About Hannah Nunn

Hannah Nunn holding a meadow bouquet

About 24 years ago I was holding some paper cuts up to the light to enjoy the silhouettes they made and I had an 'aha' moment. 'Why don't I make lights?' I saw a whole range of glowing lighting flash before me!  I'm very excited to say that all these years later these lamps are creating cosy corners in homes all over the world and that they have been the making of my career as an artist.

This was the start of my adventures. The lamps led me to open a shop, write a book, exhibit all over and be part of a community of artists and makers navigating the boom of the growing internet. The best thing of all though is that my art allows my love of nature and making things to be at the heart of everything I do. It allows getting out in the woods with my camera or marveling at a wild flower to become part of every day. 

My range of creations also includes wallpaperswindow films, books, laser cut 'treasures' and meadow bouquets which I make from my lovely studio in the centre of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire in the north of England. It's all inspired by the beautiful, tiny and fascinating details found in nature.

where it all began

I went to art college in Wales to study Crafts. As an eighteen year old city girl from Leeds the move to the sleepy township of Laugharne nestled in rolling hills  by a peaceful tidal estuary was a huge cultural change but I loved it! My student house was a crumbling Georgian mansion full of creative folk with a derelict castle we could sneak into at the bottom of the garden. There was a clock tower that chimed every hour and woodland walks to collect kindling for my wood burning stove. 

I didn't finish my college course. I had my two children, Ffion and Euan really young instead. But in the whirl of motherhood my desire to be an artist and to make things was like child number three pulling at my skirts and saying 'come on Mum, what about me?' My kids and my art (and me really) grew up together. When Ffion was at playgroup I'd push Euan around in the buggy until he fell asleep and then go sit in a field somewhere and draw. I would be squeezing moments of creativity in wherever I could.

Around that time I was commissioned to create an illuminated alphabet from a cabin in some bluebell woods (B was for bluebell). I only got to letter 'D' as it was too much of a struggle for time with the kids BUT my connection to the tiny details of nature was forever sealed. I've been drawing plants and flowers ever since!

my first studio

We moved back up north and settled in Hebden Bridge where we have now been for 25 years. This vibrant town, surrounded by an abundance of woodland, meadows and moorland had everything we needed. I got myself a space at Northlights, a shared studio then at the top of an old mill with far reaching views across the valley and little by little found the support and confidence to introduce my work to the wider world. 

I started with handmade papercut cards (the silhouettes I mentioned earlier) which made it to Liberty and Harrods and loads of lovely craft galleries but they were hard work for little financial return and I had children to feed so the lamp idea seemed worth pursuing!

I secured some funding from The Arts Council to explore and develop my lamp making idea and it went well. I launched my range at BCTF and they were taken up by many craft galleries, some of which still stock them today.

my old shop

When I exhibited at shows I would always be drawn to the work of other lighting makers and was struck by the idea of opening a gallery dedicated to artisan lighting. I opened Radiance in 2005 and it was a special place. It was the artists dream with my studio at the back of the shop and glowing and inspiring work by so many makers everywhere. People loved this cosy, colourful treasure trove of lighting and it was a big character on the high street of independent shops that Hebden Bridge was becoming famous for.

After eleven years the (general) high street was changing as the internet was growing and it was becoming a struggle to make ends meet so we closed the shop. It was a sad time on one level but it has allowed me greater creative freedom to focus on my own work again.

my studio...

In 2012 I moved my studio to Burlees House, a sunny space in a converted mill in the centre of Hebden Bridge with green views, wall to wall windows and plenty of room to spread my creative wings. It was here that I developed my wallpaper collection, housed my first laser cutter and all the windows inspired me to design window film which made the most of the the south facing light. The studio became my home from home and over the years it became a really beautiful place (before and after photos here) where I loved to be. New products blossomed, my treasure collection expanded and all the plants grew lush and tall...which is why it was all so devastating when the mill burned down in August 2022.

I lost everything in the fire. Well everything physical anyway. I realised soon after though, that my creativity was still intact. It was that which had made that space in the first place and I knew I could make another. The love and support I received from the wonderful community around me, close to home and far across the world, gave me so much strength while I found a new place to begin again. You can read more about how I made it through (nature played a huge part) in my latest Something I have noticed journal no.2. 

and now..


I have now found a new home in the newly converted Brooklyn Garage. After the fire I found a space up at Toplands Country Business Park in Mytholmroyd which allowed me to build the business back up again BUT I missed being in town with my creative buddies, so, it's really good to be back in the heart of Hebden Bridge again. 

My new studio is on Baker's Street, right between Brooklyn Studios and Northlights Studio and close to Linden Mill. We're calling it Hebden's artists quarter! I open my studio one Saturday a month. You can find out my open days and how you can visit me here.

my team

Domenique Brouwers helps with making lamps and shipping orders in the workshop three days a week and Hannah Shkandrij joins us one day a week too, to cut samples and wrap meadow flowers. Domenique is an illustrator (he hides pictures around the studio for me to discover) and Hannah is an embroidery artist who loves wild flowers and sews them on sweaters. It's lovely to work with other creatives.

the Dream film

The film that you see above is by my talented friend Sarah Mason. I once told her about a certain childhood memory and she was really inspired to tell my story in film. We filmed over a year, visiting each of the seasons and having lots of fun along the way. 

The wonderful animations are by Elouise Garlick and the music is by my son Euan Atkinson. You can download his beautiful soundtrack here and support him in his musical endeavors...which we would love to hear more of!

thankyou!

I'm so grateful to everyone that has bought my work over the years. My business has grown deep roots and is well nourished by you all. I love that customers send me photos of grass silhouettes saying 'I saw this and thought of you'!

It's a difficult time on this planet and being a maker of 'things' when the earth is already overburdened and overtaxed feels like a big responsibility.  I'm trying to do it as carefully and thoughtfully as I can. When people express the value that my work has in their lives and their homes it means so much to me. It is my hope that the things I make will be cherished for a long time to come and together we can create a world of care and connection. Read my sustainabilty page here.

how to stay in touch

Keep up with what I'm up to in the studio on Instagram and Facebook and my blog is a good place to see what I'm up to. I also publish some of my blog posts to Substack if that is where you'd like to hang out. I post things on Pinterest regularly too, so do follow me there and help me share my work

Every week (ish) I send my 'Three Somethings' email - something I have made, something I am making and something I have noticed. You can watch ideas unfold and see what inspires me. Writing it is one of my favourite things to do and when people say they look forward to it every week it makes me SO happy. Sign up here.

to conclude my story...

I have no regrets about not finishing college way back then. I am proud of myself for having listened to the whispers of my creativity and showing my kids how to listen to theirs. Ffion uses hers to build websites (she made this one) and Euan to write beautiful music.

Thanks so much for reading.

Hannah x