ARTIST OF THE MONTH - SARAH MASON

Sarah is a specialist portrait and wedding photographer based in the Calder Valley between Manchester and Leeds. She prefers to use the stunning scenery around her as a backdrop for her personal work and occasion shoots. We first came across her after she stayed at Scales Plantation and also when she sent us a lovely photo of a boy named Jacob looking a bit surprised! We took a little time to get to know her better.

Which living person do you most admire and why?

My uncle Jim for his joie de vivre and for alll his sporting achievements to raise money for breast cancer awareness and care.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Abseiling and having a wardrobe malfunction at about 100ft from the ground.

What would your super power be?

To persuade Kate Bush to play live…just one more gig. I would LOVE that to happen!

What is your most unappealing habit?

I have a habit of sneezing very loudly and making everyone jump. I did it in the cinema once and the person in front if me chucked their popcorn up in the air.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Cheese slice toasties. They remind me of being ay my Grandma’s house. You have to watch that molten cheese on the roof of your mouth though.

What is the worst job you’ve ever done?

Working on an onion farm when I went travelling. Cutting the tops and bottoms off the onions all day, every day. Tears for the first hour and then stinging eyes for the rest of the day! Ouch.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Setting up my own business. Doing something I am passionate about and love every day.

What was your best holiday?

After leaving college, a friend and I went on a round the world adventure for a year and a half. 20 years on and those experiences are still with me.

What was your worst holiday?

A misjudged trip to the South of France with a bunch of school friends when we were teenagers. To top it off, I had tonsillitis.

Where next?

Rurall Suffolk. I’m doing a pre-wedding shoot and then I’ll have a couple of days to explore.

What’s your best piece of travel advice?

Don’t plan too much in advance. See how the mood takes you when you arrive.

How would you like to be remembered?

That lass that was pretty nifty with a camera

Have someone you think would be perfect for our Artist of the Month spotlight? Email your suggestions to: peoplewelove@canopyandstars.co.uk

To see more of Sarah’s skills, visit her website!

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - CATRIN LEIGHTON

Meet Catrin Leighton, a face you may recognise from our two-minute glamping holiday video (conveniently seen here). Catrin has the ideal combination of being high on talent but low on ego. She’ll do anything to get the audience laughing or crying and she’ll do it well. And although she didn’t get to dress up in 3D for our video, she happily agreed to be our Artist of the Month for February. Watch her space - she’s definitely an ‘up-and-comer’.

Where do you live now and what do you ‘do’?

Right now I live in Cardiff and I’m studying my 3^rd year of a BA hons Theatre and Drama through the medium of Welsh. I’m also working as a tour guide for the Millennium Stadium.

Which living person do you most admire and why?

I admire my tutor for my last course Paula, she has such an eye for theatre. Just a genius.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

I was working in a café in Newport Pembrokeshire when I was about 14/15 and some of the other girls who were working there were talking about the lead singer of Feeder and how he was having lunch in our café at the table by the window. Now, I wasn’t really into music and had no idea who this person was so I told them to just go and ask, and they wouldn’t, so I boldly strutted over and asked the man at the table “Are you the lead singer of Feeder?” and he said “No.” That was fine and I walked away, but as I was walking I heard the words “I am though!” but I was already walking away and was too mortified to turn round. I had actually asked the lead singer of Feeder’s brother if he was the lead singer of Feeder. Embarrassing but I still couldn’t pick him out of a crowd, and I still haven’t bothered to find out his actual name. 

Who would play you in the film of your life?

I’d like to say Helena Bonham Carter…or Jennifer Saunders, but I’d probably be closer with Dawn French or Miranda Hart.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?

Well it would have to be a one-piece, I do like a good onesie, and tassels, tassels are good. BUT having said that I’ve always wanted to dress up as something 3D like an Airport of the Eiffel Tower.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Probably musicals, anything I can sing along to and I’m there.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Literally” and not even in its correct context, which is worse.

What is the worst job you’ve done?

Well I used to work in a burger van, I actually quite enjoyed myself but my friend Edward called me white trash once.

What album are you listening to now?

I’ve just discovered ‘The Asteroids Galaxy Tour’.

Best holiday?

I’ve been Skiing a few times and I always absolutely love it, but I went to Amsterdam last year and that was also really fun, oh and Scotland for the Fringe Festival, that was great and a kind of ‘fly off the seat of your pants’ type of holiday.

