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Businessman and former printer Ken Hughes is the toast
of St Helens after opening the town’s first commercial
art gallery and being named Tourism and Leisure Entrepreneur
of the Year.
5athegallery
opened within the town’s cultural quarter and,
as well as showcasing the work of dozens of North West
artists, the gallery boasts prints by the former Beatle,
Stuart Sutcliffe.
Ken
runs the gallery, as well as profitable graphics business
Vinyline, employing 22 people. Earlier this month he
was named Tourism and Leisure Entrepreneur of the Year
in the 2004 St Helens Tourism and Leisure Awards.
“I
was really pleased to receive the award. I didn’t
expect to win,” said Ken. “I feel I have
really committed myself to St Helens and am really excited
that I’m playing a part in its revitalisation.”
Ken,
a former printer, set up his business JC Engraving in
1980. “Myself and my previous partner wanted to
do our own thing and decided to specialise in graphics,”
he said.
They
set up above a shop in Ormskirk Street, St Helens, specialising
in engraving with a small amount of signs.
“At
the time we set up, a new machine had been developed
that enabled adhesive letters to be put directly on
to the side of a vehicle rather than a sign writer spending
hours painting it,” explained Ken.
The
machine revolutionised the industry and Ken imported
it from the United States, becoming the first in the
whole of Europe to provide the service. His business
went from strength-to-strength and began to focus on
large-scale graphics. After a name change to Vinyline,
and re-locating several times, the company is now situated
at the Sherdley Business Park.
“We
are being asked to do lots of work for artists and our
technology allows any image to be reproduced on any
kind of material from glass to stainless steel,”
explained Ken. “Over the years our work has involved
wrapping PVC around entire buildings in Manchester and
London and cities across Europe.”
In
1998 Vinyline was awarded the contract to install self-adhesive
graphics to the outside of 212 pavilions at Expo ’98
in Lisbon Portugal. The total area of 45,000 square
metres remains the largest graphics project of its kind
anywhere in the world.
“It gave me the idea that we could re-produce
any artwork, at any size, on any kind of material, at
an affordable price, which prompted the opening of the
gallery and makes it unique.”
While
looking for suitable premises to house a gallery, Ken
came across a former youth offenders office in Bickerstaffe
Street. “It was in a terrible state and we worked
on refurbishment for six months, with the help, encouragement
and financial support from St Helens First,” he
said.
The
building now houses a light, airy gallery on the first
floor and sells hand-made jewellery, glassware, ceramics
and artwork on the ground floor.
“Since
we opened our doors to the public we have been encouraged
by the number of people who have come not only to see
and buy art but to share our enthusiasm and excitement
for the gallery,” explained Ken who works with
Jess Bowstead, whose artistic knowledge and ability
have helped make 5athegallery the exciting place it
is.
“We
have had some terrific messages written in our visitor’s
book and recently had a visit from Stuart Sutcliffe’s
sister Pauline who now lives in the United States. She
was very impressed that we are showing Stuart’s
work and commented that exhibitions had been held in
London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo, but ours was by
far the most professional.”
Ken
linked up with a Liverpool college recently to exhibit
the work of Stuart Sutcliffe during the Mathew Street
Festival and has been playing host to groups of autistic
children at the gallery. “The feedback from the
children’s teachers was very good and we would
really like to develop the educational side of the gallery,”
added Ken.
5athegallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm
and Ken is available on 01744 20466.
For more information on 5athegallery visit their website.
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