Crumble Cottage

First there was Beatrix Potter, A A Milne and Kenneth Grahame, next came Jill Barklem (Brambly Hedge), and today we have Stephen Yorke...

Stephen Yorke is another of my favourite contemporary British artists. Personally, I can't resist a bit of anthropomorphic nostalgia and Yorke's work is just the ticket to satisfy the child in me. Stephen and his wife Kym are partners in crime in the running of this enterprise, and together have created a world which is loved by both children and adults.

Meet Sedgewick and Rosemary, two friendly mice going about their lives in the little 'chocolate box' village of Upper Crustington. Yorke's collection of beautifully illustrated books will take you through some of their adventures and treasured moments together.

For me, Yorke's pen and ink style is akin to some classic works by Arthur Rackham, who you may know as one of the most celebrated illustrators in British history. Now that is praise indeed!

Yorke's works are in stark contrast to the mass produced images we tend to see nowadays. He makes a conscious effort to stray away from the 'computer-generated Disney style of artwork which is... very commercial but all looks so similar.' This is what really draws his followers to his work.

With the pressures of contemporary life people have much less time to put such intricate detail into their craft (as opposed to in the 19th Century for example). Yorke however, contradicts this modern obsession with fast, throw away images by creating detailed and time-consuming works. Yorke's work is far more alluring to the modern viewer because it reminds us of a simpler time, when craftsmanship and artistic flair were much more important. A time when people had less distractions (i.e. technology) derailing their unique creative thought processes. For all of us Romantics out there, thank goodness for artists such as Stephen Yorke, satisfying our sentimental longing for a carefree world.

It is incredibly important, especially in these uncertain times, to support our small British businesses. Crumble Cottage is fantastic for presents (for yourself or for others), so please head to their online shop and see what takes your fancy!