22nd April - 22nd July 2023

We’re delighted to be able to share with you the unique stories behind two homegrown makers from Yorkshire in one fascinating showcase with a twist; we’re bringing some of their studio into the gallery! Textile Designer Kirstie Williams and Artist Andy Poplar of Vinegar & Brown Paper allow us into their intriguing worlds with a selection of their finished products available to buy and a behind the scenes delve into their sketchbooks and tools of their trade. Andy has spent the last 10 years taking iconic items of glassware and bringing them to life with the tools of typography, wit, wordplay and a slightly askew way of looking at the world. Tutor and course administrator at Leeds Print Workshop, Kirstie creates her screenprinted cards, textile products, prints and notebooks with sustainability in mind. She explores Slow Design philosophies through making, emphasising slowness in the creation and consumption of products to instill quality and foster traditions.

Homegrown Showcase

Kirstie Williams and Andy Poplar of Vinegar & Brown Paper

Image: Andy Poplar

More about our Homegrown makers...

Kirstie Williams

Kirstie Williams is a practising designer and printmaker. She primarily works with screen printing processes for textiles and paper products such as tea towels, pouches, lampshades, wall hangings, cards and prints. She is influenced by 1950s textiles, creating bold, abstract and geometric patterns.
Sustainability plays a strong role in her design process and she explores Slow Design philosophies through making, emphasising slowness in the creation and consumption of products to instil quality and foster traditions. Kirstie has been working with textiles, screen printing and various other printmaking methods for nearly 20 years. Her work has evolved and developed over that time and she finds screen printing to be an important part of her design process, using the technique to play, experiment and create new ideas. Colour plays a very important role in her design processes, and she is interested in how colour interacts, and how accents of colour can completely change a print.

Andy Poplar of Vinegar and Brown Paper

Andy Poplar has spent the last 10 years taking iconic items of glassware and bringing them to life with the tools of typography, wit, wordplay and a slightly askew way of looking at the world. From apothecary jars to laboratory glass, nostalgia filled milk bottles to one-off vintage pieces, you can now find pieces of [vinegar & brown paper] on bookshelves everywhere, from York to New York.

“ADVERTISING CREATIVE GETS BURNT OUT BY THE INDUSTRY. QUITS. BECOMES STAY AT HOME DAD. HAS AN IDEA ABOUT ETCHING WORDS ONTO GLASS. SETS OUT TO MEND HIS HEAD, WITH [VINEGAR & BROWN PAPER]”

Please note the images below may not be works featured in this show. Once the show starts we'll be adding photos and a virtual gallery tour so you can explore what's on display and available for you to buy.