Isle of Man: "Year of Culture Receives Stamp of Approval from Isle of Man Post Office"

As the year-long Island of Culture gets underway the Isle of Man Post Office has issued a new set of stamps by Manx artist Juan Moore to celebrate the occasion.

Juan commented, “It feels so good to have my artwork on the Island of Culture stamps. Art is always something that people have an opinion on and I hope my work will be noticed on these stamps. It is important to me that my work is not only thought-provoking, but that it is accessible to everyone. One of the aims of my work is for it to be as understood by not only those from an art background, but for someone who knows nothing about it.”

He holds degrees in illustration and computer animation, and has had work featured in exhibitions in Cornwall, Wales, London, France and New York, with examples of his artwork selected for the collections of both the Isle of Man Arts Council and Manx National Heritage.

Maxine Cannon, General Manager of Isle of Man Stamps and Coins said, “We are delighted to be involved in the Island of Culture and our set of eight stamps, kindly designed by Juan, will be launched in conjunction with the actual launch of the festival on 6th January. Culture means different things to everyone but there is set to be something to suit every taste throughout 2014, with a colourful spectrum of events planned by the Isle of Man Arts Council to celebrate the richness of our Island and its cultural scene.”

Juan’s distinctive style lends a contemporary feel to this commission which reflects eight central topics; dance, music, drama, literature, visual arts, design, film and craft.

He added, “I generally get my ideas for my art from everyday life and once I have an idea I just paint. I’m a big fan of the white page and don’t always know where my journey is going to take me and what the end result is going to be like until I get painting. I love having something physical at the end of it and I’m really looking forward to seeing the actual stamps when they are issued in the New Year.”

www.iomstamps.com

Valerie Caine © January 2014