Anya17 Opera on Human Trafficking

Following on from the logo my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones created in Autumn 2011 for Anya17 and having initially set up a basic holding page and Wordpress Blog, I have now launched the full website in January 2012 to form the next stage in the show's publicity campaign.

Composed by award winning composer Adam Gorb, directed by award winning director Caroline Clegg, with libretto by Ben Kaye, this unique opera will be premiered by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10/10 on March 7th 2012.

Anya17 seeks to expose the desperate plight of sex trafficking victims in the UK. Stu and I are working closely with the co-founder Ben Kaye on a completely voluntary basis - inspired by Ben's passion to bring this horrendous growing trade in human sex slaves into the light.

With thanks to the help of my very supportive Associate Web Developers DR Solutions for hosting and coding work.

CMS Designer Portfolio Package for Dorset Artist Sam Cannon

I have just launched a website for local artist Sam Cannon using my new CMS Designer Portfolio Package, which I have created specifically for creative individuals such as; artists, designers and photographers who want a simple, stylish, image led and fully content managed portfolio site to showcase a gallery of their work.

I originally gave Sam some free advice by phone and email about a site she was setting up herself in Dreamweaver, but having struggled to get the site up and running, I am delighted she returned to me to create a site we hope shows off the quality and diverse range of her drawings and paintings, to encourage sales and commissions.

Compassionate Dorset Celebrates 2 Years of Compassion!

This month I am celebrating the 2nd birthday of Compassionate Dorset - the animal welfare group I run as the local supporter group for the leading farm animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming (my favourite charity!).

I can hardly believe it was 2 years ago I had the crazy notion of starting and running a small voluntary/community group, and I'm quite chuffed we've managed to muster up 40 local group supporters, and we've had an event around every 6 weeks on average, from cake sales in town, stalls at local festivals, to our own film nights, and of course we continue to develop our Compassionate Tee-Shop.

I only wish I had more 'spare' time to do even more creative projects for Compassionate Dorset, but of course I will keep doing all I can, and we are planning The Factory contemporary art show for 2012, I'll be setting up a Blog at long last, and I hope to develop ideas for a couple of illustrated books, and develop the branding for the shop and expand the range so we're all set for world domination! Who knows, I may even get back into my own art and illustration work for it as well, but in the meantime a HUGE thank you to all the talented illustrators who have been involved so far including my Partner Stu Jones who I always love working with... keep watching this space...

ethicaledge® Reviewed by New Media Age 'Site Inspection'

I have just launched the website for ethicaledge® - the first charity recruitment agency to specialise in connecting digital marketing managers, social media specialists and talented communications people with amazing charity jobs. I created the whole brand including the logo, and collaborated with my Associate Partner Illustrator Stu Jones on several page illustrations, as well as completing a separate blog for Lauren Bates, the founder of ethicaledge®, with the help of my Associate Web Developers DR Solutions.

Lauren wanted something completely different to stand out from the generally mediocre, safe and stuffy corporate world of recruitment websites. The site needed to be friendly, inspirational, easy to use, and specifically exclude a jobs board to encourage users to get in touch to talk with a real person!

We are very excited that the site has made it to the shortlist of Site Inspections in the design industry magazine New Media Age getting a good score for 'Usability' and 'Branding' based on its simple 'eye-catching cartoon-style design' and was recommended as 'one to keep an eye on' once the site content builds up, so watch this space...

Dorset Energized

Once again I am very happy to be working with Associate Partner Illustrator Stu Jones on stage 1 of a fully illustrated website for an exciting Dorset initiative that aims to expand both by county and nationally in the UK. The site will promote the benefits of renewable energy from electric cars, to solar panels, to wind turbines, and is aimed specifically at the general public and small businesses.After putting forward our concept for the overall look and feel for the website, we are delighted the project has got the go ahead for funding, and hope that we can lead the way here in Dorset and get people 'energized' with renewable energy.

The site is set to launch in Spring 2012.

Charity & Community Projects

I am currently designing a website for equine facilitated therapy film project EFT Resource funded by the Big Lottery, as well as redesigning the website for the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy based in the New Forest, who are contributing to the EFT documentary.

In total I am working on five different charity related projects including the branding, website and Wordpress blog for a new top secret ethical project to be launched this Autumn, and a new website and brochure for Dorchester & South Dorset LETS (Local Exchange Trading System) to help support my local community.

