GRADUATE Gillian Pugh is hoping that Friday the 13th proves lucky for her business plans.
For the freelance costume designer aims to attract the attention of potential clients when she stages an exhibition based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Gillian, 22, who lives at Edgerton, has set up her own business after graduating in costume and textiles from Huddersfield University last year.
Now she gets a chance to showcase her work at a town centre venue in an exhibition to be staged at the Time Circa 2010 coffee shop in Hammond’s Yard, off King Street.
The exhibition, entitled Macbeth Requiem, will be launched with a preview night at 7pm on Friday – May 13 – when VIP guests will include representatives of businesses based at the Media Centre as well as leaders of other creative companies.
And Gillian is undeterred by the “unlucky” date and Macbeth’s reputation as a play bearing bad omens!
“I’m hoping that Friday the 13th will be my lucky day!” she said.
“I have created life-size paintings of five of the characters in Macbeth with the main focus on the Three Witches, who have all the power in the play.
“I’m hoping to get commissions to design costumes for the theatre or fantasy films.”
Andrew Dunne, co-director of Time Circa 2010, has made the venue a haven for talented creatives in the town to pursue their interests in poetry, art and music and show off their work.
Andrew’s own career has included being an interior designer and production designer working in film, television and theatre.
Now the coffee shop is the focal point of his plans to build up a network of creative businesses and an in-house core group of cutting-edge artists and designers.
Gillian, who came to Huddersfield from her home town of Cumbernauld, near Glasgow, is the first local creative to join the group – a move which will provide the opportunity to showcase her work on a regular basis.
Gillian worked at the Cotton Club on King Street and visited the coffee shop during breaks. “I got talking to Andrew and he told me about his ideas for making it a venue for the arts,” she said. “I told him about my work and he said he would like to help.”
Gillian is continuing to work part-time at the Cotton Club as she builds up her business – but believes the exhibition will provide the springboard.
Said Andrew: “We have invited people from the Media Centre and the university and other people in the creative sector through my contacts.
“It is all about giving talented creatives a chance to show what they can do.”
