Bear Boobs…

The Bear is getting excited about Boobs.

The reason for this excitement is because we’re working with the wonderful (and seemingly indefatigable) Shrewsbury artist, Sam Pooley, to help write, edit and publish a Boob Book. This project builds on Sam’s work during 2012/13 for her fine art degree project – The Boob Wallpaper – wherein she photographed more than 250 women’s breasts and created a beautiful wallpaper, which is now for sale and raising funds for the Coppafeel breast cancer charity.

One half of the Bear took part in the project (shall leave you guessing which of us it was!), joining hordes of valiant women for a fabulous boob photo shoot at The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse in March this year. A great write-up on the night appeared in the Telegraph. A conversation with the artist led to Mad Bear becoming involved in the logical next strand of work: to create a book depicting Sam’s journey from concept to wallpaper, as well as taking the photos and interviews a step further to retell some of the amazing stories which had emerged from women along the way.

We’ve engaged photographer, Richard Hammerton, and graphic designer, Carla Boulton – two exciting, talented individuals with experience and ‘can-do’ vibrant zest – to work with us on the project.  Richard will be responsible for artistic photo-shoots and Carla will utilise her sharp design skills (check out her websites – some wonderful stuff) to ensure the book looks as amazing as its content deserves.

Plans are now afoot to re-interview a selection of the women who took part in the original project (including a vicar, a transgendered woman, some brave breast cancer survivors, and other interesting individuals) and further explore their experiences, attitudes to/relationships with their breasts… and, of course, set up some exciting new photo shoots.

The book will be a glorious hardback coffee-table style tome – artistic in arrangement, engaging in content – and, most importantly, representing a fantastic celebration of women and their boobs, as well as raising more funds for Coppafeel to support them in their ongoing breast cancer awareness work.

We shall keep you updated as the project progresses!