Photographer highlights Staffordshire in exhibition - with pictures
An exhibition launch that captured what makes Staffordshire the creative county was a big success.
Photographer, Derek Tamea, is the man behind the exhibition which was launched on Tuesday and will be on until Friday.
He travelled across Staffordshire to discover artisan crafts in a series of portraits, particularly specialising on the less well known ones.
He said: "The launch was very good and the Mayor of Stafford came.
"When we invited him, he said he could only spend a little while with us because he had other things he had to get to but he stayed a long time and chatted and he loved the people on display.
"The people from the photographs were also invited and came with their friends and they loved it.
"It was very busy and we were very happy with it."
The photographer originally comes from London but has been living in Staffordshire for 40 years.
He specialises in traditional portraits with a theme and has held exhibitions of his work for the last 20 years. His previous work has featured actors, musicians, or women in uniform.
He added: "This project was a chance to do something different but I could also keep my love for portraits.
"We started with the project last September to find the artisan arts and crafts around Staffordshire that were hidden. We set off for one and it took about an hour to find.
"Because there was such a mix of people at the launch- there were saddlers, or basket makers- they all had something to talk about so it was a very chatty evening."
In March, the exhibition will go to the Ancient High House for a month and he hopes it will make its way around different galleries, libraries and museums across Staffordshire.
The exhibition will take place at Best Western Tillington Hall Hotel on Eccleshall Road in Stafford
More of his photographs can be found at www.facebook.com/derektameaphotography