Frank & Faith Shortlisted for RSPCA Good Business Awards

I am really excited that ethical fashion label Frank & Faith - whose site I originally designed back in Autumn 2007 - have been shortlisted for the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2011. I encouraged their Founder Anya Pearson, who also supports my animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset, to draw up an Animal Welfare Policy and publish it on their website, given they do so much to ensure their clothes are made ethically for people, planet and animals.

October Update: I am even more excited that they have won a thoroughly deserved 'Highly Commended' award for Best Small Fashion Business.

2Communicate PR & Communications

This Summer I am designing a new logo and website for new PR & Communications agency 2Communicate who are based in Worcester and specialise in marketing for the third sector. I will also be implementing a blog on Wordpress and customising their social network profiles for a consistent brand. The project is being completed in part exchange for PR work for my animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset, where 2Communicate's Founder Sarah Willis will be working with myself and Anya Pearson from local ethical fashion label Frank & Faith.

Luna26 Design Collaboration with Stu Jones

This Spring/Summer I am collaborating with my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones on a fully illustrated website for Luna26 Design based in Wimbledon, London (currently relocating to Toronto, Canada), who specialise in bespoke invitation design for weddings and corporate events.

Due to their relocation the project is temporarily on hold and we look forward to resuming work in September.

Compassionate Dorset Launches T-Shirt Competition for Charity

My partner Stu Jones and I teamed up with South West Artwork and Meetdraw to look for talented designers and artists to design more farm animal themed t-shirts to add to the Compassionate Dorset online shop in aid of the leading farm animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming. I was very excited to facilitate the competition and Stu and I were 2 of 4 judges who selected 4 winning designs. 100% profits from all online sales continue to be donated to Compassion in World Farming to help end factory farming. The winning designs were launched on the Spreadshirt shop on June 1st on: www.compassionatedorset.co.uk/shop.

For details and to view the competition winners visit:
www.compassionatedorset.co.uk/charity-tee-competition-may2011.htm.

Customised Facebook Pages

Facebook have recently made a major change to the way tabs can be added to Facebook Pages (previously called 'fan pages'), by replacing the FBML with a much simpler iframe. This means that you can now have your own customised Facebook pages to tie in with your website and branding and offer exclusive content for 'fans' (people who 'like' your page).

I have now set up my first customised Facebook pages for Compassion Dorset and have also set up FB pages for Prosperon Networks and am available for other FB page design commissions.

Rainbow Magic Banner for Kate the Royal Wedding Fairy

As Royal Wedding fever hit the UK, Orchard Books released a new book for their top-selling series Rainbow Magic, as seen on TV, for Kate the Royal Wedding Fairy and asked me to create a competition banner for the Rainbow Magic and Orchard Books websites which I previously designed and continue to help update.

New CMS Designer Portfolio Package

I am very excited about launching my new CMS Designer Portfolio Package specifically for creative individuals such as; artists, designers and photographers who want a simple, stylish, image led and fully content managed portfolio site to showcase a gallery of their work - but at a more affordable price than a fully bespoke site.

I am launching the package by creating a new website for acclaimed photographer Pete Millson who has work on permanent display in the National Gallery London.

Frank & Faith Ethical Fashion Site Refresh

Dorset based ethical fashion label Frank & Faith have continued to return to me for site updates since I designed their site back in Autumn 2007, and the site is now undergoing a simple makeover for Spring 2011 with a new footer making more use of social networking, and using the new 'Made in the UK' flag graphic created by my Associate Partner Illustrator Stu Jones for their trade shows.

Frank & Faith's Founder and Director Anya Pearson has also been helping Stu and I to promote our charity t-shirts designed under our animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset in aid of Compassion in World Farming, and it was thanks to her efforts that our tees were featured in the top selling women's fashion magazine Cosmopolitan (February 2011 issue).

"Gorgeous" Charity T-Shirts Featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine

Thanks to my lovely ethical fashion clients Frank & Faith, who are supporters of my animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset, our charity t-shirts which I commissioned my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones to design exclusively in aid of the leading farm animal charity Compassion in World Farming, caught the eye of Cosmopolitan's Fashion Editor Shelley Vella who bought some of our "Gorgeous" tees herself and featured them in the 'What's Hot!' section of the top selling women's fashion magazine Cosmopolitan in the February 2011 issue.

Thanks to Frank & Faith model Miranda Aldir (pictured left) for very kindly donating her time to do a photoshoot for the t-shirts.