Where next?

Berlin! I’ve been before for a weekend with University but I’m going again in Easter time. Also I’m hoping to do a Ski season in Canada this winter.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

All of those rolled into one, everything in moderation.

What’s your best piece of travel advice?

If your accommodation falls through, there are always people willing to put you up if you put an ad on Gumtree.

Which is your favourite country and why?

Well I haven’t been to many but Scotland is up there, and so is Amsterdam, and good old Cardiff has never let me down.

Have someone you think would be perfect for our Artist of the Month spotlight? Email your suggestions to: peoplewelove@canopyandstars.co.uk

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - GAVIN REPTON

Meet Gavin Repton - one of the faces behind our 2012 collection of places and owner videos (which you can view here). Gavin is an up-and-coming self-employed videographer based in Wirksworth (a tiny town out in the sticks in Derbyshire), who, much to our relief, enjoys being paid in peanuts (who said that?!). For that alone he gets our December Artist of the Month shout, but also because of his extraordinary love for animals. Oh, and because we just really like him.

When were you happiest?

Hmmm, not sure, does ‘were’ include now? ‘Cus if so…. now. If not, probably the last time a saw a dog leaning out of the window of a moving car, loving life.

Which living person do you most admire and why?

All of my closest friends & family, ‘cus they’re all real good’uns.

What would your super power be?

Flying for sure. and if not, being able to understand dogs, I think they’d have a lot of stuff to say.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

That guy from The Office, Martin Freeman, just because my ladyfriend thinks i look like him. But if he wasn’t available, Bill Murray.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?

One of those costumes that looks like you’re riding an emu with fake legs and stuff.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Shouting “Doooooogggggyyyyy!!!” whenever i see a dog.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Keep doing the thing you want until you get paid to do it.

What are you reading now?

Bob Dylan Chronicles vol.1 - a good car boot sale purchase.

What album are you listening to now?

The new Man Man Album. And Miles Davis - 100 Masterpieces, when I’m driving. It makes me feel like I’m in a film montage.

Worst holiday?

Renting a campervan out which broke down on the first day and we had to get towed home… But there was a good pub while we were waiting so It wasn’t too bad!

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

All but beach bum, I’m too ginger to sit in the sun for too long!

What would you most like to find in your welcome hamper?

Bacon, loads of tea & coffee, and marshmallows if there’s a fire, and even if there isn’t. And some Old Tom ale.

Check out Gavin’s videos here.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - ANTHONY GARRATT

You may or may not remember our 2011 Annual Photo Competition (if this sounds interesting, you can read more about the 2012 take here). Either way, our winner, Jojo Duenas won a spectacular painting from contemporary landscape painter Anthony Garratt. Someone well worth our Artist of the Month and who conveniently has a solo show at Thackeray Gallery in Kensington from 30 October!

Where do you live now and what do you ‘do’?

I live in Bristol on Somerset Road which has fantastic views over Bristol. I am a full time painter working from the Jamaica Street Studios in Stokes Croft.

What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is regret – there are so many exciting things to do and exciting opportunities to make the most of, I would hate to think that I was missing them and regretting it afterwards!

What was your most embarrassing moment?

I have had innumerable embarrassing moments, which is embarrassing.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?

Manners.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Cling film.

What is your most unappealing habit?

Bad puns.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Great stuff”, “Crikey”, “Crumbs”

What is the worst job you’ve done?

Making wooden pallets in a factory. We had to stand up all day with noisy mechanical nail guns firing nails into splintery wood. People would get so bored that they would entertain themselves by firing nails across the room at each other.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Making my passion my job

What album are you listening to now?

The Amazing, by… The Amazing.

Where have you just come back from?

I’ve just returned from a sailing trip to Brittany – we anchored in small creeks at L’Aber Benoir and then Mogueriec, which is close to Roscoff. Beautiful. And then a windy and wavy ride back to Fowey in Cornwall.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

A beach vulture junkie.

What’s your best piece of travel advice?

Don’t get tied to plans. And enjoy Britain; I could quite happily never go abroad, we have so much to offer.

You can see more of Ant’s art here.

NADA’S FIRST PAIR OF WELLIES

No joke. My VERY first pair! And courtesy of Hunter who we are doing some exciting things with in November (stay tuned). Now, to find a puddle…