Arthouse Unlimited charity presents
Back in the summer, Sarah was wandering round a Christmas in July Festival in north London. These press events (there are quite a few, mostly featuring snow, mince pies and carols in steaming hot July…) are always a case of sensory overload – but one stall stood out a mile.
Arthouse Unlimited, a charity based in Godalming Surrey, displayed gorgeous packaging, lovely cards, and lots of items you would really want as gifts for anyone, at any time.
And the wonderful thing is that everything is designed by adults who live with learning and physical difficulties of different kinds – like Adam Crocker, pictured above.
Arthouse Unlimited began over a decade ago as a collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities, all of whom require some support. They work alongside instructors to create artworks which are developed into designer products for sale. Sarah talked to some of the artists who told her how much they loved being part of this initiative and how proud and fulfilled they felt as a result.
The artists are profiled on the website, arthouseunlimited.org, showing some of their hugely talented designs. Isobel Philips is 23 and lives at Meath Epilepsy Trust. ‘Epilepsy has been part of my life since I was young. I have night-time seizures quite regularly and sometimes have day seizures. Epilepsy makes you very tired.’ Isobel’s drawings of nature and animals (her favourite person is her golden Labrador Juno) are wonderfuly vivid and often very detailed. ‘I love drawing, it calms me down,’ she says. ‘[It] makes me feel more independent and working with other artists is fun.’ Do look at the website and browse all the stories.
Arthouse Unlimited’s Christmas Shop offers a gorgeous range of choices at real steal prices: we’re off to order Organic Tubular Soap/£6.50, Lady Muck Organic Lip Balms in scrumptious flavours/£4.75, Hand Cream with Lavender & Bergamot/£14 and matching Bath Milk/£16.50, and Body Butter/£20.
We also love the Swim with Whales Forever Weekend Bag/£55, and oh yes please, the Wonderwoman Enamel Keyring, just £7.95. (There’s a Superman Enamel Keyring too.)
There are lots of edible goodies too including handmade chocolate enchantingly packaged in the artists’ designs, just £4.95 a bar. Tea and Biscuits duos in Assam with Ginger biscuits, Earl Grey and Orange Chocolate Chip, Darjeeling and Cranberry biscuits, are £10.75.
Don't miss the rest of the SHOP section, which offers candles, diffusers, bone china mugs, tea towels and a tablecloth plus cards and gift wrap.
So - that ticks a lot of boxes on our Christmas list. We think you will love this amazing charity as much as we do.