Andrew Stone Architect Site Refresh

I originally designed a simple micro-site back in 2006 for Dorset based Andrew Stone Architect who specialises in classical architecture and restoration work for traditional buildings.

The plan was always to allow the site to grow as the new business grew, and having returned to me for site updates with completed projects in 2008, I am now working on a refresh of the site for Spring 2011 with a much more in-depth gallery of completed projects and work in progress.

Meetdraw Hold 'Digital Animals' Print Sale in aid of Compassionate Dorset

My website for my animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset caught the eye of Bournemouth/Poole collective Meetdraw who hold networking events bringing together freelance digital creatives and agencies throughout Dorset. Meetdraw regulars decided to hold a print sale of their original limited edition 'Digital Animal' themed screen prints in aid of Compassionate Dorset and Compassion in World Farming at Meetdraw8 and raised £555. View Meetdraw's fantastic 'Digital Animals' prints on:
www.meetdraw.com/2010/12/digital-animals

Stu and I are also planning to collaborate with South West Artwork on an art show called 'The Factory' in 2012 so watch this space...

Rainbow Magic Micro-site

Having already designed four websites since 2007 for several imprints of Hachette Children's Books (HCB - acclaimed London children's books publishers) I was re-commissioned in Summer 2010 by Orchard Books to add an internal micro-site style section for their top-selling series Rainbow Magic - as seen on TV.

I originally designed the new Orchard Books website in Spring/Summer 2009 but additional phases are still in progress with their in-house Developers. The first site I designed for HCB was Hodder Children's Books.

New Website for Associate Partner Stu Jones

As well as redesigning my own site this Summer, I have just redesigned the website for my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones in time for his first illustrative exhibition.

The 'This Ones Different' contemporary art and design show by South West Artwork will see works dotted around Poundbury Gardens Centre in Dorchester, August 14th - 30th and should be the first of many exhibitions of Stu's work.

Compassionate Dorset Website

In my spare time I am planning to continue to develop the website for my animal welfare group Compassionate Dorset, which aims to promote compassionate living through creative projects and fundraising events, and also acts as the local supporter group for the leading farm animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming.

As well as fully customising and developing the online shop for our charity t-shirts designed by my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones I hope to add an Ethical Directory, Members Area, an integrated Blog, plus Videos and interactive Flash Games for children (and adults too) over the next few years as a long-term on-going project.

Compassionate Dorset Charity T-Shirts

I commissioned my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones to design a range of charity t-shirts with a farm animal theme to be sold exclusively in aid of Compassion in World Farming to help end factory farming.

I also have plans to fully customise the Spreadshirt online shop and to develop more t-shirts, other products and to initiate other art and design related projects and events under Compassionate Dorset.

Win a VW Campervan Logo & Competition Website

I have been working with my Partner Illustrator Stu Jones on the logo for an online promotion to Win a VW Campervan in association with Bollé sunglasses. The logo and site needed to appeal to festival goers and VW enthusiasts as well as to the general designer sunglasses market.

Portrait in Book & Exhibition by National Acclaimed photographer Pete Millson

I am very excited to have been included in a book and photographic exhibition by nationally acclaimed Portrait photographer Pete Millson, who has work on permanent display in the National Portrait Gallery in London (not my one yet though!) as one of his subjects for LETS SEE: portrait of a community - a project on the people who make up West Dorset LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems), which I has been helping by updating their website and blog in my spare time (April 2008 - August 2010) as a way of supporting my local community.If you look very closely you'll see that one of my cats - Klee - managed to make it into the picture too!

I have since starting working with Pete by briefing him for photoshoots for my client's websites including Belt-Up Bags and for my Dad's TV show on Sky 200 Nick Ashron's Lightworker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Anna Celeste Watson Featured in WebDesigner Magazine

Back in 2006 I was interviewed as the featured Designer in the 'Profile' section of Issue 114 of the popular web magazine WebDesigner which featured 3 of my sites for; Associate Partner Stu Jones, Associate Print DesignersStudio401 and the FUNK Sunglasses site. I still get asked for advice by new Web Designers or those thinking about becoming freelancers by people stumbling across this very article!

FUNK Sunglasses Chosen as New Media Age Site of the Week

Way back in 2004 (seems a long time ago now!) I designed Funk Sunglasses (still one of my favourite sites to work on!) under Fresh Egg Ltd, and the site was honoured as the chosen 'Site of the Week' in the design industry magazine New Media Age - beating both the official Visit Britain and Speedo Swimming sites.