continual source of naturally beguiling vistas and vignettes. The muted palette of winter, with its ethereal qualities that shift and shimmer in the low light, inspire neutral hues for interior colour schemes. Embracing the gamut of grey tones revealed on misty mornings, or the tints of whites and pale greens where the frost twinkles on the garden or noticing the gentle warmth of colours radiating where the rising sun melts the frozen earth, can bring a new dimension to the season that invigorates and inspires. This blog post is about harnessing the winter paint box to generate fresh painting ideas, whilst hibernating from the winter chill.

At Utopia, we believe in responding to the seasons in our lives and in our work. So, it seemed the right time to discuss how winter is actually a really good time to be creative and nurture new ideas. Winter delivers its own special paint box for contemplation and selection and harnessing these natural hues is a time-served formula that can easily work if you want to achieve understated rooms with a timeless quality. However, so that your rooms are not bland, which is also easy trap to fall in to, we plan to share some tips with you. These are not rules, just helpful guidelines based on our research and experience.

Working with neutral colours is always popular because;

• They are easy to blend and balance
• The restrained palette is easy on the eye
• They form a calm backdrop to most furnishings and decorative accessories
• They create harmonious interiors
• They form a wonderful foil for both new and old furniture
• They deliver airy and relaxing rooms

Aiming for pale and interesting is a good place to start.

Why sample neutral paints?

There is a huge range of neutral paints in the market place with varying prices and qualities. We recommend choosing the best paint you can afford and then purchasing sample pots – this adds to the expense but it is well worth it as it enables you to buy with confidence. Most quality paint manufacturers offer good advice about choosing and using their neutral paint box, so it is always worth researching their ideas.

The golden rule is always to sample, sample, sample and live with the colours in different lighting conditions. Yes, we said rule.

Let there be light

Light is the key factor to consider when choosing any colour.

Natural and artificial light are both important. Whatever light sources you have or plan for a room, then make sure you gauge the colours with both. The easiest way to do this, and to not end up with patchwork walls, is to paint sheets of thick paper or card. Temporarily attach the sheets around the room (we use blutak) then live with the colours until you have made a decision. Move the sample sheets around making sure you try the dark corners and the light window reveals - that way you can judge the colour accurately in different light conditions. It still astonishes us the power of light over what appears the most simple colour. If the colours are not quite right, don’t compromise, try some different ones – throw in a curve ball and see if magic happens. It’s easy to cut out this stage, and we confess to having done this a few times mainly because of enthusiasm to get ‘the room done’, but it has been an expensive regret. Some companies will refund or swap unopened paint, but if you are like us you will have launched into painting and wasted a five litre can straightaway.

The neutral spectrum

Even a neutral palette has a spectrum of tints and tones to consider. The following is meant as a brief guide to understanding that a successful harmonising scheme is more likely if the selections are kept within the following subdivisions.

Warm neutral colours

Imagine a marsh where the reeds sway in the breeze– can you see a muted colours emerging? Neutrals with a warm tint are great for getting a degree of softness in a room without shouting colour. This group usually age well and compliment the warm tones of wooden furniture.

Traditional neutral colours

Picture the mellow greens of the crops under the jeweling of morning frost or the low sun casting warm shadows over sand dunes on a beach. Traditional neutrals usually contain a hint of yellow, even green in their make up and have a long history in interiors. Generally, these are easy to use, mix and match. They deliver a sophisticated scheme that is easy to accessorise.

Cool greys

The steely ethereal blues of wintery skies and seas echo the cool contemporary palette. Cool greys have blue undertones and create a more urban feel in a room. Favoured by those who desire a more industrial vibe it is a group that offers a less stark scheme than pure white. This spectrum is particularly enhanced with metal accessories and furniture.

White out

If you are attracted to an all white room, think fresh snow scene, then sample even this simple option, but make the swatches larger, so that it is easier to imagine what the room will feel like. Managing the light is paramount in a white room to maximise effectiveness and mood, and to avoid that classic cold and clinical result. Experiment. Also consider the practicalities of an all white room. If you have pets and/or children you may wish to defer this scheme until later, as nothing looks more uninviting than a grubby white room.

Drawing Conclusions

To re-tread footprints on a favourite walk, where sky and sea and earth meet and buffer, is a treat even on a windy, grey January day. The North Norfolk coastline is a sanctuary to wildlife and people – an ethereal interface that inspires and nurtures.

We surrender to the elements - embrace the gash of wind and rain and hear the roar of tide and turn.

See 37 seconds of a panoramic video of the windy walk at Cley.

What inspires artists to capture something - a stimulus that sparks an exhilarating ignition to respond. The stark winter landscapes of North Norfolk, with their strong graphic qualities, contrive a creative approach where the editing out of features is as much the artistic remit as what one includes. This challenging duality delivers sparse vistas with intricate detailing in the forms.

The Land Song Collection has emerged organically from the seasonal study of the East Anglian countryside and coastline. It aims to reflect the quiet song where a rhythmic beauty is broken by staccato: tree, farm and village. The drawings are direct responses to actual sites that can be visited through the name or grid references supplied with each print. The Collection will continue to evolve and expand as the sky’s envelope opens.

Cley Windmill

The ghost of the mill sails turn to the rhythm of the historic wind.

Burnham Norton

In Burnham Norton, marshes wrap and ooze watery ribbons of grey sky. Reeds form natural weather vanes swaying in the breeze whilst beyond the edge, where watery and aerial worlds collide: creatures dance in the interface embracing the fluctuating borders of their habitat.